Looking forward

April is the moment of the year when my perspective as a cook suddenly shifts. Even though artichokes and asparagus…and nice looking lettuces and greens…are coming in from California during the month of March, much of my cooking is still centered around the “always available” (broccoli, kale, plastic containers of baby spinach, mushrooms…) and of course the foods that have kept well since last fall (roots, winter squashes, storage onions…). For the period of time stretching from sometime in November and going through the end of March, cooking feels like it is mostly about looking back. But suddenly in April, with the arrival of the local asparagus crop, there is a realization that this is the beginning…and there is so much more deliciousness to come over the course of the next few months. And as I see the world itself greening up along with the asparagus, I start looking forward.

Asparagus as the star

When good asparagus (nice plump spears) is available, it is unusual if there isn’t at least one bunch in my fridge. (Check out last year’s April newsletter for tips on storing your asparagus.) I use it all the time—as a solo vegetable side, as the main event topped with an egg (poached, fried, softly scrambled), in a pasta, pilaf, risotto, frittata or salad…or as part of a medley of other spring vegetables. I could go on…. It seems like I can’t get enough of it.

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