Which fruits and veggies are in season in spring?
Winter begins to thaw at long last, bringing an explosion of colourful flowers, the cheerful songs of birds, and the return of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Canadians are eager to embrace the warmer temperatures, venturing to restaurant patios and bringing their BBQs out of hibernation when the weather permits.
Rhubarb and asparagus are the first new vegetables to appear. However, winter root vegetables like beets, potatoes and squashes are still readily available. By the end of May, Canadians begin to see the first crops of summer produce, such as green beans, broccoli, kale, and lettuce.
Spring is also the start of berry season. Strawberries and the native Canadian Saskatoon berries come into season during May, as do apples and cherries.
What’s in Season from March to May:
Berries: Saskatoon berries and strawberries.
Fruit: Apples, cherries, and watermelon.
Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, green beans, green onion, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, peas and fiddleheads
Root Vegetables: Beets, carrots, onion, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, squash, and sweet potatoes.
My top three , and first out of the gate are asparagus, fiddleheads and peas. Let's focus on these.
If you think ferns are only good for decorating office lobbies, you're wrong. They are also the source of one of the most whimsical vegetables around: fiddleheads. The curled up fern fronds may seem odd because of their shape, but the ultra-seasonal vegetables are well worth seeking out. Here's what you should know before heading to the farmers market to try fiddleheads.
When are fiddleheads in season?
The spring plant peaks in May and the sprouts are generally foraged or picked from late April to early June before the plant grows into a fiddlehead fern.
What should you look for when purchasing fiddleheads?
With small coils that are tightly wound up, fiddleheads should be a vibrant, bright green, unless they are still covered in their brown papery skin. The skin should come off easily when rubbed. Purchase or pick only ostrich fern fiddleheads, as they are the safest for consumption.
Spring produce fans, the time has finally come for asparagus to shine. While you can usually find it year-round in grocery stores, asparagus season usually starts around late February until June, but the peak is in April.
Garden peas are sometimes called sweet peas or English peas. The pods are firm and rounded, but you must shell them, remove the peas inside, then discard the pods before eating. The peas are sweet and may be eaten raw or cooked; these are the peas you typically see canned or in the freezer section. They are also more commonly found in farmers markets; you may start looking for them at local farmers markets in the spring.
RECIPES
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