Spring is the most exciting time of year at the farmers market. After months of root vegetables and storage crops, the arrival of tender, bright green produce feels like a culinary reset. Here is what to buy right now and the best ways to use it.
Asparagus
The star of spring. Look for firm, tight tips and snap off the woody ends naturally. The best preparations are the simplest: roasted with olive oil and flaky salt, shaved raw into a salad, or quickly blanched and tossed with brown butter and a soft-boiled egg.
English Peas
Fresh peas in the pod are a revelation compared to frozen — sweet, tender, and slightly starchy in a way no frozen pea can replicate. Eat them raw by the handful, toss into pasta at the last minute, or blend into a vibrant soup with mint and creme fraiche.
Spring Onions and Ramps
Spring onions are sweeter and milder than full-grown onions. Grill them whole until charred and tender. Ramps (wild garlic), available for just a few weeks, can be pickled, sauteed in butter, or blended into a vivid green pesto.
Radishes
Underused and underrated. Sliced thin on good bread with salted butter, radishes are a revelation. They also roast beautifully — heat mellows their bitterness and turns them tender and slightly sweet. Do not discard the tops: they are great wilted in olive oil like spinach.
Spinach and Arugula
Baby spinach and wild arugula are at their most tender and least bitter in spring. Use in salads with strawberries and goat cheese, wilt into pasta sauces, or layer into frittatas.
