Our family took a quick trip down to North Carolina this weekend to celebrate my brother-in-law’s graduation (with honors, from his doctoral program –– NBD). It was pretty wonderful to drive the lush country roads that link Charlottesville to Chapel Hill. Our trip coincided with the first heat wave of the year, as well as a host of spring thunderstorms, so as we motored along the backroads, the distant thunderheads contrasted with the deep green of southern trees in May. [Read more…]
now in season: ramps
Strictly speaking, ramps (also known as wild leeks) are not really the first food of spring (young greens or broccoli are also growing right now), but they’re the spring produce that gets home cooks and restaurateurs alike totally amped for reasons that remain mysterious. Perhaps it’s the romance of foraging rather than farming. Or it may be that because they aren’t imported or grown in hothouses, they’ve been absent for long enough to make us miss them. [Read more…]