2011 Spring

Katie's creative strawberry, balsamic, and black pepper cocktail was a great reminder that strawberries aren't just for shortcake; there are plenty of different ways to make the most of the fruit's floral, sweet-tart quality, from strawberry-thyme panna cotta to tequila infusions, and even strawberry spaghetti! Now that strawberries are at their peak, what's your favorite way to work with them, besides eating them straight out of hand?

Enjoy ramps while they last! Need a place to start? Take a nod from OnSugar blog Fresh Tart and make garlicky ramp pesto.

The calendar says May, but the temperature reads February, with mean little snow flurries icing our not-spring cake.

It pretty much sucks.

But there are ramps!  Lovely, garlicky-grassy ramps, which taste like spring, and that means something.

There's a recipe — and more! — after the break

If there's any time to prioritize hitting up the farmers market, it's during Spring. Blink and you might miss some of the season's most prized — and fleeting — produce, like fiddleheads, the unfurled sprouts of the plant known as the ostrich fern. Harvesting season for these wild greens, which are native to the northeastern United States, only lasts a few short weeks in May, so don't miss out! A few important things to know about cooking with them, when you read more.

Although I wouldn't consider a classic lasagna to be a fast and easy weeknight meal option, this variation, with a simple asparagus-ricotta filling and no sauce, is ideal for a middle of the week pick-me-up. The ingredient list calls for pancetta, but I had bacon in my fridge, so that's what I used. If you're a vegetarian, leave it out. The best part of this lasagna is the sun-dried tomato paste that's layered between the noodles; it packs a flavorful punch and melts into the scrumptiously cheesy filling. Want to save even more time? Use no-boil lasagna noodles. To take a look at the preparation method, keep reading.

Spring produce may bring to mind images of asparagus and artichokes, but there are plenty of lesser known vernal veggies that are just as amazing as their popular counterparts. Take morel mushrooms. Come Spring, these fungi appear at the edges of forested areas, marked by conical caps and beautifully shirred crevices.

A nutty aroma and meaty texture mean they're likely the most prized mushrooms in the Western world, overshadowed only by truffles. But beware: these fragile fruits, which grow in the wild, are difficult to find, expensive to obtain, and highly perishable. How to work around these challenges, when you read more.

Get excited! Spring is in full effect, and that means markets all across the US are filling up with bright green produce. I can't wait to start cooking with the season's favorites: asparagus and artichokes. Artichokes are at their peak from March until June, so now is the time to enjoy these leafy bulbs. To find out how to select and cook artichokes and to share your favorite artichoke preparations in the comments, keep reading.

Earlier this week I purchased two small baskets of beautifully ripe strawberries. However, within 48 hours, the strawberries had gone bad (as you can see from the photo!) and some were covered in mold. It made me wonder: what's the best way to store strawberries?

Well, first things first, don't wash the berries until you're ready to eat them. Excess moisture could cause them to spoil quicker. Start by removing the berries from the store-bought package. Discard any that are starting to look bad.

If you've got a large fridge with plenty of space, store them in a single layer on a paper towel lined cookie sheet or plate making sure that none of the berries touch. Don't have a lot of room in the fridge? Place them in a glass container with a lid. If you're lucky, they will stay fresh for up to a week!

What's your tried-and-tested technique for storing fresh strawberries?