My friend Mike is celebrating his birthday by roasting succulent lamb and whipping up a handful of other delicacies for his family. In fact, he celebrates many days this way, with cookery, as do I. Lucky for Mike, his birthday is also accentuated as the first day of spring.
Some of us can't help being overcome by mental images of food on the first day of spring, from the green-purple lettuces being dropped into rich, dark garden soil to the tips of garlic just peeping out, to the hardy rosemary that withstood winter and is now looking fresher; I could go on and on. There's the obligatory strawberry shortcake, berry pies just oozing with fresh juice, pasta dotted with garden-fresh pesto, super-sweet canteloupe with a spoolful of yogurt and sprigs of mint... And, of course, the media won't let us forget that Easter is rapidly approaching, and so must Easter Dinner. So I'm thinking what a nice day for anyone to celebrate the day by taking hold of some fresh ingredients and creating something- anything- for the sheer enjoyment of artistry, tasting, and sharing with family and friends.
Personally, I'm impulsively driven this first day of spring by an urge to bake up a crumbly-crusty lemon tart, or a flaky, vanilla custardy milhojas like the one that practically took my legs out from under me and left me in a heap of ecstasy last summer in Puerto Rico. The taste of spring surely ranges from the obvious light, fruity springy flavors (berry trifle) to the more exotic (Orechietti with pea tendrils with a strawberry-basil mojito).
Regardless of what floats your "foodie" boat when you daydream of that first taste of sunshine and picnics and summery freedom each year, may I suggest you simply dig in? You need not consider yourself a chef, a cook, or a baker to gather up a basketful of freshness from your favorite market and let your heart lead you. Use your hands. Feel the textures. Revive your winter-dulled senses; taste as you go. Appreciate the flavors, one by one, and mix and match as you please. Take this as a challenge: As spring sun renews the world around you, let it inspire you. Go ahead; reinvent yourself in the kitchen. Enjoy!
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Friday, March 20, 2009
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Such rich imagery! I could almost smell the pies you described. Spring time is a wonderful season and no doubt food is apart of it. I can almost imagine you in your kitchen with the windows open, the curtains flowing in the breeze, you sitting at your table drinking coffee flipping through a recipe book.
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