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Spring is going fast – catch it while you can

by Kirk Ross

This has always been a fantastic time of year for its sheer variety of produce, and one of the best parts about it is journeying back to market each week to check out what new delight has arrived.

But we’re not strolling leisurely into spring – we’ve flat out sprinting there. By mid-March, everything in the yard was popping. Here at the end of the month, it’s Le Printemps on onze. The same thing is going on in the fields and hoop houses of the small farms stocking the local markets. Given the weather we may see an earlier, more compact season, so you might want to get on it.

Here are a few of The Eater’s favorite vernal arrivals.

Spring onions – Experiencing the wide variety in shape, size, color and, most importantly, flavor is the top treat of the season.

New potatoes –Early in the spring they’re plentiful and an incredible bargain. They can often be had for as little as $2 a pound, sometimes even cheaper, and are a wonderfully versatile ingredient. Next time you’re grilling, wrap some up in foil with a little oil and salt and nestle them next to coals for a half-hour or so.

Radishes make this one of the most colorful times of the year at the market. Photo by Kirk Ross

Radishes – From spicy to almost sweet, the variety by the middle of this month is what makes it one of the most colorful times of the year to stroll the market. Be sure you’ve got plenty of butter on hand.

Markets gear up
This is that time of year when mid-week markets and longer Saturday hours kick in. In Carrboro that means Saturday sales get rolling at 7 a.m., and in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough the opening bell rings at 8 a.m.

Markets across the Triangle are celebrating spring with special events, including cooking and gardening demos.

The Carrboro Farmers’ Market starts off the busy season with visits from two local heroes.

On Saturday, April 7, Vimala Rajendran of Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe will demonstrate how to prepare a traditional Indian bhaji using local greens. She’ll start serving samples at 9 am.

A few days later, on April 11, Bill Smith of Crook’s Corner will serve up some seasonal samples to celebrate the opening of the first Wednesday-afternoon market of the year. That gets started at 3:30 p.m. The market runs until 6:30 p.m., but you might want to get there early(ish) if you want to try any samples.

Hillsborough markets in mid-April feature some nice special events, especially if you like pancakes (April 14) and Earth (April 21).

Walking Fish season starting
The water is just right for fishing down at the coast and that means people like Bill Rice are getting busier.

Rice, who owns Fishtowne in Beaufort, is an innovator in local seafood, particularly in educating consumers about various species and how to prepare them. He’s also one of this state’s most passionate supporters of local fisheries and our fishing traditions.

A few years back Rice worked with grad students at Duke’s Nicholas School for the Environment to found Walking Fish, the second community-supported fishery (CSF) in the country.

Walking Fish’s 10-week spring season starts in mid-April with weekly deliveries at the lovely Sara P. Duke Gardens (there’s also a Raleigh stop). Visit walking-fish.org/durham_2012.php for details.