As I write, the astrological first day of spring, the vernal equinox is apparently 8 days away on March 20th. If you use the meteorological system then spring started over a week ago on the 1st.
So, springtime is here, flowers are in bloom everywhere and the time has come for long al fresco lunches in the sun with crisp chilled drinks. Isn’t it just the most beautiful time of the year?
Actually not really… I am sitting in an office in Denmark and gazing out of the window at a steely sky that has a pretty grim mixture of snow and rain streaming down from it. There have been months of this grey melancholy weather, and now spring may well be in the air but the sun has most definitely not yet got his hat on. Despite this the ground is, or at least should be, positively heaving with fruits and vegetables ready to burst into the world.
Everything is starting to grow, baby leeks and spring onions and asparagus and sprouting broccoli are bursting forth and ripe for the picking. Oh, and nettles, one of the most criminally overlooked and underused ingredients, are happily growing wild all over the place right now!
Here is our list of the very best things in season (in the Northern hemisphere) this month:
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Chicory
Carrots
Jerusalem artichoke
Asparagus
Fennel
Kale
Leeks
Parsnips
Purple sprouting brocooli
Salsify
Sorrel
Spinach
Spring onions
Swede
Black truffles
Nettles
Bananas
Rhubarb
Radicchio
Bramley apples
Watercress
With all of these amazing things in season there are really no excuses not to get outside and eat lunch in nature, even if you have to do it in boots and scarves and hiding under a big umbrella.
If you eat seafood or meat then the best things to check out this month are mussels and spring lamb.