Signs of spring

Spring is in the air! It’s almost time to wave away the winter blues and welcome the arrival of spring. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting milder and the earth will soon be starting to green up once again. That means the beginning of a wonderful season of fresh local produce for the province of Nova Scotia.

We all know that buying local seasonal vegetables not only supports our local farmers but it also helps protect the environment and support our economy. Some of the produce available in Nova Scotia throughout spring includes asparagus, beet green, lettuce, peas, spinach, rhubarb and the locally famous fiddleheads!

We are also fortunate in our region to be able to grow our own produce. For the non-farmer, starting your own little vegetable garden in the spring can become a fun hobby. Start your seeds indoors in March before transplanting them to pots outside after the last frost. You can start planting summer vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and green beans just to name a

few. Or even start growing your own herbs! Rosemary, basil, sage and thyme are all easy-to-grow herbs that will

add flavour to any dish.

Don’t forget to include your family in the gardening process. If you have children, this is a great way to educate them about where our food comes from, and to encourage them to be curious about food. They’ll also probably be much more excited to try some broccoli or peas if they have had a part in growing and harvesting them.

As for spring vegetables, asparagus has become a very popular choice in recent years. It’s a beautiful green veggie that’s easily recognized for its long pointy spear. Asparagus is extremely versatile: it can be grilled, steamed or roasted, and tastes great in a creamy quiche or springinspired risotto.

The recipe below uses roasted asparagus and is a faster, easier version of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. This simple yet elegant dish is the perfect side dish for Easter dinner or any special meal. The prosciutto is crisped in the microwave and broken into bite-size chips to sprinkle over the delicious tender roasted asparagus. If you’re feeling up to it, you could always whip up your own homemade hollandaise using fresh eggs from your local farmer, but the bottled hollandaise sauce called for in the recipe is a delicious shortcut.