Today In the Kitchen: Spring brings three A’s from garden

Spring is more than here in Green Valley, but in other parts of the country, all the things we look forward to over the winter months are just coming in: strawberries, rhubarb and the three A’s: asparagus, artichokes and avocadoes.

Already I’ve had strawberry shortcake and a rhubarb dessert. I remember going to a square dance in northern Maine back in the ’70s. It must have been April, because rhubarb was the only thing growing in people’s gardens. The pot luck that night was made up of only two main ingredients: rhubarb and bread. Ah, but we were young and danced hard. It didn’t matter what we ate.

Nowadays, it matters a lot what I eat. Maybe I’m not dancing enough. Anyway, the fruit and vegetables of spring are a big consolation. Here’s what I know.

Strawberries have more Vitamin C than any other berry, and are full of phytonutrients. I don’t cook mine, mainly because they don’t make it that long before I inhale them - especially the wild and home-grown ones. Their taste is like an ancient memory, part of human evolution.

In addition to eating them out of hand or on cereal, they are quite wonderful in blended drinks because their flavor stands up to the other ingredients, usually milk, yogurt or ice cream. If you are dairy intolerant, try rice or almond milk as substitutes, and my latest discovery: coconut ice cream. Oh, my, dog (this is not a typo).

Artichokes have the highest fiber content of any vegetable. I cook them in my pressure cooker. It only takes 15-20 minutes. I put salt, a bay leaf, some peppercorns and some lemon juice in the water. Being an East Coaster, I prefer dipping in butter. West Coasters seem to prefer mayonnaise.

Why not take the opportunity to learn how to make your own mayo? I use the recipe in Joy of Cooking, the freshest egg yolks possible, from the farmers market, and extra virgin olive oil. As for butter, I’m with Julia Child: a life without butter is just not worth living. A little butter goes a long way, and is better for us than artificial margarines, which the body cannot utilize as food.

Artichoke hearts in a jar are usually in oils that are not good for us and contain preservatives. Better to use frozen ones if you aren’t going to cook your own, however they don’t have the flavor of fresh artichokes.

Asparagus is the star of spring in my book, and I love to grow it. It’s a perennial that loves a rich, loamy bed, and doesn’t like hot weather. So it would be a challenge here. If anyone has succeeded, I’d like to hear about it. Short of growing it, the supermarkets bring it in. Cool, coastal California is one of the primary growing areas. I like it best lightly steamed with, guess what, butter.

Next choice is cream of asparagus soup: clean, trim and boil the asparagus in water or chicken stock to cover until soft but still bright green. Blend it all and return to the pan. Add a little half and half, a splash of sherry, some salt & white pepper, and, again, butter. This soup could also be made with new potatoes, which would make a thicker soup, not unlike vichychoisse. It can be served hot, or chilled. It’s very nice chilled on a hot day, with salad and a crisp white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

I mentioned new potatoes, and they are lovely in the spring - small and flavorful. These can be steamed and topped with butter, garlic oil, cottage cheese, sour cream, or grated cheese. They can be steamed and cooled, then used in a Salade Ni�oise, with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. And, of course, there is potato salad. Most cooks have their own version, often hailing from childhood. I wouldn’t presume to step there.

The height of Hass avocado season starts in April, so we’re seeing them at reasonable prices in the market. Hass have became a favorite because they are sturdy, have a long shelf life, are easy to peel, and also because of their nutty, rich flavor due to the high oil content. Other varieties, such as Fuerte and Zutano, which arrive in the Fall, have thinner skin and are more like melons - lighter and fruitier than the Hass.

Beets and beet greens are still showing up at the farmers market. These are a double score. I use the greens right away - the fresher the better. They’re very high in minerals and phytonutrients. I saut/ them in a little olive oil and garlic, then add rosemary salt & pepper to taste. Just like that. The beets I usually peel, slice and steam, then marinate in rice vinegar. You could use balsamic. I like the Asian thing.

Let’s enjoy the spring bounty before we are completely intoxicated by the tomatoes, basil, melons, corn and stone fruit of summer.

Take note

Warning that was passed on to me: In a month, cell phones numbers will go public and be fair game for marketing calls. Because every minute counts on a cell phone, whether incoming or outgoing, toll-free or not, it is important to avoid this. Contact the no-call registry to get your cell number off the list. It takes a month for it to activate, so do it now! Call 888-382-1222, or go to www.donotcall.gov.

Samaya Jones is a Holistic Nutritional Consultant and Natural Foods Personal Chef, who cooks for you and your guests in your home. She writes for health Web sites, newspapers and teaches wine education classes. She can be reached at ncsamayaj@gmail.com.