There’s a natural rhythm to seasonal eating. After a winter stuffed on heavy stews, brothy soups, and hearty root vegetables, spring feels lighter. If you head to the farmers market, you’ll find that the last of the winter squash, onions, plump cabbage heads, and knobby celery roots have disappeared, making way for delicate, green things.
Spring is a time of new growth. Before the globalization of the food supply, refrigeration, and modern food preservation techniques, you would rely on local, seasonal foods. Summer brought light and abundance, autumn was a time to harvest, and winter’s darkness and bleak landscape provided a time for rest that allowed you to enjoy everything you had preserved during more abundant times. By the time spring arrived, your stores would be empty, and the cycle would begin again. Traditionally, springtime meant lean times and sparse eating.
