7 in 7: Friday, April 12, 2024

www.realsimple.com/work-life/entertainment/spring-activities#toc-what-to-eat-and-drink

Looking at the What to Eat and Drink section today

Spring time ideas - What to eat & drink
(see the link above for the remainder of the Eat/Drink list)

Eat some roasted asparagus.
Steam whole artichokes and eat them leaf by leaf.
Bake festive spring cupcakes with pink (or lavender or yellow or baby blue) frosting.
Eat a ripe apricot.
Enjoy new potatoes.
Visit the farmers market to buy spinach and sugar snap peas.
Pick strawberries at a farm (just don't forget to wash them).
Make a strawberry shortcake.
Eat jellybeans.
Buy a package of Peeps.

A number of these seem to have an Easter connection (peeps, jelly beans), but others seem to be more generally spring related.

Any favorites here? Additional thoughts of spring foods or recipes? Some you'd like to try if you haven't?
Please chat about anything you'd like!

cherryt38 and bmazzo To Cherry and Bev: Thank you for the suggestions from yesterday. Bev, I do grow rosemary (in the ground outside) but the other varieties you mentioned sound like a good grouping. I'll check at some local garden shops. I appreciate the tip about growing basil indoors, Cherry, and about the groupings sold together, Bev.

I too love asparagus. I've never tried it roasted, but can't imagine it's any less good than any other way! I stopped baking years ago and have no intention of making sugary things again... I prefer peaches to apricots, although when I lived farther north (south of San Francisco), apricots grew in people's yards and were DELICIOIUS!!! And I like potatoes, and haven't necessarily seen the new potatoes featured at local markets. I'll ask DH to check more closely. DH buys spinach at the regular markets; to be truthful, I prefer not having to rinse out the dirt that clings to spinach leaves, so I'm less likely to buy spinach at the farmers market... As for strawberries, there are fields of strawberries about 30 minutes north of my house where you can go to pick your own; we usually purchase strawberries when they go on sale since that's when they're at the height of the season. I'm not a big fan of Peeps. I think the last time I ate them they were stale (that is, slightly hard rather than very soft) and I preferred them that way. Margaritas? Hmmm... I prefer eggs without mayo, so I don't "devil" them. I rarely eat rhubarb; I have nothing against it, just don't lean that way... A friend of mine gave us a jar of her homemade lemon curd. It is so much better than the commercial stuff. I'm not into pickling, regardless of how much Bev has told us... (nothing personal, Bev; I'm just not all that fond of pickled veggies).

I thought I answered today but I guess I didn't. I love roasted asparagus. In the summer I'll roast them on the grill, otherwise I'll roast them in the oven. I usually spray them with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and garlic granules before roasting.

I don't care for peeps. I don't like marshmallows either. I will sometimes put a few mini marshmallows in a cup of hot chocolate, and I like the large marshmallows if they are toasted over a fire (preferably outside) and toasted to make Smores. Also outside over a bonfire.

When I was a kid my parents would buy a case of apricots in the grocery store when they were in season and Mom would can them and we would eat them fresh. They were delicious. Now I can't find any good apricots, and the only ones I'll eat are the dried apricots. I love them. They are my favorite dried fruit. Occasionally I'll get canned apricots in light syrup. They aren't as good as they used to be either. My parents used to get peaches and can them too. They were also very good. Not any more.

If I get spinach I usually get the bags that are already washed in the store. We don't have any Farmers Markets around here. There is one in town, but it is at a time that I can't go. I also get sugar snap peas in the store. I have also grown my own, and they are better than the ones grown in the store.

I have a rhubarb plant in my yard, and have made different kinds of products and desserts with them. I don't need all the sweets now so I don't make them very often.