Spring Food Runway

I don't know whether I am more excited about wearing linen clothes and open-toed shoes OR experiencing the arrival of fresh seasonal spring vegetables and fruits!
Unlike the price tag that adorns new fashion pieces for spring, seasonal foods are cheaper than their off-season counterparts.  Hence, you will no longer be able to say you can't find or afford these tasty treasures. 
Start looking for the items in this chart at your grocery stores and emerging farmer's markets.  Consider buying larger quantities and preserving your favorites for off-season pleasure without sacrificing flavor or expense, two things that often accompany eating foods outside of their normal growing time.  Go online or to your local library for resources on food preservation as with the popularity of "going local" and concern about rising food costs, there is renewed interest in food preservation.  A few specific suggestions include:

• The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest by Carol W. Costenbader
• Homemade Living:  Canning & Preserving with Ashley English
• Food In Jars blog

Get a jump on locating recipes that travel the spring food runway.  Revisit the spring issues of food and cooking magazines.  The articles may be outdated but the recipes can be timely and timeless. 
Look closely at where the produce is grown & try not to be fooled by early entrance seasonal impostors.  Be patient with Mother Nature's timing and your local growers.  Your taste buds and your local economy will be rewarded. 

The Food That Fits