Spring

Christ is risen!

Pascha is a special feast day for me. For one, it means that Christ has resurrected (Anastasia translates to resurrected; it is one of the reasons I chose this name. Christ resurrected me and brought me back to life!

For Pascha, I tend to not only fast from certain foods and passions, I fast from music. Music is a major soul uplifter for me, but during Great Lent I practice going to and relying on God as the source to uplift my soul. I make little progress each year, if any, but it’s probably better something and late than none at all. As I am typing and writing, I am playing a range of Byzantine music (like Kabarnos) to sea shanties from “Fisherman’s Friends” to Nat King Cole’s “LOVE”. My mom will be visiting England very soon and I am slightly gently pushing her to see them at Port Isaac on Friday nights when she can with her beau. It is very uplifting for the soul, such as “Keep Hauling” or “No Hopers, Jokers, or Rogues”. If you need a pick me up, those are my go to that I suggest to start with and explore further what you like! I dream of myself being in a garden or forest foraging food kissing goodbye the city life when I hear these songs but thank God I am here at the same time. (Though I really would like to be away in a forest, cook with what I found, stare at birds singing or hear the waves of the river as I pray, and probably paint… just saying.)

What is written here is mostly taken from the “Vegetarian Flavor Bible” along from other sources. When in doubt, I always refer to the “Vegetarian Flavor Bible”! It helps me figure out what to cook and what to pair when I am at loss for inspiration. If you don’t have one, I highly suggest you buy a copy! Below I have copy and pasted from the book along with nutrition information taken from the book itself; I will add individual posts of the ingredients themselves with additional nutrient information.

Spring is the time of lighter foods blooming and springing forth from the ground. Certain foods come to mind when I think of spring: asparagus & fiddleheads! If you google fiddleheads or every seen one, you are probably thinking what a bizarre food to cook and eat. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! I had fiddleheads at Avant Gardens here in NYC years ago and I was blown away. It is similar to asparagus, so if you like asparagus, you’ll love fiddleheads! It is on my bucket list to learn how to handle and prep fiddleheads!

Weather: typically warm

Techniques: pan roast and other stove top methods

Artichokes, esp. baby (peak: March – April)
Artichokes, Jerusalem (peak: autumn/spring)
Arugula (peak: spring/summer)
Asparagus, e.g., green, purple, white (peak: April)
Avocados
Bamboo shoots
Beans, Fava
Beets
Blueberries
Borage
Boysenberries
Carrots
Cauliflower
Chard, Swiss
Cherries
Chervil
Chicory
Chives, esp garlic
Cilantro
Cucumbers
Currants
Dill
Endive, esp Belgian and curly
Escarole
Fennel, esp baby
Fennel pollen
Fiddlehead ferns
Garlic, e.g. green
Greens, e.g., Collard, Dandelion, Mizen, Mustard, Salad, Spring
Jicama
Leeks
Lemons, Meyer
Lettuces, e.g., Lamb’s, Oak leaf, Romaine, Spring
Limes, Key
Loquats
Mache
Mangoes
Mint
Mushrooms, e.g., Chanterelle, Morel, Shiitake
Nettles
Onions, e.g., Spring, Vidalia
Oranges, Navel
Peas, e.g., English, Spring, Sweet
Potatoes, New
Radishes
Ramps
Rhubarb
Scallions
Shoots, e.g., Garlic, Pea
Snow peas
Sorrel
Spinach
Sprouts, Daikon
Strawberries
Sugar snap peas
Tomatillos
Tomatoes, Heirloom
Wakame
Watercress
Zucchini blossoms

Sources:

“Vegetarian Flavor Bible”, Karen Page