Spring is Here

Although we’ve been bombarded with rain as of late, spring, or so it seems, is here. The daffs and tulips are up in full bloom, the magnolia trees are a beautiful pale pink, and my neighbours’ lilacs are budding. I cannot wait for their scent to fill the air. While the visual cues are here, lilacs and their floral aroma definitely tell you spring is here.

Parkdale and Lansdowne markets are officially open and my favourite vendor, Rochon gardens, has had a few goodies out. I’ve been picking up a nice blend of light lettuce and cucumbers and making delicious salads for lunch.

Now I know what spring tastes like!

After a winter of eating lettuce imported from afar, whether with a band or in a plastic box or bag, there is nothing like the first food of spring. My salad is light and crisp. It tastes so fresh. I couldn’t stop smiling over my first spring salad. It was the slowest I’d eaten in a long time as I wanted to savour every bite.

Trust me, it isn’t just a salad. It seems as though this past winter was a little rougher than usual for many. I know I couldn’t wait for spring to arrive and all the rain in April didn’t help. Yes, the rain does a lot of good, but when one wants to get outside it shouldn’t rain every day all day. To top it off, much of the produce this past winter wasn’t that wonderful. Even on sale the peppers were bland (when you could find them) and the broccoli was as tough as cardboard. After returning to frozen vegetables believing they would have more nutritional value, my heart is aflutter with my spring salads.

I wait in anticipation for the next market arrival.