Cooking with the First Signs of Spring

Spring is coming. (Not quite as ominous as winter, but I suppose that’s the point.) Just when it seems like you can no longer tell where you yourself ends and your parka begins, March is over and Ma Nature finally makes her grand spring entrance, summoning the sun and flowers, and daring you to show a little skin again already. While she may be a somewhat fickle mistress (what was with that heat wave in January? And why is it still forecasted to snow in April?) she is not entirely cruel, and so with that dare she also brings forth the first edibles of spring; those elements with taste and flavor so teeming with life and vibrancy that it’s even possible to imagine wanting to leave behind the rich comfort foods of our winter hibernation.

With the first bout of warmer weather this time of year, the first crocuses shoot through the soil, and so too do all manner of delicious spring produce. Here we’ve assembled a roundup of recipes celebrating the bounty of spring, that are all delicious, but pose no serious threat to the forthcoming swimsuit season.

Pickled Ramps

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Considered by many in the culinary realm to be the true herald of spring, these wild baby leeks, known colloquially as ramps, will make their way all over restaurant menus in April. Tiny bulbs with green shoots that are milder in texture and flavor than their adult brethren, they offer a versatile pop of flavor and color in everything from soup to pizza. A simple pickled preparation extends their versatility even further so you can celebrate early spring all year long. (Is it skeptical to start preserving the literal first things out of the ground?) Get our Pickled Ramps recipe.

Morel Mushroom Toasts

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Nutty and meaty with a distinctive honeycomb shape, morels are the springtime Prom King of the mushroom family. Forget what I said above about swimsuit season; these beauties are gonna require a little butter. Or olive oil. Or crème fraîche. Or Cognac. Or really why not all of the above? Swimsuits be damned! But if it makes you feel a little better, a pickled ramp or two as per above certainly wouldn’t hurt these canapés. Get our Morel Mushroom Toasts recipe.

White Asparagus Soup with Pistachios

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For those of you that find too much spring color all at once jarring, white asparagus is just the plant to usher you more gently from snow season to swim season. Light in color but full on flavor, this simple puréed soup of white asparagus and potatoes is good to bolster you through that final cold snap. (Or enjoy it cold when the thermostat mysteriously soars in April.) Get our White Asparagus Soup with Pistachios recipe.

Spring Pea Bowl with Radish, Quinoa, Mint, and Almonds

The Little Beet

Then sun is out, the rains have stopped, and the temperature seems pretty intent upon staying above 60…Do we dare? Is it actually springtime? When that’s the case, (finally!) this glorious grain and vegetables salad packed with spring ingredients is nearly tripping over itself with verdancy and brightness, ready to mark the actual moment when salad becomes a welcome, refreshing meal option again. Get our Spring Pea Bowl with Radish, Quinoa, Mint, and Almonds recipe.

Lamb Chops with Olive and Herb Crust

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It bears mentioning that not all things that reach their peak flavor in spring come from the garden. If your local farm share or butcher offers spring lamb, who are you to argue with that sort of seasonal thinking? These beautiful, flavorful chops double down on flavor with boosts from herbs and olives. Pair these with literally any other item on this list for a gorgeous spring patio dinner. Get our Lamb Chops with Olive and Herb Crust recipe.

Roasted Fiddlehead Ferns with Meyer Lemon and Capers

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Fiddlehead ferns are a bit of a dark horse in the spring produce canon. But their mysterious nature echoes the madrigals and sonnets of spring. Named for the curved end of strummed string instruments, their distinct spirals are the fronds before the unfurling. The promise of what’s to come. The miracle of reproduction. But also they’re tasty and have a lot of fiber so, enough with poetry. Get the Roasted Fiddlehead Ferns with Meyer Lemon and Capers recipe.

Rhubarb Almond Bars

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Because what’s the fun of eating all your spring vegetables without a little treat? Rhubarb, you beautiful mystery, you. The universe definitely had a little fun when it thought up this sour pink celery that nonetheless functions well as dessert. Get our Rhubarb Almond Bars recipe.

Might I just also add that this lineup offers a pretty knockout, multicourse meal—from appetizer to soup, to salad, to main, to side, to dessert—if your love of Spring requires that level of celebration.

See more of the season’s best at our spring headquarters.

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11 Ricotta Recipes You’ll Rave About This Spring

Spring produce is starting to appear, and it’s feast-worthy, but we can’t just quit cheese—still, we are starting to crave lighter, milder fresh cheese like ricotta and goat cheese instead of blankets of cheddar. So we rounded up 11 ricotta recipes perfect for celebrating the change in season.

It’s officially been spring for a minute, but there’s always a lag before it actually feels like it. Finally, though, temps are rising, spring vegetables are emerging, and flowers are blooming. We want to go eat outside, and eat lighter fare while we’re at it—but we don’t mean mere rabbit food. We still want creamy, cheesy things in addition to salads, just maybe not the heavy, ooey-gooey, warm winter fondues and vats of mac and cheese we’ve been crushing for the past few months.

We’re turning to fresh cheese like ricotta and cottage cheese instead (and let’s be honest, mostly ricotta).

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We wouldn’t turn down stuffed shells or baked ziti even at the height of summer, but these ricotta recipes are lighter and brighter, and showcase a lot of spring’s best ingredients, because they should be celebrated every chance you get.

Note #1: Ricotta Salata

We did leave out ricotta salata, the aged, firmer, saltier sibling of the mild, creamy ricotta you can spread and schmear, because while it’s just as delicious, it doesn’t quite scream (well, whisper) spring like the fresh, milky cheese does. (Still, you should definitely eat ricotta salata too—grated over our Linguine with Squash Noodles and Pine Nuts, for instance.)

Note #2: Homemade Ricotta

Store-bought ricotta can be pretty great, but it happens to be easy to make ricotta at home—all you need is milk, cream, vinegar, and salt. A thermometer helps, and cheesecloth is necessary for draining the liquid, but all in all, it takes less than an hour, and tastes amazingly fresh. Plus, you have the satisfaction of saying you made your own cheese! If you decide to try it, you can use it any of these recipes, but they’ll all still sing with the store-bought stuff too. We would just recommend getting whole-milk ricotta for the best texture and flavor.

1. Herbed Ricotta Spread

For a nearly effortless appetizer you won’t be able to stop eating, simply blend a big bunch of green herbs into sweet ricotta and spread it on toast (with whatever cured meat or roasted or pickled veggies you may want to go along with), or dip crackers and crunchy vegetables in it. The recipe calls for parsley, chives, and basil, but you can highlight any other herbs you prefer. A little parmesan and lemon juice makes it even better. And if you’re still feeling a little chill, you can bake it for a warm dip. Get our Herbed Ricotta Spread recipe.

2. Ricotta Crostini with Sauteed Nettles

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Stinging nettles sound scary, but cooking them makes them harmless, and they taste delicious, especially against the creamy cool of ricotta on toasted bread. (But if you’re still wary, try ricotta bruschetta with peas instead.) Get our Ricotta Crostini with Sauteed Nettles recipe.

3. Asparagus Quiche

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Spring asparagus is a total joy any way you serve it, but eggs are another sign of spring, so it only makes sense to combine the two (like in a Dungeness crab frittata, for instance). This fluffy and tender asparagus quiche blends eggs and ricotta in a flaky all-butter crust to enhance the vegetable without overshadowing it. Get our Asparagus Quiche recipe.

4. Pasta with Artichoke Pesto

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While classic basil pesto pasta is a warm-weather staple, in spring, try this artichoke pesto with ricotta cheese in the mix. Fresh artichokes are a spring produce all-star, but this calls for the convenience of jarred artichoke hearts so you can get dinner on the table faster—and get outside while there’s still some sunlight. Get our Pasta with Artichoke Pesto recipe.

5. Pesto and Pea Lasagna

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Even lasagna can be lightened up for spring. This vegetarian lasagna calls for basil pesto and a pea-and-ricotta filling; you can use fresh peas when in season, and even adapt this to be a noodle-free lasagna if you’re watching carbs or can’t do gluten. Get our Pesto and Pea Lasagna recipe.

6. Turkey Ricotta Meatballs

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Okay, so this meatball sub itself is substantial, but the turkey meatballs inside the bread and under the sauce are light and tender thanks to the ricotta blended in. You can serve them in a myriad of other ways if you’re not in a sandwich mood—try them in lettuce wraps; in a light soup; added to either of the pasta recipes above; or just on their own, beside some roasted, steamed, or sauteed veggies and rice pilaf or a grain like quinoa. Get our Turkey Ricotta Meatballs recipe.

7. Easy Italian Sausage Calzone

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Yes, this one is also a little heftier, but think of it as an easier alternative to the traditional Italian Easter pie and it makes sense to count it as spring-appropriate (also, it’s just plain delicious). Using store-bought pizza dough makes this crowd-pleasing calzone easy to pull together, too, and if you’d rather make it vegetarian, swap in roasted peppers and onions and maybe some broccoli rabe for the Italian sausage. Any of those go perfectly with all the ricotta and provolone cheese in the filling. Get our Easy Italian Sausage Calzone recipe.

8. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

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Fluffy lemon-ricotta pancakes are even airier thanks to whipped egg whites folded into the batter. You can top them with any fruit you fancy and serve them for breakfast or brunch, but it’s going to be hard not to eat them right there at the stove as they come out of the pan. Get our Lemon Ricotta Pancakes recipe.

9. Ricotta Cheesecake with Passion Fruit

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Cheesecake is a perennial favorite, plain or topped with jam, preserves, and sauces. Passion fruit may technically be more summery than springy, but its bright fragrance and flavor and vibrant color are too good to wait another few months for; they’re exactly the sort of thing we want to be eating when the sun is shining after a long gloomy spell (aka winter). Luckily, you can buy passion fruit concentrate year-round, and that’s what this dessert uses. Get our Ricotta Cheesecake with Passion Fruit recipe.

Maguary Passion Fruit Concentrate, $9.99 on Amazon

Packed with passion fruit flavor.

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10. Ricotta and Honey Tart

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For something a little less brash in taste and appearance—but equally swoon-worthy and ideal for a spring dessert—try this ricotta and honey tart with fresh lemon zest and crunchy almonds sprinkled over top. A touch of cinnamon gives it a little something extra. Get our Ricotta and Honey Tart recipe.

11. Tiramisu Dip

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Of course, since it’s hard to resist the siren song of warmer weather and you probably want to spend as much time as possible outside instead of being cooped up in the kitchen, you might prefer not to bake at all. In that case, ricotta makes a great base for a creamy dessert dip inspired by tiramisu. It’s a big hit at parties, ridiculously quick to put together, and perfect for scooping up with lots of things, from biscotti and shortbread to those first sweet strawberries of the season. Get our Tiramisu Dip recipe.

Celebrate all the best of the season at our spring headquarters.

Related Video: What to Do with Leftover Ricotta Cheese

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Bringing Your Ballpark Food Favorites Home

You know what I love? Baseball. There’s just something about it, you know? As America’s pastime, it’s so historically and culturally significant—patriotic, in fact. As a summer sport, it was always a game I enjoyed during a break from school, when fun, relaxation, and baseball were what life was all about. As a daily sport, it’s great for someone like me. The practice to game ratio is great; when you win, you get to keep the momentum going; and when you lose, you can get right back to it the next day.

Now that I’m older, and no longer play the game myself, it’s this last reason that really sticks with me. Baseball is an everyday sport. Sometimes it’s a grind. Sometimes it’s full of highs. In that way, it’s a lot like life. It also becomes a part of your life due to this same, everyday nature. For six months, it becomes your routine. You watch, or listen, spending time with the announcers for a few hours, as you go about your day. It’s a hobby, a passion, habitual.

You know what else is a hobby and a passion of mine? Food! Maybe it’s a coincidence that I love food and baseball. Then again, maybe there’s a unique intersection between the two; one that doesn’t really exist for any other game. There really aren’t any basketball, or tennis, or golf, or hockey, or football (no, wings and Papa John’s don’t count) foods. But there are baseball foods. No other sports have relationships with food quite like baseball. I mean, come on, take a look at the lyrics of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game:”

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd,

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,

I don’t care if I never get back,

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don’t win it’s a shame,

For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out

At the old ball game!

See! One line reads, “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack.” There’s no sport that celebrates food quite like baseball. When you go to the game, you expect to consume certain items. Those foods conjure up feelings of being at the ballpark, relaxing on a warm, summer night, enjoying a bite while enjoying the game. Those foods are baseball foods. Now, if you’re lucky enough to have the resources and time to buy season tickets and attend the games, you’ll have your fill of ballpark favorites. However, if you only make it to your stadium of choice every once in a while, you can bring the flavors of the ballpark home for a fun way to experience the nightly telecast. Here are nine items to take note of:

Hot Dogs

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These are the quintessential baseball food. In “Field of Dreams,” when Ray goes to the game with Terrence, what do they order? A dog and a beer. Fenway Franks, Dodger Dogs, Coney Dogs—it doesn’t matter where you are or what park you visit, hot dogs are there. Now, all hot dogs aren’t made equal. Sure, you might like a steamed dog, wrapped in foil, purchased from a vendor (for real?), but for me, I’m going with a grilled, all-beef, kosher dog with caramelized onions and yellow mustard. If you like to branch out, get more hot dog topping ideas you (mostly) won’t find in a ballpark.

Brats

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When you’re in the mood for an encased meat, but you’re not interested in a hot dog, you’re likely to seek out a brat. For a great ballpark experience at home, I recommend buying some uncooked sausage from a butcher, boiling them in beer, and finishing them on the grill. Get our Beer-Braised Bratwursts with Onions recipe.

Roasted Peanuts

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There’s no ballpark snack like the next two items—they’re in the song, for goodness sake! It’s tough to beat sitting at a game, working your way through a bag of peanuts. At home, I’d recommend roasting your own. Doing so gives you access to a freshness you can’t get with peanuts out of a bag. Never roasted your own peanuts? Try this recipe. Or just spice up some store-bought peanuts with our Chile-Lime Peanuts recipe.

Cracker Jack

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In case you’re not familiar with this wonderful snack, Cracker Jack is the brand name of a caramel popcorn mixed with peanuts that comes with a fun prize at the bottom of the box. Imagine this, though: making your own peanut caramel corn. Sound delicious? Of course it does! Check out our Cracky Snack recipe.

Nachos

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Nachos aren’t necessarily a traditional ballpark food, but they’re now ubiquitous in stadiums across the country. In fact, my cousin Danny always gets a batch of nachos when he attends a game. At the end of the day, if you’re not in the mood for peanuts or Cracker Jack, you could do a lot worse than nachos.

Sundaes

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When you’re at the game on a hot summer night, and you’re looking for dessert, chances are you’ll be looking to get a helmet sundae. Don’t know what a helmet sundae is? It’s an ice cream sundae, in a mini (or sometimes, if you’re lucky, a large) MLB helmet. For an authentic and fun ballpark-at-home twist, get some MLB mini helmets to use for sundae dishes. It’ll be a big hit with the kids!

Rawlings MLB Logo Mini Baseball Helmet Snack Bowls, 30 for $44.95 on Amazon

Perfect for all your baseball-watching snaks, from peanuts to ice cream sundaes!

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Beer

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This beverage is everywhere at the ballpark, and nowadays, you’re likely to have a choice between macro- and micro-brews. Ever wonder about brewing your own? Now’s your chance. Check out how to brew your own suds at home. Or sign up for a beer subscription box.

Cotton Candy

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As kids, there was always one thing my sister and I looked forward to consuming once we were done with our hot dogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jack. Cotton candy. The spectacle of a cotton candy vendor was something to behold, and seeing it hand-spun, in person, was a miracle of science. Want to bring that fun and wonderment home for all? Check out how to make cotton candy.

Cotton Candy Express Machine, $62.99 on Amazon

This machine comes with 5 colors of different flavored candy floss sugar, plus paper cones for spinning up your treats if you want to try it at home.

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Now that baseball season is here, you might find yourself craving some of these goodies. Hopefully, you’re able to get to a few games this year, but in case you don’t, never fear! You can bring the tastes of the ballpark to your home. Play ball—and eat well!

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Crispy Sweet Potato Pancake Lettuce Wraps

These Vietnamese sweet potato pancakes are an excellent snack or appetizer served in lettuce wraps. Double the recipe and make it a meal! Made from grated sweet potatoes and carrots, they're a versatile dish for any time of day.

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Double Vanilla Cupcakes

Hands up if you love VANILLA! These Double Vanilla Cupcakes are infused with velvety, sweet vanilla flavor in both the cake and the frosting. Make them for a birthday, office party, or "just because"!

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