As the old saying goes, April showers brings… May produce! May is when fruits and veggies like rhubarb, strawberries and asparagus start cropping up. Super-seasonal delicacies, like fiddleheads and ramps, are also available, so grab them if you see them (just be sure to cook them properly). Here’s everything that’s in season in May across Canada, and what you should cook with the first locally grown fruits and veggies of the season.
Rhubarb
Photo, Erik Putz.
Pink rhubarb is pretty much made for the Instagram age, but this sweet-tart veggie is much more than eye candy. It’s most commonly found in desserts, but we’re fond of savoury preparations too. It’s especially delicious in sangria!
Rhubarb recipes:
- Rhubarb-apple crisp
- Strawberry-rhubarb sangria
- Rhubarb custard pie
- Rhubarb salad
- Strawberry-rhubarb pie
- Rhubarb upside-down cake
Strawberries
Strawberry scones. Photo, Roberto Caruso.
Locally grown strawberries will likely start appearing towards the end of the month, but they’ll be worth the wait!
Strawberry recipes:
- Strawberry-rhubarb tiramisu
- Strawberry sheet pan pie
- Strawberry shortcake
- Spicy grilled chicken with strawberry-cucumber salad
- Strawberry scones
Asparagus
Baked asparagus fries. Photo, Erik Putz.
Green stalks of asparagus are truly a springtime treat. They make a delicious side and they’re super easy to prepare.
Asparagus recipes:
Spinach
Photo, Erik Putz.
Sure, frozen spinach is great and all, but in May, reach for the fresh stuff.
Spinach recipes:
Radish
Photo, Roberto Caruso.
Radishes often go overlooked, but no longer. They’re super versatile and add a nice crunch to salad. And, you can also eat radish greens, which means you can easily eat it root to stem.
Radish recipes:
Green Onion
Photo, Erik Putz.
Those on the west coast should start seeing green onions this time of year.
Green onion recipes:
Peas
Photo, Erik Putz.
Spring peas are also more of a west coast thing (they peak in summer in places like Ontario).
Pea recipes:
Kale
Salad greens, like spinach and kale, start to become available in the springtime.
Kale recipes:
Garlic scapes, ramps and fiddleheads
The fiddlehead season is short, so get ’em while you can! Photo, iStock.
Garlic scapes (the shoots that grow from a garlic bulb; they have a mild garlicky flavour), ramps (spring onions) and fiddleheads appear in farmers’ market for a very short window, so if you see them, get ’em. However, don’t mess around with fiddleheads—be sure to cook them properly!
