Photo, Roberto Caruso.
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.
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!
Locally grown strawberries will likely start appearing towards the end of the month, but they'll be worth the wait!
Green stalks of asparagus are truly a springtime treat. They make a delicious side and they're super easy to prepare.
Sure, frozen spinach is great and all, but in May, reach for the fresh stuff.
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.
Those on the west coast should start seeing green onions this time of year.
Spring peas are also more of a west coast thing (they peak in summer in places like Ontario).
Pea recipes:
Salad greens, like spinach and kale, start to become available in the springtime.
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!
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