Dig In

Spring Root Vegetables

In the spring, I tend to linger in my garden. Shoots and leaves emerge from below the surface like a fresh start and I bend eagerly toward them. Crouched over my little beds, feeling the warm sun on my shoulders and breathing in the heady scent of orange blossoms riding on the salty Gulf breeze, I dig into the soil and pull out the buried treasures of the season:

Easter Egg Radishes in jewel tones of deep purple and magenta intermingled with pure white roots. Carrots that range from sturdy, dark orange Danvers and bright Cosmic Purples to delicate Little Fingers and short, round Parisiennes. Fragrant, reddish-purple, light green, and white spring onions with their small bulbs and bright green leaves.

Upon harvest, I take my gems to the kitchen and wash the dirt from the roots. A few find their way right into my mouth—they’re as crisp and bright as the day. The rest will be transformed—roasted and puréed and pickled into culinary delights! Are you ready to dig in?