Dining and Opining

Even though the weather is taking its sweet time to warm up here in Wisconsin, I'm already dreaming of spring flavors and ingredients that might show up at the market before too long. Asparagus and ramps and garlic scapes, oh my! In honor of those bright green flavors, I've put together a recipe round-up for a few of my favorite spring ingredients, to remind us of the crispness and freshness that is to come. Click on any of the photos or recipe titles below to go to the complete instructions!

In just a week and a half, on April 23, Michael Pollan's new book, Cooked , will be released (on my birthday, no less!) I can't wait to get my hands on it. From what I've read, like his other books, Cooked , will be a fascinating mix of personal stories, historical tidbits, sociological analysis, and insightful commentary. The book is billed as a personal take on Pollan's experience with cooking and the way it shapes his relationship to food, community, and the environment. When I heard Pollan speak at the American Historical Association earlier this year, he described how he often takes on the persona of the "clueless narrator" in his writing. By beginning with a series of questions he doesn't know the answer to (or can pretend that he doesn't, or once didn't), he can bring the reader along with him on his journey of discovery. Cooked uses this strategy, letting readers follow Pollan into the kitchen as he discovers what cookin...