High Five Fridays: Peas and Thank Youfeatured

Eating seasonally wasn’t something I thought much about before moving to San Francisco.  It’s pretty remarkable the level of commitment to seasonal eating here, of waiting until something is at the peak of its readiness, of not rushing it.  I had lunch at the lovely 20th Century Café yesterday and when I asked for tomato on my bagel, was told apologetically, “Sorry, we don’t have tomato, it’s not in season right now.”  At first I was surprised. But then, I felt a little sheepish for even asking.  Of course not, it’s way too early for tomatoes.  I suppose it is better to have no tomato than a sub-par, out-of-season, faint shadow of a tomato.

There’s something special about getting to taste something after a year of anticipation, the gratitude after the long wait, not to mention the satisfaction.  And while I have quite awhile before I get to sink my teeth into juicy sweet summer tomatoes, the time for peas have arrived!  Plump English garden peas, tender sugar snap peas, crisp snow peas…here are 5 recipes that will have you doing the Spring happy dance:

1. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Mint, Almonds, and Caramelized Onions.  You’ll love this fresh take on a Spring salad.  Hearty enough to make a satisfying lunch, or the perfect side to brighten up dinner.
2. A Real Mess of Peas.  A beautiful mess of green, and that creamy dill dressing.  Yes, please.
3. Socca Flatbread with Minted Pea Pesto.  Love the idea of a mint and pea pesto.  I could eat this by the spoonful.
4. Chile Pea Puffs.  Peas are the star of these Indian-style spring-rolls made with wonton wrappers.
5. TREAT YO SELF:  Coconut Macaroon Cake with Pistachios and Coconut Ganache.  I can’t stop staring at these beauties.  Chewy, chocolatey, and just happens to be grain-free and dairy free.