Happy May! Welcome to edition #5 of a 12-month series celebrating the seasons! Throughout this series I'll be highlighting my favorite seasonal produce and offering recipe, snack and cocktail suggestions.
Ah, May; springtime at its finest. The melody of birdsong fills the air, blossoms paint the landscape and chefs and cooks eagerly anticipate the seasonal abundance that once again brings renewed creativity and a sense of celebration.
And talking about celebrating, May is my birthday month! Each year I tend to get a serious case of the birthday scaries, experiencing a peculiar sense of existential dread (okay, that’s a little dramatic, but more on that impending doom next week).
This May I have made a resolution. Although It may sound trite, I've resolved to embrace joy. There is so much to celebrate in giving and receiving and what better way to give than to cook and break bread?
In today's newsletter, I'll be sharing a handpicked selection of recipes that don't demand too much, emphasizing the importance of simplicity. You can also expect a few slightly more unusual suggestions: ever thought of trying English peas with vanilla ice cream?
Seasonal produce
Strawberries
Strawberries hold a special place in my heart, topping my list of seasonal favorites. The strawberry season varies depending on location, typically spanning from April to July, with peak freshness in May and June. While I might be biased, I find English strawberries during peak season to be unparalleled in flavor: juicy, sweet, and fragrant - simply perfect. Nevertheless, San Diego offers its own array of delectable strawberries, with Chino Farms boasting the delicious Mara des Bois variety, which I intend to include in my recipe testing this week!
For those fortunate enough to find sweet, locally grown, organic strawberries there's no better way to savor them than with a dollop of whipped cream (or mascarpone) and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Feeling a little more adventurous? Consider indulging in a strawberry tarte tatin - Jamie Oliver has a great recipe here.
Being a salty/sweet fiend, I also enjoy experimenting with strawberries in savory dishes. One of my current favorites is a salad featuring: strawberries, fava beans, petit pois, pulled clumps of creamy mozzarella or burrata, garnished with basil and mint, all drizzled with a generous glug of high-quality extra olive oil followed by a pinch of flaky salt. To enhance the natural sweetness of petit pois and fava beans, I employ a trick whereby I quickly blanch in a stock syrup made with equal parts water and sugar. This might sound like a terribly fiddly and indulgent extra step, and it is, but it is well-worth the effort.
Additionally, I've perfected a strawberry and mezcal coulis recipe that lends itself beautifully to a variety of dishes such as: cocktails, meringues, cold rice puddings, ice cream sundaes, as well as a simple addition drizzled over a mixed fruit salad.
To make this strawberry coulis simmer 1 lb strawberries together with 125g sugar and 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice in a saucepan for about 10 minutes until the strawberries start to break down. Blend until smooth, then stir in 2-3 tbsp mezcal. Strain for a smooth texture.
Beets
Although the arrival of beetroot at farmers’ markets marks the advent of early summer, their flavor typically intensifies later in the season. However, if you are fortunate, you may well stumble upon sweet early-season varieties. Presently, I find the best way to celebrate these early beets is by including them in a sorbet—try the Noma-inspired creation I crafted during my home culinary adventures - link here.
Currently, I'm delving into the development of a beetroot carpaccio featuring an equally sweet and bitter campari vinaigrette alongside wine-soaked plums (check below for more plum recipe ideas). For an easy spring dinner party appetizer, consider preparing a beetroot carpaccio (above) which I'd recommend topping with creamy burrata. Why? Because, truly, everything's better with burrata. Additionally, Ottolenghi has a great spiced beet dip recipe, complemented with goat cheese and hazelnuts.
Asparagus
This is the final call for asparagus season! Cook with them now as they are at their absolute peak. My preferred method of cooking and savoring asparagus is by simply blanching them for 1-3 minutes (adjusting for the size of your asparagus) in a pot of salted boiling water, then serving alongside a classic beurre blanc sauce. For an easy-to-follow recipe, check out my fail-proof version here.
Peas
English peas and sugar snap peas are delightful on their own, boasting sweetness and crunchiness that require minimal embellishment. Yet, in a whimsical moment, I recently experimented with homemade vanilla and mascarpone (can you tell I’m on mascarpone kick right now?) ice cream (thanks to a brilliant $80 ice cream maker investment), topping it with a drizzle of strawberry mezcal coulis (above) and a scattering of English peas. Each spoonful evokes the essence of a spring garden—unexpected and utterly delightful. Give it a try and report back.
Plums
In California, plums are typically available from May to December, reaching peak sweetness from right now until around July. For an indulgent treat, try stewing 500g of washed, pitted and halved plums. Start by splitting a vanilla pod and scraping out the seeds, then in a saucepan, combine the plums with 180-200g caster sugar, the vanilla seeds, a little pinch of salt and a cinnamon stick. Simmer until the plums are soft and the mixture thickens. Let this unctuous concoction cool and then serve (and please, no eye-rolling) with a generous scoop of creamy burrata or vanilla ice cream. Or, perhaps, even burrata-flavored ice cream (if such a thing exists).
Radishes
This week I made an incredibly tasty lunch featuring: chicken milanese, garlic butter, coconut labneh, a pineapple habanero and garlic glaze, topped with sliced radishes tossed in a little extra virgin olive oil. Before you ask, no, as yet there is no formal recipe as I still have to do a little more R+D, but a recipe will be on its way. For now, try enjoying breakfast radishes with a good butter and a little flaky salt.
Squash blossoms
Right about now, squash blossoms are making their way onto the menus of our favorite restaurants. Just the other day, I veered from my usual hosting habits and ventured into uncharted territory with a recipe for fried squash blossoms stuffed with a mascarpone and mozzarella cream infused with herbs and anchovies. While the concept sounds simple enough, the execution left much to be desired: disappointingly the blossoms disintegrated (or rather exploded) in the oil just moments before my guests arrived. I’m currently in the midst of further recipe testing (because I just cannot accept defeat) but for now I recommend exploring this tried-and-true recipe from Bon Appétit.
Tomatoes
It may be early in the season, but the long awaited arrival of sweet ripe tomatoes is definitely a cause for celebration! To me, there is no better way to enjoy early season tomatoes than with the Spanish appetizer/snack "pan con tomate." Simply grate tomatoes and mix with olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice, then spread onto toasted baguette slices. For an extra kick, start by rubbing raw garlic on the bread. Oh, and don’t forget to enjoy a cheeky campari alongside. Though I’m tempted to delve further into the topic of tomatoes, let's save that for June's newsletter, when they reach their peak perfection!
A Chat with Carmen in the Garden
When it comes to embracing seasonal produce, Carmen in the Garden is a person who truly embodies this culinary philosophy. Based in Los Angeles, Carmen is a gardener turned content creator who shares her daily culinary adventures on TikTok with an audience of over 1M!
Carmen’s talent for crafting mouth-watering garden-to-table recipes is complemented by her involvement with her family's winery, Pali Wine Co.
Speaking of wine, exciting developments are afoot as the Pali Wine Co. team gears up to launch a new restaurant, Cellar Hand, right here in San Diego. Following the team’s R&D process on Instagram, I regularly find myself salivating in anticipation of the forthcoming culinary offerings.
Recently, I had the pleasure of catching up with Carmen for a delightful spring chat. During our conversation, Carmen not only shared her excitement concerning upcoming summer seasonal produce but also recounted her journey into the world of gardening involving a transition from corporate life to full-time content creation.
Sarah: Your garden looks so beautiful and well-established. What inspired you to start gardening?
Carmen: I actually started gardening as a hobby to cope with increasing stress and anxiety. I began with a small potted herb garden and flowers on my apartment balcony. One thing led to another, and here we are today! It’s been an amazing journey.
Sarah: What are your favorite fruits and vegetables that you’ve harvested from your garden and why?
Carmen: My favorites are herbs, leafy greens, citrus, and artichokes. Herbs and leafy greens are actually the easiest crops to grow and are useful in a wide variety of dishes. I really love citrus fruits because there are so many varieties, and I enjoy using them in numerous recipes. Lastly, homegrown artichokes are one of my favorites; they're so tasty and fresh. I like to prepare them simply by steaming and serving with a side of mayonnaise.
Sarah: Speaking of easy-to-grow crops, what beginner-friendly fruit, vegetables, or herbs are good to start with?
Carmen: Actually any herbs! Potted herbs are really the way to go for beginner gardeners who are short on time or space. It’s a great place to start and grow your confidence.
Sarah: Let’s talk about creativity and making it a part of your everyday life. You now create content full-time. Was there a point where you said: “This is what I want to do full time!”? And, how do you manage self-discipline and project multi-tasking?
Carmen: I quit my previous career in real estate acquisitions last June, taking a huge leap of faith to move into content creation. I now work full-time on "Carmen in the Garden" and help run our family winery, Pali Wine Co. I've always loved gardening, and when I realized I could financially sustain myself from creating online content, I was determined to make it happen. As for multi-tasking, I have a couple of strategies: the first is to create a fairly rigid schedule involving time blocking; the second is day theming, where certain days are dedicated to specific themes, such as Saturdays and Sundays for gardening or larger craft DIY projects, and Mondays for admin tasks. This approach helps me stay on top of projects.
Sarah: Oh, I love the idea of ‘day theming’, I think I will start to implement that into my schedule! Back to food! Are there any particular ingredients that you are excited about using in the coming weeks?
Carmen: I’m very excited, as many others are, about tomatoes for summer. A homegrown tomato is perfect on its own or with a pinch of salt. There’s really nothing that can compare.
Sarah: Let's talk about Substack! What do you love about it?
Carmen: I love Substack! It's quite hard to delve deeply into a topic through short-form video alone, and so Substack allows me to explore topics within my expertise more thoroughly which adds real value to my community.
Quick fire round!
Sarah: Current favorite wine?
Carmen: It’s got to be Harvest Moon by Neighborhood Winery. It’s a super acidic vinho verde-style wine that pairs well with spicy foods and is perfect as the days get a bit warmer.
Sarah: Current favorite ingredient?
Carmen: Beets! I didn’t grow up eating beets, so my love for them is somewhat new. Now, I add them to just about everything for a sweet, earthy burst of flavor.
Sarah: Current favorite condiment?
Carmen: Flaky sea salt (is that a condiment?).
Sarah: Ha! Yes, it is! And finally, because I always find that cooks and gardeners have the best fragrance recommendations, what is your current favorite go-to perfume?
Carmen: Right now, it’s Taunt by DedCool. I really love citrusy, woody scents—perfect for summer!
That’s it for this week folks! A big thank you to Carmen in the Garden for taking the time to chat. I’m truly inspired to get working on my little garden now. I plan to do many more of these catch-up style interviews with friends this summer, so stay tuned.
Finally before I go, what produce are you excited to work with right now? Don’t hesitate to comment.
As usual, thank you for reading friends and meet you back here next Sunday!
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Thank you so much for having me! <3 <3
Greetings from Granada Spain where May is really happening!