Chatting Spring on ABC Afternoons

Sweet Potato and Grain Salad, perfect for a spring meal and easy to make ahead.

 

I love dropping into ABC Radio Melbourne to chat about food with Clare Bowditch and her lovely audience of talkback callers. This time it was to discuss spring and to lament the passing of winter.

I get very excited about the arrival of spring. Blossoms make me smile. I love the lighter mornings and longer days. I enjoy the extra gleam in the sun and the lack of iciness to the breeze. And yet…I do say a wistful goodbye to some of the things I love about winter, especially the edible aspects.

 

 

BYE BYE WINTER

I’m sad to say goodbye to:

• fresh crisp apples
• mandarins
• chestnuts
• casseroles
• hot chocolate
• porridge
• mulled wine

Also, I’m worried that I’m going to run out of passata before high summer. I’m eking out my supply and as the cupboard grows more bare, the red bottles of sunshine look even more precious.

HELLO SPRING

I’m excited about:

• tomatoes – not yet but soon!
• mangoes
• asparagus
• broad beans
• spring lamb – we get lamb all round but the spring lamb is sweeter because they graze on new grass

AND IF I THINK ABOUT SUMMER I THINK ABOUT

• • icy cocktails – frose!!
  • big crisp salads
  • soba noodle salads
  • eating outside
  • eek, I better clean the BBQ!
  • picnics

Is there anything you’ll miss about winter? What are you looking forward to in spring and summer?