The season’s first vegetable is also its sweetest.
Why are carrots associated so strongly with spring? In the Northeast, carrots, like most root vegetables, are a fall crop, planted just before the last of the spring frosts. And yet there they are each April, announcing spring’s arrival on restaurant menus and in farmers’ markets along with ramps, fiddlehead ferns, and cold-tolerant greens. Why? Lucky for us, hardy carrots can remain safely in the ground through the winter via “overwintering,” a technique in which the roots are protected from winter’s chill by a thick layer of mulch. Come early spring, they’re ready to be harvested, and all the sweeter for their extra time in the soil.
But that’s not all the praise we have to heap on these colorful familiars. Famously rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, they are an indispensable ingredient for every cook, flavoring everything from soup bases to side dishes, from muffins to cake. Try them in the following delicious recipes and appreciate the versatility of this common staple vegetable.
