I…love ramps.

I don't know if it's because they're rare so finding them during their two week run makes me feel like I've won the lottery, or perhaps if it's because I’m a somewhat pretentious person with an affinity for all things produce, so the mere act of knowing about wild garlic feels on brand and as glamorous as…garlic…can be.

It's probably a little bit of both.

There's something so deliciously cool about casually dropping "Oh, I'm just heading to the market for ramp season" into conversation like I'm announcing that I've been appointed the new cultural attaché to the UWS.

I love the way loving ramps sounds. I love that seeing them at the market gives everyone something to talk about. I love that the farmers who sell them develop the smug satisfaction of nightclub bouncers, aware of their temporary power. And I love that they’re the groundhog of vegetables, because when the ramps arrive, you know you’re finally free of the overstimulation that comes with big coat-tote bag falling off shoulder-hair stuck to lip gloss-one finger holding coffee tumbler-season.

For further proof of my love of ramps, here is a video of an unintelligible conversation I had with another one of my best friends last year during ramp season where we sound like we're speaking in tongues, but are actually just having very strong feelings about alliums. 🧄

This week’s newsletter is an ode to spring produce…including ramps. We’ll dive into the science behind why these short-season foods create such culinary excitement—from the defensive compounds that give spring vegetables their distinctive flavors to the hormonal shifts that make us crave lighter, brighter foods after winter.

Springtime Farmers Market Treasures to Hunt Down Now

🧄 Ramps 🧄

What are ramps?

TLDR: Ramps are essentially just wild leeks that cause normally rational New Yorkers to lose their minds for approximately three weeks each spring. These foraged alliums have a garlicky-oniony flavor that's somehow both more delicate and more intense than either. They grow wild in Eastern woodlands and have such a short season that they've become the culinary equivalent of Eras Tour tickets—everyone wants them, they're gone in minutes, and people will brag about getting them on Instagram incessantly.

Ramp Science

Beyond their scarcity, what makes ramps so special is that they contain sulfur compounds similar to garlic but in different proportions, creating a really unique aroma. They also contain thiosulfinates, which are beneficial compounds that may reduce inflammation and have antimicrobial properties.

How to Use Ramps

Pickle the bulbs, turn the leaves into pesto, or just grill them whole with olive oil and salt. If you want to be extra fancy, ferment them a la Noma.

🍄 Morel Mushrooms 🍄 

What are morels?

Morels are those spongey, honeycomb-textured mushrooms that make dishes astronomically more expensive. Chefs love them because their nutty, earthy flavor intensifies when cooked, and their hollow centers make perfect little pockets for capturing sauces.

Morel Science

Unlike cultivated mushrooms, morels must be foraged, which is why they're so prized and pricey. Even more interesting, they have a symbiotic relationship with certain trees, appearing after forest fires or when trees are stressed, so they're literally nature's response to ecological disasters. Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine compounds, which are toxic when raw, so always cook your morels thoroughly.

🌱 Fiddlehead Ferns 🌱 

What are fiddlehead ferns?

These tightly coiled fern fronds look like the scroll of a violin (hence the name) and have a grassy, nutty flavor similar to asparagus but with a wilder edge. They're foraged from the ostrich fern in early spring before the fronds unfurl.

Fiddlehead Science

The spiral shape of fiddleheads follows the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical pattern found throughout nature.

How to Use Them

Blanch briefly in salted water, then sauté with butter and finish with lemon. Or pickle them to extend their fleeting season.

🫛 Pea Shoots 🫛

What are pea shoots?

Pea shoots are the tender tendrils and leaves of the pea plant that taste like sweet, delicate peas.

Pea Shoot Science

These tender greens contain all the fresh flavor of peas because they produce the same volatile compounds, just in smaller concentrations. They're also packed with vitamins A, C, and folic acid.

How to Use Them

Toss in salads, use as a garnish for spring soups, or quickly stir-fry with garlic and a splash of rice wine.

🧑‍🌾 Radishes 🧑‍🌾

What are radishes?

Spring radishes are different from their year-round counterparts. They're smaller, more tender, and often come in vibrant colors from French Breakfast to watermelon radishes with their stunning pink centers.

Radish Science

The spicy kick in radishes comes from isothiocyanates, compounds that plants produce as natural insect repellents. These same compounds give wasabi and horseradish their heat and have cancer-fighting properties.

How to Use Them

Classic French-style with butter and salt, quick-pickled for tacos, or roasted until sweet and mellow. The green tops also make a great peppery pesto or chimichurri.

🥦 Asparagus 🥦

Asparagus Science

Asparagus is one of the fastest-growing vegetables. On warm days, you can literally watch it grow, with spears growing up to several inches in a single day. This rapid growth is why fresh-picked asparagus is so superior to store-bought; those sugars convert to starch incredibly quickly after harvesting.

How to Use It

The possibilities are endless, but some favorites include simply roasting with olive oil and lemon, shaving raw into salads, or blending into a vibrant spring soup.

The Chemistry of Spring Flavors

Spring flavors have a distinct profile—bright, bitter, often slightly astringent. It’s that freshness and bite that we all know and love, but what’s really wild is the science behind why we crave these particular tastes after winter.

Bitter spring greens like dandelion, nettles, and young lettuces contain compounds that help stimulate digestion and support liver function. After winter's heavier, preserved foods, these spring bitters acted as natural detoxifiers.

The characteristic bite in many spring vegetables comes from specific defensive compounds plants produce while young and vulnerable. Radishes contain isothiocyanates (the same family of compounds that give mustard its pungency), while asparagus contains saponins that give it that distinctive flavor. These compounds are part of the plants' chemical defense systems against predators, but for humans, they provide both flavor complexity and health benefits.

Interestingly, many spring vegetables are sweetest when harvested early in the morning. Plants use their stored sugars during the night for respiration, and rebuild them through photosynthesis during the day. Harvest early, and you get higher sugar content.

The phenomenon known as "spring fever" might also relate to our biochemical response to changing light patterns. As daylight increases, the body produces less melatonin (the sleep hormone), while serotonin production increases. This hormonal shift affects not just mood but appetite—potentially explaining why spring foods taste so incredibly satisfying after winter.

From an evolutionary perspective, our brains are also wired to get excited about novel foods after periods of monotony. After months of stored root vegetables and preserved foods, the bright colors and fresh flavors of spring produce trigger dopamine responses—essentially, our brains' reward system activates more strongly for foods we haven't had access to for months.

How to Preserve Spring Flavors

Given the fleeting nature of spring's most prized vegetables, cultures around the world have developed techniques to preserve these seasonal treasures. Here are a few ways to make spring's bounty last:

Pickling

Quick-pickle ramp bulbs, spring onions, or radishes to extend their shelf life and enjoy their bright flavors for weeks. The acidity transforms the raw flavor while preserving much of the vegetable's character.

Compound Butters

Blend herbs or ramp leaves into softened butter, then freeze in logs or ice cube trays. These flavor bombs can be added to dishes throughout the year.

Pesto

Make pestos from spring greens like ramp leaves, carrot tops, or pea shoots, then freeze in small portions. These bright, herbaceous sauces capture spring's essence.

Fermentation

Traditional cultures fermented spring vegetables to preserve both their nutritional benefits and (transformed) flavors. Try fermenting spring radishes, turnips, or even asparagus for complex, probiotic-rich preparations.

Dehydration

Dried mushrooms like morels concentrate in flavor and can be rehydrated months later, releasing their earthy aromas into broths, sauces, and risottos.