Since spring starts at 1:32 p.m. Saturday, does that mean all the area restaurants with seasonal menus will be changing them later that night?

Well, no. Unlike the sudden rush of summer's bounty, the culinary attractions of spring arrive more slowly and more fitfully. Aside from a stray morel or two, scarcely anything in the way of spring produce, livestock, seafood or even wine has arrived yet, and every chef we talked to agreed: We've still got a few weeks. When asked when they'll know it's spring, nearly everyone said the same thing: I'll know when the first asparagus comes in. Until that happens, they'll be braising just a bit longer dreaming up recipes for morels, lamb and English peas.

Not that their patrons are always so patient. Jeff Smith of Lauraville's Chameleon Cafe (4341 Harford Road, 410-254-2376, thechameleoncafe.com) says in the weeks leading up to spring, he receives about 20 calls every year from patrons wondering when he's going to post the restaurant's new menu. "They're disappointed," he says, "but spring comes when it comes." Smith knows real spring is imminent when he starts to see potted herbs at the 32nd Street Farmers Market in Waverly.

Smith is one of the chefs who folds spring into his menu gradually, as it's happening, until by midseason, the whole menu has transformed.

Jamie Forsythe of Bolton Hill's B (1501 Bolton St., 410-383-8600) will add the season's first lamb as a chalkboard special and early-arriving vegetables such as baby carrots and spring turnips will displace winter vegetables as sides on current menu items. He has been negotiating with suppliers, such as Springfield Farm of Sparks, to secure new and generally scarcer items for B's spring menu, things like squab and kid goat.

The menu at Salt Tavern (2127 E. Pratt St., 410-276-5480, salttavern.com) in Upper Fells Point is overhauled overnight - although not yet, says co-owner and chef, Jason Ambrose, but around the second week in April. "It's not easy," says Ambrose, who prepares the front-of-house staff with two days of tastings, "but the kitchen staff gets energized by it, and our customers have come to expect it."

Chef Jason Lear of the Wine Market (921 E. Fort Ave., 410-241-6166, the-wine-market.com), in the Locust Point Industrial Area, explains that new menu items arise as much from the collaborative creativity of a tightly knit kitchen staff as from the growing schedule. "There's also a delicate balance between pure local purchasing and practical considerations. As much as we would like to, we can't always do both."

Along with Carroll County's Truck Patch Farm and Monkton's Roseda Black Angus Farm, the family-owned Springfield Farm is one of the area suppliers that comes up constantly in area chefs' conversation about planning seasonal menus. For Sandy Lawler, a chef for a smaller operation such as Feast in Mount Vernon (4 E. Madison, 410-332-0880, 4eastmadisoninn.com), it's something as simple as the e-mail alerts Springfield Farms puts out as new livestock becomes available.

Lawler is another chef on asparagus watch, and by tracking items in the grocery store - such as seeing something is from Florida this week that was from Belize last week, she'll know the time for local items is getting closer.

From how often it came up in these conversations, the mascot of this year's spring will be the ramp, also known as the wild leek, which has a short and smelly season. (The late John Dorsey used to say spring was here when Marconi's put shad roe on the menu.) Until ramps and asparagus arrive, patrons can divert themselves by gobbling up the last of winter's best dishes. The last of Chameleon Cafe's awesome choucroute garnie has been sold, but they've still got some pork shank.

Recipe search   Search over 3,000 recipes in our archive
Keywords:  
Or choose a date:   Choose ... All to April '02 March 17, 2010 March 10, 2010 March 3, 2010 Feb. 24, 2010 Feb. 17, 2010 Feb. 10, 2010 Feb. 3, 2010 Jan. 27, 2010 Jan. 20, 2010 Jan. 13, 2010 Jan. 6, 2010 Dec. 30, 2009 Dec. 23, 2009 Dec. 16, 2009 Dec. 9, 2009 Dec. 2, 2009 Nov. 25, 2009 Nov. 18, 2009 Nov. 11, 2009 Nov. 4, 2009 Oct. 28, 2009 Oct. 21, 2009 Oct. 14, 2009 Oct. 7, 2009 Sept. 30, 2009 Sept. 23, 2009 Sept. 16, 2009 Sept. 9, 2009 Sept. 2, 2009 Aug. 26, 2009 Aug. 19, 2009 Aug. 12, 2009 Aug. 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 July 22, 2009 July 15, 2009 July 8, 2009 July 1, 2009 June 24, 2009 June 17, 2009 June 10, 2009 June 3, 2009 May 27, 2009 May 20, 2009 May 13, 2009 May 6, 2009 April 29, 2009 April 22, 2009 April 15, 2009 April 8, 2009 April 1, 2009 March 25, 2009 March 18, 2009 March 4, 2009 Feb. 25, 2009 Feb. 18, 2009 Feb. 11, 2009 Feb. 4, 2009 Jan. 28, 2009 Jan. 21, 2009 Jan. 14, 2009 Jan. 7, 2009 Dec. 31, 2008 Dec. 24, 2008 Dec. 17, 2008 Dec. 10, 2008 Dec. 3, 2008 Nov. 26, 2008 Nov. 19, 2008 Nov. 12, 2008 Nov. 5, 2008 Oct. 29, 2008 Oct. 22, 2008 Oct. 15, 2008 Oct. 8, 2008 Oct. 1, 2008 Sept. 24, 2008 Sept. 17, 2008 Sept. 10, 2008 Sept. 3, 2008 Aug. 27, 2008 Aug. 20, 2008 Aug. 13, 2008 Aug. 6, 2008 July 30, 2008 July 23, 2008 July 16, 2008 July 9, 2008 July 2, 2008 June 25, 2008 June 18, 2008 June 11, 2008 June 4, 2008 May 28, 2008 May 21, 2008 May 14, 2008 May 7, 2008 April 30, 2008 April 23, 2008 April 16, 2008 April 9, 2008 April 2, 2008 March 26, 2008 March 19, 2008 March 12, 2008 March 5, 2008 Feb. 27, 2008 Feb. 20, 2008 Feb. 13, 2008 Feb. 6, 2008 Jan. 30, 2008 Jan. 23, 2008 Jan. 16, 2008 Jan. 9, 2008 Jan. 2, 2008 Dec. 26, 2007 Dec. 19, 2007 Dec. 12, 2007 Dec. 5, 2007 Nov. 28, 2007 Nov. 21, 2007 Nov. 14, 2007 Nov. 7, 2007 Oct. 31, 2007 Oct. 24, 2007 Oct. 17, 2007 Oct. 10, 2007 Oct. 3, 2007 Sept. 26, 2007 Sept. 19, 2007 Sept. 12, 2007 Sept. 5, 2007 Aug. 29, 2007 Aug. 22, 2007 Aug. 15, 2007 Aug. 8, 2007 Aug. 1, 2007 July 25, 2007 July 18, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 4, 2007 June 27, 2007 June 20, 2007 June 13, 2007 June 6, 2007 May 30, 2007 May 23, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 9, 2007 May 2, 2007 April 25, 2007 April 18, 2007 April 11, 2007 April 4, 2007 March 28, 2007 March 21, 2007 March 14, 2007 March 7, 2007 Feb. 28, 2007 Feb. 21, 2007 Feb. 14, 2007 Feb. 7, 2007 Jan. 31, 2007 Jan. 24, 2007 Jan. 17, 2007 Jan. 10, 2007 Jan. 3, 2007 Dec. 27, 2006 Dec. 20, 2006 Dec. 13, 2006 Dec. 6, 2006 Nov. 29, 2006 Nov. 22, 2006 Nov. 15, 2006 Nov. 8, 2006 Nov. 1, 2006 Oct. 25, 2006 Oct. 18, 2006 Oct. 11, 2006 Oct. 4, 2006 Sept. 27, 2006 Sept. 20, 2006 Sept. 13, 2006 Sept. 6, 2006 Aug. 30, 2006 Aug. 23, 2006 Aug. 16, 2006 Aug. 9, 2006 Aug. 2, 2006 July 26, 2006 July 19, 2006 July 12, 2006 July 5, 2006 June 28, 2006 June 21, 2006 June 14, 2006 June 7, 2006 May 31, 2006 May 24, 2006 May 17, 2006 May 10, 2006 May 3, 2006 April 26, 2006 April 19, 2006 April 12, 2006 April 5, 2006 March 29, 2006 March 22, 2006 March 15, 2006 March 8, 2006 March 1, 2006 Feb. 22, 2006 Feb. 15, 2006 Feb. 8, 2006 Feb. 1, 2006 Jan. 25, 2006 Jan. 18, 2006 Jan. 11, 2006 Jan. 4, 2006 Dec. 28, 2005 Dec. 21, 2005 Dec. 14, 2005 Dec. 7, 2005 Nov. 30, 2005 Nov. 23, 2005 Nov. 16, 2005 Nov. 9, 2005 Nov. 2, 2005 Oct. 26, 2005 Oct. 19, 2005 Oct. 12, 2005 Oct. 5, 2005 Sept. 28, 2005 Sept. 21, 2005 Sept. 14, 2005 Sept. 7, 2005 Aug. 31, 2005 Aug. 24, 2005 Aug. 17, 2005 Aug. 10, 2005 Aug. 3, 2005 July 27, 2005 July 20, 2005 July 13, 2005 July 6, 2005 June 29, 2005 June 22, 2005 June 15, 2005 June 8, 2005 June 1, 2005 May 25, 2005 May 18, 2005 May 11, 2005 May 4, 2005 April 27, 2005 April 20, 2005 April 13, 2005 April 6, 2005 March 30, 2005 March 23, 2005 March 16, 2005 March 9, 2005 March 2, 2005 Feb. 23, 2005 Feb. 16, 2005 Feb. 9, 2005 Feb. 2, 2005 Jan. 26, 2005 Jan. 19, 2005 Jan. 12, 2005 Jan. 5, 2005 Dec. 29, 2004 Dec. 22, 2004 Dec. 15, 2004 Dec. 8, 2004 Dec. 1, 2004 Nov. 24, 2004 Nov. 17, 2004 Nov. 10, 2004 Nov. 3, 2004 Oct. 27, 2004 Oct. 20, 2004 Oct. 13, 2004 Oct. 6, 2004 Sept. 29, 2004 Sept. 22, 2004 Sept. 15, 2004 Sept. 8, 2004 Sept. 1, 2004 Aug. 25, 2004 Aug. 18, 2004 Aug. 11, 2004 Aug. 4, 2004 July 28, 2004 July 21, 2004 July 14, 2004 July 7, 2004 June 30, 2004 June 23, 2004 June 16, 2004 June 9, 2004 June 2, 2004 May 26, 2004 May 19, 2004 May 12, 2004 May 5, 2004 April 28, 2004 April 21, 2004 April 14, 2004 April 7, 2004 March 31, 2004 March 24, 2004 March 17, 2004 March 10, 2004 March 3, 2004 Feb. 25, 2004 Feb. 18, 2004 Feb. 11, 2004 Feb. 4, 2004 Jan. 28, 2004 Jan. 21, 2004 Jan. 14, 2004 Jan. 7, 2004 Dec. 31, 2003 Dec. 24, 2003 Dec. 17, 2003 Dec. 10, 2003 Dec. 3, 2003 Nov. 26, 2003 Nov. 19, 2003 Nov. 12, 2003 Nov. 5, 2003 Oct. 29, 2003 Oct. 22, 2003 Oct. 15, 2003 Oct. 8, 2003 Oct. 1, 2003 Sept. 24, 2003 Sept. 17, 2003 Sept. 10, 2003 Sept. 3, 2003 Aug. 27, 2003 Aug. 20, 2003 Aug. 13, 2003 Aug. 6, 2003 July 30, 2003 July 23, 2003 July 16, 2003 July 9, 2003 July 2, 2003 June 25, 2003 June 18, 2003 June 11, 2003 June 4, 2003 May 28, 2003 May 21, 2003 May 14, 2003 May 7, 2003 April 30, 2003 April 23, 2003 April 16, 2003 April 9, 2003 April 2, 2003 March 26, 2003 March 19, 2003 March 12, 2003 March 5, 2003 Feb. 26, 2003 Feb. 19 2003 Feb. 12, 2003 Feb. 5, 2003 Jan. 29, 2003 Jan. 22, 2003 Jan. 15, 2003
Taste recipes: Pasta salad with smoked chicken | No-Fail Sour Cream Chocolate Cake |
Popular searches: Blueberries | Ribs | Grilled shrimp | Recipes from local chefs