Fresh Ideas for Spring

Here are our favorite tips and tools to spice up your spring.

by katherine lawless

Cooking for All Seasons

Spring is the perfect time to get into seasonal eating. “A Dish for All Seasons” by Kathryn Pauline (Chronicle Books) walks you through 25 adaptable base recipes, each with four seasonal variations, for a total of more than 100 accessible recipes. It can help turn each season’s fresh ingredients into mouthwatering meals.

Finishing Salt

A pinch of finishing salt can make a world of difference! Adding just a sprinkle to your steamed or grilled vegetables, meat or fish, and even baked treats might just take your dish to the next level. Try Himalayan pink salt; Maldon, a flaky sea salt with extra-large crystals; or fleur de sel, which means “flower of the sea,” a French salt with different grain sizes for extra texture.

Butter Bell

Must butter go in the fridge or can it stay on the counter? A kitchen debate is settled by the butter bell, patterned after the late 19thcentury French “beurrier” crock. The simple solution to keep your butter soft and spreadable is the bell-shaped top whose rim rests on a water seal, keeping the butter fresh at room temperature on your counter.

To use, let your butter soften, then pack it into the top of the bell firmly before placing it over the cold-water seal on the bottom. Change the water every three days to ensure your butter stays soft, smooth, safe, and odor-free for up to a month.

Acai

AcaiThis fruit from the açaí palm forms the basis of the popular acai bowls—but what exactly is it? Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) is a deep purple fruit that is full of fiber and antioxidants— believed to rival the antioxidants found in many other berries. Look around the store to find this heart-healthy fruit frozen and in beverages, yogurt, candy, and more.