Heather Parlato

If you've been frequenting the Farmer's Markets around town, you've probably noticed asparagus popping up everywhere. It's high-asparagus season right now, which means it's not only available, it's abundant, with some sellers offering great deals on multiple bunches. Interestingly, recipes for preparing asparagus are found in the oldest surviving cookbook, and was popular in ancient cultures of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, which makes it a traditional favorite in all of western civilization.

The artichokes are here! It's truly springtime when you can say you're having a flower that eats like a meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Artichokes are the flowerbud of a perennial thistle, with a long culinary history in Mediterranean culture, which is probably why they can be enjoyed almost any way you like to eat. There are endless amazing recipes out there, so let's jump right in!

Here we go again with a line-up of design-related, creative industry events to pepper your calendar. As usual, if you hear of new ones you want to share, post them in the comments so we can all join in!

You know what this town needs? A good, old-fashioned community food swap! At least, that's what my friend, Emily Ho, thought when she read about other organized food swaps around the country and decided to set one up here in LA. The inaugural swap took place Sunday, March 27, 2011, but if you missed out yesterday, the LA Food Swap is open to all participants willing to make homemade goodies to trade (space permitting), so sign up to find out about the next one.

You've seen them growing on hillsides every spring, and maybe sometimes as a garnish or in a salad, but did you know how infinitely edible nasturtiums are? Besides being beautiful in a range of color, nasturtiums are a very garden-friendly plant. If you've planted some this year, you're noticing the blossoms have come to life in recent weeks, so let's get started on putting it to good use.

Hey LA designers, get out and get social with some these great creative industry events for the second half of March! Below is my round-up for the next two weeks, but it is by no means exhaustive. If anyone has more to add, post them in the comments so we can all join in.

While we're still a bit shy of the official start to spring, every article I've read on the arrival of green garlic would beg to differ, as it's availability is widely considered the first sign of season. What exactly is green garlic? It's the first crop of garlic we get in the spring season, having a bulb at the bottom that has not yet split into cloves, and long green scallion-like stalks.

Calling all print, web & motion graphic designers from all corners of the Southland, come out and meet your colleagues, listen to lectures from the masters, participate in talks, see exhibits, and celebrate our fantastic profession. Plan your industry social calendar right here!

Winter Root Vegetables (Heather Parlato/LAist) When I went to the market this weekend, it was apparent everywhere that we're on the brink of spring. Strawberries, artichokes, and asparagus are starting to pop up here and there—not to mention the lovely early spring flower blooms. I was also impressed, though, at all the late fall root veggies and winter greens and brassicas that have supported us all winter, so I thought I'd do a winter-wrap...

I got to talking with one of the avocado sellers at the farmer's market, and since i was impressed with the variety she sells, I asked about seasonality of avocados. I always knew different cultivars matured at different times of year, but wasn't sure which. The seller set me straight, while Haas may be harvested year-round depending on the climate, it's typically a springtime avocado in California—but don't despair, you can strategize seasonally and still enjoy local avocados most of the year.