Living in Chicago, in the dead of winter can make a girl desperately wish for spring. Not only do I look forward to sunshine and warmer weather, but what I look forward to the most is for May when the first farmers’ markets open. Last year when I first really started cooking and collecting recipes, the farmer’s market on Saturday mornings was what I looked forward to the most. The fresh produce and the like-minded individuals who cared about what they ate appealed to me so much that I believe it was the biggest driving force to get me to cook each week. With the market’s ever changing produce, I was eager to try new foods and techniques for preparing them that I had never tried before. So here’s to spring and to the wonderful produce that awaits.