Spring, But Make It Edible
If you live in NYC, you already know how drab winter can get. That’s why this time of year feels almost surreal; you can literally watch the excitement return to people’s faces. The grass is greener, the sky feels bluer, and suddenly the city is in bloom as we swap heavy coats for lighter, brighter fits. But the shift isn’t just visual, it’s visceral. You see it at your local grocery store and feel it in what you crave. We move away from heavy, comforting soups and start reaching for dishes that are fresher, zestier, and full of life.
Everyone, it’s finally spring.
Which means one thing: seasonal ingredients are back, and you don’t want to miss them at their peak. Here are a few to keep on your radar, plus some Korean staples you might not know (yet).
Asparagus
The quintessential spring vegetable. These vibrant green stalks are best kept simple—roasted or grilled with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Clean, crisp, perfect.
Artichokes
Grilled with a squeeze of lime? Unreal. Blended into a housemade dip? Even better. This is your sign to stop overlooking them.
Ssuk (Mugwort)
My favorite spring green, no contest. Deeply aromatic with a subtle bitterness, ssuk shines in stews or in rice cakes—the soft, chewy green ones you’ll spot at Korean markets.
Dallae (Wild Chives)
Small but mighty. Think garlicky, slightly spicy, and intensely fragrant. Dallae is incredible in a soy-based dipping sauce for grilled meat or tofu. My mom makes a dallae sauce for pan-fried tofu that I genuinely think about year-round.
Apricots
Soft, golden, and impossibly juicy. Somewhere between a peach and a plum, apricots bring the perfect balance of tart and sweet—ideal fresh, baked into pastries, or turned into jam.
Rhubarb
Not a childhood favorite of mine, but one I’ve grown to appreciate. Tart and punchy, rhubarb is almost always paired with sugar—think pies, compotes, and anything that leans into that sweet-tangy contrast.
Chamoe (참외)
If you know, you know. These small yellow melons with white stripes are crisp, refreshing, and lightly sweet—almost honey-like. Don’t toss the seeds when you cut it open—they’re actually the sweetest part.
Hallabong (한라봉)
An iconic citrus from Jeju Island, recognizable by its little top “knob.” While its season starts in winter, spring is when it really shines—super juicy, intensely sweet, and impossible to eat just one.
Consider this your official permission to romanticize your next grocery run. Buy the pretty produce. Try something new. Make your kitchen feel like spring actually showed up.