Spring is always such a changeable time of year but it gives us enough glimpses of the lovely weather summer might bring to keep us hopeful.
It is a bit like that with food, too. In our neck of the woods, spring produce takes a little longer to appear so we are often still making do with the last of winter's bounty while our northern counterparts are enjoying the fruits of spring.
Given we are all struggling with the increasing costs of food, Alison Lambert is showing us that chickpeas and grains can be used in innovative ways to create fresh, vibrant dishes and even sweet treats.
Nadia Lim takes on the underrated radish and shows us this simple but pretty vegetable can be very versatile.
Joan Bishop is sharing a tasty and easy cheese and pesto puff that will be very handy for the upcoming entertaining season and is a great way to use up any hardy spring basil if you like to make your own pesto.
Sometimes it is the old favourites that you return to in these shoulder seasons. In her latest book Around the Table, Melbourne cook Julia Busuttil Nishimura is all about tasty home cooking, and given scones are one of our readers' most often requested recipes, she shares her recipe for cheddar and chive scones along with a lemon mascarpone tart to use the last of the winter lemons.
Wine writer Mark Henderson takes a look at sweet wines and why they have gone out of fashion despite our love of sweet food.
And if after our long winter you are dreaming of sun, Steph Peirce shares some inspiration from her recent European holiday visiting beaches, restaurants and markets in Greece.
Most of all it is time for appreciation as seedlings start to push through, spring blooms brighten our day and temperatures slowly climb.
Rebecca Fox
Lifestyle editor
CHANCE TO WIN
In conjunction with Fresh, New Zealand company Ironclad Pan Co is giving away its latest cast iron cookware, the Old Dutch. This is a nifty combination oven which can be used four different ways - as a casserole dish, upside down as a bread oven, flip the top and use it as a camp stove or use the lid as an extra skillet.
Everything needed to care for the cast iron cookware arrives in the box, including a bottle of Marlborough Grape Seed Seasoning Oil, a cotton storage bag, printed care instructions and a hand-signed Three Generation Guarantee. Worth $480.
To go in the draw, email your contact details to playtime@odt.co.nz with Old Dutch in the subject line by September 23.
