Fruits and vegetables in season by month: April

Cibo e terra · Paola Magni · 2018-03-29

Your April’s seasonal groceries should include spring vegetables like asparagus, peas and broad beans. Here’s the list of what’s in season this month.

The mild weather of April is favourable for the ripening of one of the most refined sprouts of this season: asparagus. There are three varieties of this cold resistant vegetable: green, white and purple. Its slightly bitter but scrumptious taste is predominant in many traditional recipes. Asparagus, as well as its wild varieties (wild asparagus and Ferny asparagus) are rich in iron, phosphorus, vitamin A, E, C and group B. They have diuretic properties and contain toxic substances (purines) and oxalic acid that aren’t recommended to those who suffer from kidney disorders. The more they’re fresh, the more they’re tasty. To tell if they are fresh, bend an asparagus spear, if it breaks, it isn’t fresh. Chefs suggest not to boil them too much and to tie them with a string before putting them upright in a pot half full of water, so that the tips stay out of the water and will cook by steaming. Asparagus are easy to digest if they are seasoned with extra virgin olive oil.

wild asparagus freshness — To tell if asparagus are fresh, bend an asparagus spear, if it breaks, it isn’t

This month you can also find…

Beetroot
Sweet and rich in mineral salts, beetroots are highly recommended to nervous subjects and people who suffer from anemia, but they aren’t for people affected by diabetes. Excellent if served raw with salt and olive oil.

raw betroots juice salads — Raw beetroots can be grated and added to a salad or as an ingredients for a juice

Celeriac
Celeriac leaves and sticks are employed in the same way as those of the celery; the root, instead, which is round in Verona celery and oblong in Praga celery can be served raw or steamed. It contains vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium.

celeriac northern italy — Veneto and Trentino are two Italian regions where celeriac is cultivated.

Rhubarb
Only red stalks are edible (the green parts of the leaf can be lethal!). It contains potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins B2, A and C, proteins and carbohydrates. Rhubarbs are laxative, vermifuge, tonic and stomachic plants and they should be consumed in moderation since they may cause heartburn and constipation.

rhubarb bones vitamin k — Rhubarb is rich in vitamin K, which is crucial for the brain health and neuronal activity. Vitamin K also plays an important role in bone growth and metabolism.

Chicory
Vitamins, mineral salts and active ingredients are found mostly in wild chicory rather than in cultivated chicory. It contains vitamin A, C, calcium, phosphorus, iron and carbohydrates. It is a natural blood cleanser, effective dermatosis treatment, it lowers sugar levels in the blood and is recommended for people who suffer from anemia.

Chicory diabetes pancreas liver blood cleanser — Chicory is a natural blood cleanser, lowers sugar levels in the blood and for this reason it is recommended for people who suffer from diabetes. It also stimulates the pancreas and liver.

Fruits and vegetables in season in April

Vegetables

Asparagus, beetroots, opposite-leaved saltwort, broccoli, artichoke, catalogna chicory, carrot, cauliflower, white cabbage, Savoy cabbage, Brussels sprout, chicory, turnip top, spring onion, sauerkraut, watercress, beetroot tops, broad bean, fennel, endive, lettuce, hops, nettle, pea, leek, rhubarb, red radicchio, turnip, radish, rocket, spinach, dandelion, valerianella, pumpkin.

Fruits

Orange, lemon, cedar, apple, pear; at the end of the month early strawberries.

Tradotto da Francesca Clemente