PEI Liquor Celebrate Spring

What’s in season? In fields, backyards and farmers’ markets around the Island, signs of spring are all around. Make good use of the fresh, vibrant new vegetables and fruits available March through June on PEI.

Fiddleheads

Fiddlehead greens are the furled heads of a young fern that is both commercially grown and foraged across At- lantic Canada from the middle to the end of May. To cook fiddleheads, remove the brown papery husk before wash- ing in several changes of cold water, then boil them in salted water. Boiling reduces the bitterness and the con- tent of natural tannins, so try changing the water halfway through cooking, for a total cooking time of about 12 min- utes. The flavour of these seasonal greens is like a cross between spinach and asparagus, so try them with lots of butter and garlic

Asparagus

Rhubarb

Although technically a vegetable, rhubarb is treated as a fruit despite its’ tart flavour. Its stalks are dark red tinged with green, and its (poisonous) leaves are a bright green. All rhubarb is too tart to be eaten raw, so it’s best cooked with plenty of sugar. It goes well with ginger, citrus and strawberries and is very at home in pies, cakes and jams.

Labour-intensive to grow, asparagus are the young shoots of a particular kind of lily plant. They’re one of the delicacies of the vegetable world, with a price tag to match, and have a distinct, intense savoury flavour. PEI asparagus is available late May to late June in farmers markets. It tastes great prepared simply. Try sautéing it over high heat for about 3 minutes with some olive oil, salt and pepper.

Radishes

Onion Ramps & Garlic Scapes

Radishes are part of the Brassicaceae family, along with cabbage, mustard, kale and broccoli. These are one of the earliest crops available on PEI, as they only take about a month’s growing time and are at their peak from May through July. Radishes come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colors, and colors, but they are all a great treat, with crisp, peppery roots that are great for snacking, pickling, or in salads.

Both ramps and scapes are from the Alium family, home to onions, garlic, leeks and chives. In mid-spring, these bulbs sprout some curly and leafy edible greens that can be found both in the wild and in farmers’ markets. Look for bright green, tender shoots and try adding them to salads or lightly sautéing them with butter and salt.

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CELEBRATE SPRING 2022

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CELEBRATE SPRING 2022

Limited time offers from May 18 - June 21

Prices subject to change | Products not available at all locations | While supplies last