Spring might just be my favorite time of year, but if I’m being honest, I say that about every season. Much of the joy of living a local and seasonal existence comes from the realization that every moment of the year holds its own unique treasure, as well as its particular trials. I have found that creating “special moments of celebration” is the best way for our family to catch hold of the distinct wonder of each season—it helps us to perceive what is beautiful, and creates an ability to respond to the unique challenges that each season inevitably brings. After all, spring marks the beginning of our growing season. I am going full tilt and it is so easy for me to barrel right through the moments that I should treasure. I have found that to make this life of farming and homesteading tenable, you must create space to pause and celebrate. And what’s not to celebrate when there is new life bursting from every seam. 

One simple way that our family likes to celebrate is with dessert. This could be a rich panna cotta at the conclusion of a special meal, a cake in celebration of a birthday, or just a small treat with tea to enjoy a simple pause in the middle of a busy day. Another thing we love to celebrate in our family is fresh, homegrown herbs, especially after the sparseness of winter. When cooking with herbs, I have found that having a few “blank canvas” recipes allows me to use herbs at their freshest and best. This could be the lilac blossoms foraged from a friend’s yard, or the handful of fresh mint gathered from a container on the front porch.

My hope is that the following recipes will not feel prescriptive, but instigative. Please regard them as raw material in the cultivation of your own household celebrations of spring, and the fresh ingredients that make this time of year special.

I wish you a season filled with the freshness and sweetness of new life! May you find moments to pause and celebrate the gifts of the season.

Blank Canvas Panna Cotta

One of my go-to desserts to cap a celebratory meal is panna cotta. Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert dating back to the 1600s. It is prepared with milk that has been lightly heated and combined with gelatin and heavy cream, often with the addition of herbs or spices for flavoring. Come spring we have access to fresh milk and nutrient-dense heavy cream once again, which makes panna cotta a perfect dessert to celebrate the season with.

This dessert can be made the day before a celebration—which frees me to be fully present in significant moments. What I love the most about panna cotta is that it is a “blank canvas,” readily receiving the best of what is seasonal, freshly forged, or locally available.

Rosemary, Orange, and Buckwheat Biscotti

Another humble, celebratory treat that our family loves is biscotti. This is the perfect afternoon excuse to pause, and it pairs wonderfully with a cup of tea. This biscotti utilizes buckwheat flour as the base. Buckwheat is a grain-free, gluten-free flour that is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is chock-full of protein and fiber. But my favorite part about buckwheat is that I love to grow it, and I use it extensively as a cover crop.

Buckwheat can be considered a bitter flour, but I have found that paired with the right flavors, it is unique, earthy, and nutty. Not into buckwheat? See my note on reducing the amount of buckwheat flour. 

Chamomile-Honey Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Spring Blossoms (Link)

Every year we celebrate my spring-born daughter with some rendition of a “flower fairy” birthday party. This is a cake that has consistently been perfect year after year. 

Like any recipe you can make this the easy way, or the more fiddly, beautiful way. I let my mood on any given day dictate what it will be. For an easy, one-layer cake, you can simply make this in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and serve it straight out of the pan. If this is for a flower fairy birthday, it is imperative that it is two layers, no exceptions! So I use two 8-inch springform pans.