Springtime at the farmers market truly signals the change of the season. As soon as I see fava beans, asparagus and strawberries, I immediately have a new enthusiasm for cooking, as well as living. When the palette at the market brightens, flavors should too–more mint, more lemon, more crunch. For a birthday dinner this weekend, I wanted to celebrate all that is spring, paying attention to color and pretty plates. At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, these new ingredients seem to mirror the new beginnings that come along with a birthday. So there’s my theme for the quarter: spring flavors bring with them the anticipation of fresh starts. If only I had baby chicks if my yard…then, I’d really feel amped up for spring!!