In nature, squash blossoms are delicate, ethereal things. On the plate, they’re usually coated in crunchy batter and deep-fried.

Slice raw artichokes and toss with lemon, olive oil, and plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano, as in this recipe from Morandi chef Jody Williams.

In its endlessly prolific bounty, zucchini can often seem more like a curse than a blessing.

Often described as a cross between butter and romaine lettuces, sucrine is sweet and nutty, with a thick-leafed, almost velvety texture.

Sfoglia chef-partners Ron Suhanosky and Colleen Marnell-Suhanosky showcase the surprisingly versatile strawberry in what’s become their signature pasta dish.

Perhaps more than any other item sold at local Greenmarkets, sugar snap peas attract clusters of light-fingered fans.

Pesky weed to some, seasonal delicacy to others, the jagged, bitter dandelion green is one of those Mediterranean peasant foods newly embraced for their health-giving properties.

Ramps and leeks get all the glory this time of year, but spring onions (a.k.a. green onions), with their healthful tops attached, have their fans too.

Prized by foragers, seasonally minded cooks, and, according to some people, anyone who suffers from anemia, baldness, or gout, the wild stinging nettle has a whiff of danger about it.

Despite what the calendar says, it isn’t truly spring until the first ramp makes its odoriferous Greenmarket debut.