welcome, spring! With the month of April the fruit and vegetable stalls of our markets, shops and supermarkets are filled with colors, with freshness: that's the truth "change of season"That you begin to savor.

Handyman legume. Pods included

If among the spring confirmations we find the asparagus he agretti already seen in March, April is the time for Fava beans. A legume among the most appreciated in our gastronomy, good raw but also from to boil or to cook in the pan, and available during the rest of the year as well in the dry variant. In April the first beans are usually the softest and sweetest. There are three varieties: la big bean, with large and flattened seeds, the one that is known to be on the market; that small, from the seeds of smaller dimensions and used to enrich the soil or for zootechnical feeding; and the favetta, of medium size, which is generally found on the market in box or frozen. The goodness of April fava beans is best enjoyed raw, perhaps with pecorino cheese in one of the most classic and peasant dishes of Italian "raw food". If you eat boiled instead, cooking takes a few more minutes. But also the pods can be recovered: you do boil for 4-5 minutes and sauté in a pan with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and chilli pepper: a real surprise! In general, beans contain a good amount of B vitamins, fiber, iron and protein. Raw, among other things, are also rich in vitamin C.

Pythagoras and favism

But there are also the contraindications: think for example of the favismo, a severe form of anemia diffused above all in the Mediterranean countries and particularly in Greece and in the South Italy: the pathology is associated to the hereditary lack of an enzyme, that in case of ingestion of beans can trigger massive destruction of red blood cells with consequent anemia. Perhaps this is why, among the ancient Greeks, among the principles of the Pythagoreans was the abstention from consumption of beans preached? It is even said that Pythagoras he preferred to be killed by the soldiers of Cilone, tyrant of Croton, rather than flee through a field of beans.

Wild chicory

April is also the period of the Roman artichoke, of the lettuces and the last remnants of the season of the cabbage. However, another vegetable to be enjoyed is la wild chicory, that of Roman cuisine that is boiled and sautéed in a pan with garlic, oil and chilli. Simply amazing, as well as rich in useful substances for our body: it contains vitamins A and C and then calcium, phosphorus, iron and carbohydrates. It has purifying properties and stimulates the appetite, regulating intestinal functions, liver and kidneys. Towards the end of this month this year's crazy season could also reserve some surprises on the front of the zucchini and gods pepperoni. In particular, of the reds and sweet cornetto peppers. Other seasonal vegetables also include carrots, Brussels sprouts, spring onions, ribs, leeks, radishes and rocket. This year's season however, as reported Coldiretti, it is getting up early too chicory, herbs, lollo, spinach and dandelion. While some winter vegetables like chicory, radicchio and escarole, traditionally present on banks until mid-April, they already begin at run out.

The woods and America

As for fruit, in "normal" years we would have welcomed the debut of the strawberry, which we now see on the shelves of shops and supermarkets since the end of February. The strawberries we buy today come from varieties imported from North and South America starting from the XVIII century: they (the Fragaria chiloensis, the Fragaria virginiana and their crosses) have supplanted European native varieties like the Fragaria vesca, better known as wild strawberry. Or the Fragaria moschata, to which the famous one belongs Tortona strawberry. The United States and Spain are the world's leading producers of strawberries, but Italian production also stands out for quality and quantity: more than half is concentrated in Campania, followed by Emilia Romagna is Basilicata. The strawberry of Marsala.

Oranges, medlars and cherries

In April there is still a good presence of ours oranges, especially those of the variety Valencia. Good also the presence of Kiwi, while it is time to greet even the last late mandarins. As for i lemons, in April and May we will have to concentrate on whitebait, the last ones in the winter cycle and usually the least prized. But still in season. Even here, the end of the month could give us some early surprises. Coldiretti already reports the presence of medlar on the Sicilian markets, but also the cherries they could soon be talked about.