I love going out to eat. I especially love going out to eat this time of year. It's always fascinating to me to see all the different ways that chefs incorporate these ingredients onto their menus. I think some of the best preparations are the simpler dishes that let the ingredients shine. Be sure to try out some of my favorite Spring recipes listed below. Science says that we associate certain tastes and smells with memory. Throughout the seasons, all the tastes, textures, and flavors mentioned before remind me of where I am and what time of year it is.

Spring is like an endorphin rush to me, and I know that the Summer bounty is around the corner. Second reason I love Spring? All of that going out to eat is because of the month I spend celebrating my birthday. Many people I know make their resolutions around New Year's. My calendar is based around my birthday. Birthdays are important to me and I believe all people should celebrate accordingly. I like to take time to assess what I've accomplished and learned in the past year, and then set goals for myself in the coming year.

29 was an exciting year for me. 30's going to be even better. It's a time when I can get together with all of my friends I haven't had a chance to see much. We eat. We drink. We make merry. The weather is usually perfect and the air has an invigorating quality to it. I was born on a Sunday in the middle of May and have yet to have a crappy birthday (eat your heart out Molly Ringwald). In any case, I hope to get back to New York in time for a little spring fever. I'm seeing the deep freeze up north on the news every morning so Miam i's not a bad place to be right about now. For all you cooks and food lovers out there, Spring is one of my favorite seasons, and I hope you are able to take advantage of all the fresh flavors it has to offer. To my friends and family, I'll be home soon. Keep the pork buns warm for me. To tide us all over, here are two recipes to keep your mouth watering: English Pea and Morel Mushroom Risotto Roasted Asparagus Salad, Poached Egg, Parmesan Crisp, Truffle Oil