Happy to be seeing red

Just in

Early cherries: Now that strawberries are a year-round staple, we have to rely on the first appearance of cherries to let us know that we’ve reached the heart of spring. The first California cherries, mostly the Burlat variety, are now flooding into the market. Unfortunately, the Burlat’s signal achievement is that it can be picked early, so the flavor is often pretty pale. Unless you’re a real cherry lover, you are probably better off waiting a couple of weeks until the Brooks and then the Bings arrive. Those are cherries with zing. If it seems you’re seeing more cherries than normal, you’re right. California’s cherry harvest has more than doubled since 1990 as growers chase the big money that goes to whoever gets the first cherries to the Asian market. This is a competition fraught with danger -- late rains can cause splitting of the fruit, and lack of chill can make for a light harvest. This year, after a freezing, dry winter, we should have a bumper crop.

Various vendors, $5 per carton.

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Peak season

Avocados: There are many reasons for loving living in California, but ranking high among them are the avocados. Sure, you can find Hass avocados all over the country these days. But only here -- and for the most part, only at farmers markets -- can you find other varieties. Local growers are also harvesting Fuertes, Bacons, Zutanos and Pinkertons. The first three are Mexican avocados, which are usually harvested from January until May. They tend to be smooth-skinned and a little lighter green; they also usually are lower in fat. Hass and Pinkerton have a Guatemalan heritage. They are usually rounder, with a pebbly, darker skin; especially now, at the peak harvest, they are lusciously high in fat.

Various vendors, $2 per pound.

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Last chance

Radicchio: It used to be that radicchio was one of those oddball vegetables that you could find in the grocery store but not very often at farmers markets. That’s because early on everyone except for a couple of big farmers had a difficult time growing it. Now, with a better choice of seed and a better understanding of how to grow it, radicchio is becoming a more common sight at the farmers market. There are many varieties; most of what we see is Chioggia, which comes in a red, round head. It is mildly bitter and makes a good salad ingredient. We’re also seeing more of Treviso, which is more elongated, almost like Belgian endive. It has a little more edge and is better cooked. Because radicchio requires cool weather, it is reaching the end of its farmers market season (during the warm months, commercial varieties are grown in Salinas -- too long a trek for most market growers to make).

Various vendors, $2 per head.

-- Russ Parsons