By Gretchen McKay
From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
This is the time of year when people can’t wait to shed their heavy winter coats and head outside to look for the many signs of spring.
What we want to see is green. After so many months of cold and dreary weather, green grass and blossoming trees are proof positive that the tide is turning and that our yards and gardens are (finally) coming back to life.
Spring also brightens up menus with tender, seasonal veggies and fresh flavors. Sure, nothing beats a big, warming bowl of stew when it’s cold outside. It’s just that after eating those comforting (and filling) dishes for so long, we can’t help but applaud the arrival of delicate, aromatic herbs such as dill, parsley, chives and cilantro, or the crunch of a spicy radish—among the earliest spring harvests for most gardeners….