The availability of Vidalia onions, grown in Georgia and other Southern states, also is seen by some as a sign of spring. It's the Vidalia onion . . . For the uninitiated, fiddleheads have tightly coiled tops that are edible when they are tight and young. Maine and the East Coast are the major growing areas. Fiddleheads taste like a cross between broccoli and asparagus, and are blanched, sauteed, even baked.
Morels are honeycombed mushrooms, shaped like druid hats, with a delicate nutty-smoky flavor.
Following are recipes that mean spring to the food pros. Warm serving dish in 200-degree oven. Place oil in skillet over high heat. When it begins to ripple, add well-dried tomatoes. Serve immediately in heated dish.