Spring Introduction

Spring is the promise of summer, the time when a cook’s imagination is fired by tender new leaves and fresh, delicate colours. I love spring in South Africa, particularly in Namaqualand, where the wild flowers burst out everywhere and the orchards are frothing with pink and white blossoms. You cannot miss spring – it is an explosion of colour right in front of your eyes.

In France, spring weather is consistent and predictable – sunny, windless and gentle, warm during the day and cooler at night. Spring is slightly different in South Africa, because the seasons are more volatile. You can still have a week of cold winter frost (or of blazing midsummer heat) in the middle of spring. The recipes in the spring section of this book give you plenty of options, from hearty food for cooler evenings to fresh chilled dishes for warm, balmy days.