Finally!

Saturday was the first day of my staycation, and I decided to get things off to a fitting and proper start with a trip to the Union Square Greenmarket. It was absolutely pouring - and before 9 AM - so the market was fairly empty.

This is a good thing for two reasons: first, for someone who absolutely loves living in Manhattan, I get a little ticked off in large crowds (particularly when I'm trying to get my grocery shopping done and the other people are just oohing and aahing at the wares). Second, it boded well for me getting my paws on some ramps.

Sure enough, I succeeded! I heard whispers running through the crowd from the second I crossed 14th Street - people asking the various vendors if they had any ramps, and the farmers shaking their heads and pointing toward the west side of the park.

And there, just north of the subway entrance on Union Square West, were ramps. Piles and piles of them. A bit small and short, but ramps nonetheless. I reached in, grabbed five bunches, forked over $12.50, and sped off to get some fresh Knoll Crest pasta.

When I got home, I put away the day's purchases (spring onions, chives, the ramps, duck legs, tulips) and sped off to do the rest of my errands. When my friend Ellie called to let me know she wouldn't be coming into the city to meet up, I knew what I had to do.

I cleaned a few of the ramps, in all their stinky goodness, and made my favorite (well, one of the top two) "welcome, spring!" recipes - ramps with bacon, fettucine, and an egg.

And even though it was a rainy, cold day, I knew spring was on its way. Proof? It's supposed to be 65 and sunny tomorrow. Finally!