It’s 55 degrees in Brooklyn this afternoon. After a week in which we dipped back into the single digits, there is a giddiness in the air. By noon people were spilling out of the ice cream shop around the corner and the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket was full of eager shoppers. The farmers seemed happy to be standing in the sunshine, even as they answered endless questions about what was on offer besides root vegetables and apples. (Not much.) It seems that our appetite for spring isn’t quite in step with the realities of the growing season.

The good folks at Evolutionary Organics in New Paltz had fresh pea shoots and some wickedly spicy, not to mention beautiful, radishes on offer. I selected a medium watermelon radish and a long thin one that had a rich purple skin.

Pea Shoot & Radish Spring Salad

• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt and pepper
• 2 handfuls pea shoots, rinsed and dried thoroughly
• 2 medium radishes (the prettier, the better)
• 2 scallions
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Whisk the first four ingredients in a medium bowl along with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper.
2. Thinly slice your scallions and then your radishes. If you’ve got a mandoline gathering dust in the cupboard, this is the time to bust it out. Or, if your radishes are narrow enough, a vegetable peeler can work wonders.
3. Add your vegetables and the sesame seeds to your bowl and toss gently so as not to bruise the tender shoots. Grab a fork and dig in to the taste of spring.