The strawberry fields are beckoning. And soon, blueberry and blackberry bushes will be ready for picking.
Those fruit fields signal the start of North Carolina's long and varied growing season that lasts until pumpkin harvest in October.
Two first-time authors have new user-friendly guides to finding and cooking up North Carolina's bounty. Diane Daniel, a freelance writer in Durham, has written a guide to North Carolina's agricultural tourism: "Farm Fresh North Carolina: The Go-To Guide to Great Farmer's Markets, Farm Stands, Farms, Apple Orchards, U-Picks, Kids' Activities, Lodging, Dining, Choose-and-Cut Christmas Trees, Vineyards and Wineries and More."
Chapel Hill cooking instructor Sheri Castle's cookbook is for lovers of local food: "The New Southern Garden Cookbook: Enjoying the Best from Homegrown Gardens, Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands & CSA Farm Boxes."
One could use Daniel's to find the food, and Castle's to cook it.
Daniel's book is organized geographically, dividing the state into five regions from mountains to the coast. It points out places to visit, shop and dine and offers about 20 recipes. It would be the perfect reference for planning day trips throughout the state this summer or for figuring out how to break up a long car ride, especially if you have children to entertain.
Castle's book is divided into chapters by ingredients from apples to zucchini. Its 350 recipes range from classic Southern, such as black cherry hand pies, to modern interpretations, such as peanut and wasabi slaw. Castle has written a go-to guide for how to cook those fruits and vegetables - from Jerusalem artichokes to persimmons - that intrigue you at the farmers market but leave you stumped in the kitchen.
Daniel, 53, grew up in Raleigh, moved away for college and career but returned to the Triangle in 2003. When she found a vibrant local food scene but no definitive guides to the farms, markets or tourist spots, she pitched a book to UNC Press and got a contract.
Daniel researched the locations in the book as a consumer. She initially didn't identify herself as a writer on visits or when she called; she wanted to see how well the businesses responded to the public. Those that didn't respond well didn't appear in her book.
She hopes the book will inspire people to get outside, show their children where food comes from and eat better, in the process supporting farmers and helping preserve the state's farmland.
Castle, 50, grew up in Boone but has lived in the Triangle 33 years. In 1995, she left IBM to become a cooking instructor, recipe tester and developer and ghost writer for cookbooks. "One day, it dawned on me that there's more than one way to define a garden," she says.
Regardless of whether your "garden" is a pot of herbs growing on a back porch, a half-acre garden plot or a farmers market, Castle's book can help you cook whatever you buy, grow or pick yourself.
