Vineyard Harvest

Spring When signs appear that the end of winter is near and we start getting days with temperatures in the forties and fifties, I feel jittery excitement and impatience for the season to start in earnest. But spring comes slowly on the island. March can be tough. The daffodils begin to sprout, sometimes in the snow, but may not bloom until April. If the winter has been extremely cold, the ocean takes a long time to warm up--which means it takes a long time for us on the island to warm up. Some years it feels as though we go from winter to summer with no spring, but other years it's beautiful, with dozens of sunny, mild days. You never know. No matter what kind of spring we have, here on the island we are full of energy, gearing up for another busy summer ahead. In late winter and early spring lambs are born all around the island. Farmers are sprouting vegetables in their greenhouses, preparing to move them out to the fields in May. Fields are turned and prepared for this season's crops. Spring is a time for renewal and preparation. Businesses around the island begin to reopen, and by Easter nurseries are doing a booming business, as visions of growing flowers and vegetables dance in our heads. On Friday nights the ferries are filled with weekend visitors and homeowners who have been away all winter and are returning to open up their houses for the season. By May, most seasonal businesses have reopened. The restaurant scene is active again. And suddenly the spring that we waited so long for is almost over--it's Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial beginning of summer, the long-anticipated weekend when summer friends reunite over the first cookout of the year. Fried clam and burger shacks in Menemsha and Aquinnah open up. Fishermen start bringing in yellowfin tuna, swordfish, striped bass, and bluefish. The West Tisbury Farmers' Market begins in early June with delicate greens, new potatoes, peas, radishes, fresh herbs, and asparagus. Spring and fall are called the shoulder seasons around here. Compared to the summer crowd of a hundred thousand and the scant twenty thousand people who stick around all winter, the population size is less extreme. Loads of nature trails and beaches are open, and as long as you're prepared for unpredictable weather in the early part of the season--pleasant one day, maybe snow the next--spring is a great time to explore the island. corn-crusted calamari with roasted red pepper remoulade serves 8 as an hors d'oeuvre Calamari, or squid, is available fresh or frozen at most fish markets. Its mild, sweet flavor is extremely versatile. You can grill, saute, stuff, or (my favorite) fry it. When prepared correctly, fried calamari is light and tender. I find it hard to resist on a restaurant menu, but I've also discovered it makes a great party hors d'oeuvre. When I fill a large plate with fried calamari and a good spicy dipping sauce, it's always hugely popular. I like a spicy remoulade made with mayonnaise, roasted red peppers, and cayenne pepper. 1 quart canola oil 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably organic 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 cups milk 2 pounds squid, cleaned Salt and pepper Roasted Red Pepper Remoulade (recipe follows) Heat the oil to 350F in a deep fryer or a large frying pan, using a cooking thermometer if you don't have a deep fryer. Mix the cornmeal and cornstarch in a bowl until combined. Pour the cold milk into another medium bowl. Toss the squid rings and tentacles first in milk, then in the flour mixture. Shake the squid in a handheld strainer to remove as much flour mixture as possible. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower some squid into the fryer or pan. (Fry the squid in small batches. If you crowd the squid, it won't fry evenly, and pieces might stick together.) Fry for slightly less than 1 minute. Remove and set on a paper bag or paper towels to draMiller, Tina is the author of 'Vineyard Harvest ', published 2005 under ISBN 9780767918336 and ISBN 0767918339.