Adriana Janovich

A sure sign of spring is a roast leg of lamb, covered with fresh rosemary and stuffed with cloves of garlic. Naturally tender and full of flavor, lamb comes from sheep less than a year old. With its crisp brown surface and juicy pink interior, the distinctive-tasting roast makes an elegant and succulent centerpiece for springtime suppers, particularly on Passover and Easter.

Asparagus is another sure sign of spring. The tender shoots are harvested as early as February and usually are available through June. They thrive in regions with dry seasons or where winter brings ground freezes, like the nearby Yakima Valley. They are harvested by hand.

Handcrafted tea cocktails are on the menu for First Friday. Owl’s Brew, a collection of teas brewed specifically for cocktail making, will be served during downtown Spokane’s monthly arts event from 5 to 8 p.m. at Red Rolling Pin, a design and home furnishing business at 159 S. Lincoln St.

I discovered the joy of Nutella in France the summer I was 17. The rich hazelnut-chocolate spread seemed like some sort of miracle product. Best of all, it was served first thing in the morning.

Beverly Smick took home a taste of Placencia, Belize, in recado rojo. She bought the red blend of spices at a restaurant, and when she ran out she discovered she could get the same product in local Mexican or Latin markets, such as De Leon Foods in Spokane.

When a customer called out from the end of the bar, “Is that Rikki down there?” he had a 50 percent chance of getting it right. He didn’t. “It’s Vicky!” Of course, it can be difficult telling them apart. Bar owners Victoria “Vicky” Bates and Erica “Rikki” Mongeon are identical twins.

When a customer called out from the end of the bar, “Is that Rikki down there?” he had a 50 percent chance of getting it right. He didn’t. “It’s Vicky!” Of course, it can be difficult telling them apart. Bar owners Victoria “Vicky” Bates and Erica “Rikki” Mongeon are identical twins.

With temps hovering in the 50s, it’s beginning to seem a little like spring. The equinox is Thursday. But it’s probably too early for dining al fresco and sipping iced drinks. We’re not trying to cool off; we’re still trying to warm up.

The cupboard was down to a bare minimum – basically, rice and beans – and the fridge featured a few half- or near-empty condiment jars. It was time for major grocery shopping. But everybody knows it’s a terrible idea to go to the food store on an empty stomach. I needed a snack, something to get me through the ice cream aisle and around the case of gourmet cheeses without completely filling my cart.

The game’s changing at Black Diamond in Spokane Valley, where a family is transforming a longtime billiards business into something more. Patrons can still play pool – on reconditioned tables on floors that have been redone. But those changes are just the beginning.

You don’t need the luck of the Irish – just their beer – to make a robust beef stew. Guinness Beef Stew from “The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2014” combines the iconic Irish stout with a simple mix of boneless beef chuck-eye, potatoes and carrots.

Quick look: One of Ireland’s most beloved celebrity chefs offers modern twists on classic Irish comfort foods, like Pulled Corned Beef, Traditional Brown Soda Bread and Colcannon Mash and Champ, a creamy mixture of potatoes and onions. What’s inside: Although at least 20 recipes call for Ireland’s famed root vegetable, Kevin Dundon goes beyond potatoes and stew, presenting more than 100 recipes designed for home cooks who want to prepare contemporary Irish cuisine. Some provide Irish influence to – or use culinary techniques and ingredients from other cultures to update – traditional dishes, such as Wexford Rack of Lamb with Asian Spices, Sticky Glaze Chicken Thighs with Asian Stuffing, Celeriac Waldorf Salad, Hasselback Potatoes and Spinach and Goats’ Cheese Filo Pastry Pie.

From the sourest lemons and limes to the sweetest satsumas and clementines, citrus fruits flourish this time of year. The little packages of sunshine are delivered when we need them most – in the dreary depths of winter – perking up meals and uplifting spirits with a tangy taste of the tropics.