Virtual Supper Club -- Taste of Spring

This Saturday marks the beginning of spring (finally!) and I could not be more excited. Along with the warmer weather and longer days come fresh new flavors and spring produce of which the Virtual Supper Club bloggers took advantage for the month of March. Aggie, who brought a simple Spring Giardiniera veggie dish describes the season perfectly: "What I love most about spring is the feeling of freshness it brings. Open windows, pleasant temperatures, lots of new fruits and vegetables, I just want to be outside all the time. And for me, all of this goes hand in hand with eating lighter and fresher."
The five bloggers celebrated this beautiful time of year with a magnificent, holiday-worthy "Taste of Spring" feast featuring a sweet and refreshing salad; fresh, colorful sides; a satisfying entrée; and a delightful dessert made with fresh fruit. I hope their menu inspires you as much as it has me.
March 2010: Taste of Spring Menu
Spring Giardiniera: Aggie of Aggie's Kitchen"I served the crunchy pickled veggies at a get together and they were quite a hit.  I continued to snack on them for days afterwards…especially right around that time of day right before dinner when I notice I tend to snack “mindlessly” on things that are probably not so good for me.  I put a plate of this on the counter while I was cooking and it definitely did the trick."
Zucchini Ribbons with Saffron Couscous (pictured): Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch  "I personally loved this dish. My son Christopher enjoyed it also."
Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing: Jamie of Mom's Cooking Club"The sweetness of the strawberries along with the crunch of the lettuce and toasted almonds is, well, literally, a taste of spring.  The poppy seed dressing is also on the sweet side which goes perfectly in this salad."
Rosemary-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Balsamic Sauce: Val of More Than Burnt Toast
"For me, just hearing the word Spring, turns my thoughts to lamb. In real time my daughter and friends came to dinner and we enjoyed the ultimate Rosemary-Crusted Rack of Lamb With Balsamic Sauce found in Cooking Light magazine. I will make it time and time again with its crisp bread crumb coating." 
Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake: Hélène of La Cuisine d'Hélène"For our Supper Club I baked a delicious Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake from Cooking Light. I had made this cake in the past and did use blueberries instead of raspberries. It was really good also." 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Join the club! If you'd like to become an honorary member of the Virtual Supper Club, blog about a recipe that fits the theme, then send us an email or leave a comment here with a link to your post.

We'd like to welcome our newest honorary members: 

Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe Cooking made an appetizer of Pancetta Crisps with Pear.