Happy first day of spring! Ramps, peas and asparagus will begin to pop up over the next few weeks, so we've rounded up some recipes that best highlight the season's bounty.

I've never really thought about what actually goes into a pumpkin ale. I guess, I thought it was just a blend of spices that gave the beer its signature flavor. Until now.

Beets are the triple homicides of the vegetable kingdom: Everyone avoids them because of the messy red stains. But beets are my almost-favorite vegetable, trailing only Brussels sprouts (the Elephant Men of the vegetable kingdom) and a spinachy green known as pigweed.

Each part of the pea plant -- the tiny peas themselves, their shoots, even their pods (which can be simmered to make a broth) -- tastes of the sweet, sunny days of spring.

Do as the Romans do, and whip up a spring-inspired feast, a menu that teases the most out of spring's vast bounty. Buon appetito!