Fresh beans are one of the harbingers of spring. When you see fava beans, cranberry beans, and sweet green peas in the pod at the greenmarket, the balmy days of summer can't be far off. There's something therapeutic about the process of cracking open these bean pods and scooping out the beans. And there's a sweet smell and taste to fresh beans that can't be duplicated with dried. Favas have a thick skin around each bean, which slips off easily once the beans have been quick-boiled for a minute. Other shell beans you may find fresh include limas and pintos. And green peas are a must in season.

Shelling peas is one of the great pleasures of springtime cooking. Snap open a pod and run your fingers through its smooth, waxy lining to release the fruit. Pea pods are aromatic and, as you shell, your fingers will pick up the scent of a garden. You may find the aroma so intoxicating that you'll be tempted to crunch on the sweet-smelling pod itself. Do. Yes, it's more or less rabbit food, with no nutritional value and virtually impossible to digest, but it tastes good. A trick my grandfather taught me was to bend a piece of pod inside out until it snaps, then peel back the tough outer skin like you would the backing of a self-adhesive sticker, revealing the moist inner flesh. Enjoy!