In the fall, you jump in leaves, carve pumpkins and go to the farmers’ market. In spring, you wear t-shirts outside, grill burgers at the park and … go to the farmers’ market? Yes. The first farmers’ market of the year is coming up April 21, and even though most vegetables are harvested in fall, I would contend that there are just as many reasons to attend the farmers’ market on Capitol Square this spring. After all, the spring market “marks the start of the plethora of outdoor events in Madison,” according to local Suzanne Liebergen.

Reason #1: Stella’s Bakery’s hot and spicy cheese bread 

If you’ve ever been to the farmers’ market, chances are you know about Stella’s hot and spicy cheese bread. For one thing, it’s right near the State Street entrance. For another, it’s impossible to miss the multiple chaotic lines of customers crowding the stand and white-clad workers hustling to shovel $8 basketball-sized loaves of cheese bread into plastic bags for serving. Even if you enter from a different side, chances are you’ll see somebody carrying one of the warm, foggy bags around already open, tearing off hunks of steamy bread and passing them around to friends and family.

Why? Because Stella’s is the best, simply the best. On the outside is a perfectly browned chewy crust adorned with flakes of red pepper. On the inside, pillowy, twisted sheaths of bread are interspersed with warm pockets of white cheese. The experience will leave your mouth smoldering and wanting more. Forget the cheese bread on the opposite side of the square – it’s inferior. After winter, everyone’s ready for a little warmth. Enter spicy cheese bread.

Reason #2: Brunkow’s Cheese of Wisconsin’s hot, fried cheese samples 

This cheese stand is probably the second most unmistakable booth at the farmers’ market. Located halfway around the square from the State Street entrance, this red (or sometimes blue) tent offers up free samples of hot, fried cheese. Here, you can walk right up (or, if it’s 11 a.m., ferociously fight your way through the crowd) and pull a tiny toothpicked sample of cheddar or swiss right off the griddle.

The stand represents the pinnacle of what makes a farmers’ market experience great: free samples. There’s something reassuring about waking up Saturday on a farmers’ market morning knowing breakfast is already prepared for you in the form of many, many tiny portions of unrelated food. It’s not just the cheese stands that offer up free samples. At various locations, you can find free samples of jam, salsa, cherry tomatoes and even cheesecake. But Brunkow’s is by far the most popular free sample location, and after a long winter of deprivation, spring is the time to once again take part in the free sample experience.

Reason #3: Spring vegetables 

You know the savvy farmers’ marketers. They arrive bright and early in recycled capris, with canvas bags and kids in backpacks. Their eyes, noses and ears are on alert for a spectacular deal or special organic quality. They are the people asking how fresh the cheese curds are, or the exact living conditions of that bunch of kale prior to its appearance on the farmers’ market table. They are also the ones who know which vegetables to buy and when.

You’ve probably heard that vegetables and fruits are seasonal, but you probably don’t have much knowledge beyond that. Well, I’ll tell you right now: The vegetables you should look for in spring are radishes, rhubarb, asparagus and peas. There. Now you have one up on those savvy farmers’ market experts.

So you talk to the asparagus guy like you know what you’re doing. You decide to purchase his asparagus. Now what do you do with it? You may be able to buy produce like a big shot, but how do you cook like a big shot? Here is where you should harness the power of the Internet. The Dane County Farmers’ Market website (www.dcfm.org) actually has a number of recipes that allow you to transform your farmers’ market produce into a decadent, beautiful meal. I also highly recommend the Food Network website (www.foodnetwork.com) for delicious dishes. Another great site (with amazing pictures!) is Foodily (www.foodily.com).

There you go: three great reasons to visit the farmers’ market this spring. Now get out there and experience the best that Dane County farms, dairies, creameries and bakeries have to offer!

Sam Stepp is a senior majoring in journalism. Comments, questions, recipes, suggestions? Email her at [email protected].