On the lookout for spuds and spears

Peak season

New potatoes: Many people generically refer to any small potato as “new,� but there’s a lot more to it than that. Truly new potatoes are those that have been freshly dug and brought to market without curing. After harvest, most potatoes are stored for up to a couple of weeks to set the peel and heal any nicks or cuts, allowing them to last longer. Without this step, new potatoes are moister and seem sweeter, though with a slight, appealingly minerally bitterness in the finish. The best way to tell truly new potatoes is to rub the skin with your thumb -- it should be delicate enough to scrape clean.

Peewee Russian Banana Fingerling Potatoes (shown), prices from $2.50 to $3.50 per pound. Usually $2.50, unless they are really small; then they’ll go for $3.50, Weiser Family Farms

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Last chance

Asparagus: Between the late rains and the early heat, this was a tragically brief spring for California asparagus lovers. The recent run of warm weather has pushed the spears to begin branching out into ferns earlier than normal. We’ll still get asparagus from cool growing areas such as Lompoc, but most farmers in the main growing area of the Sacramento Delta are already winding down. Before you buy asparagus, check the tips and pass on any that are opening. Also, make sure the bases haven’t dried out and the stalks haven’t begun to wrinkle -- telltale signs of too-long storage.

Asparagus, $3 a bunch, Zuckerman-Heritage Farms