Drum rolls, trumpet fanfare! Wave your banners high because today marks the 40th anniversary of "Earth Day"! Many local cooks are honoring our majestic "mother" in recipes that exclusively use fruits and vegetables harvested from the earth - some of us "drilling down" to Michigan soil.

At the Kerrytown Farmer's Market last Saturday, I braved 38 degree temperatures and a stiff north wind in hopes of "Earth Day" recipe inspiration. (Was it just me, or did we have a really short summer this year?)

As luck would have it, the cold weather kept the usual Saturday crowds at bay, so I secured "front row" parking in front of the market. While feeding the meter, I heard a whisper through the frigid wind..."the asparagus are in...the asparagus are in...." Already?

Sure enough, according to farmer's from Kapnick Orchards, early April's summer-like weather is bringing us fresh asparagus, two weeks ahead of schedule!

With the exception of the vinaigrette, all of my ingredients were grown in Michigan soil for this salad.

Roasted asparagus (Kapnick Orchards) served on a bed of savory pea shoots (Garden Works), garnished with red spring scallions (Tantre Farms) make a delicious dinner salad.

The early arrival of spring asparagus inspires cartwheels - of the radish persuasion; my beautiful radishes were purchased from Riga Michigan's Goetz Greenhouse. A loaf of crusty bread from Mill Pond Bakery completes the meal.

There's no better time than "Earth Day" to give pause, reflecting on our food choices and how they impact our community, indeed, planet.

Can one really have too much of a good thing? Not when it's asparagus season!

Yield: 4 main course salads
Time: 15 minutes
Cost: Approx. $8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 pound asparagus spears, of similar thickness, ends snapped off or trimmed*
1 tablespoon white toasted sesame seeds
4 cups pea shoots, washed
6 radishes, sliced
1 bunch red spring scallions, trim root ends and greens and wash*

*Pair asparagus ends and scallion greens together with water and a bay leaf for asparagus soup stock.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Whisk together vinegar, oil, soy sauce, honey and ginger. Divide dressing in half. On a large, foil-lined baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish, arrange asparagus in a single layer. Pour half of dressing over asparagus and roll asparagus in dressing to coat.
3. Roast asparagus until just tender and bright green, about 3-6 minutes depending on thickness of spears. Sprinkle sesame seeds over roasted asparagus. Toss remaining dressing with pea shoots.
4. To make radish cartwheels, using a sharp knife, make a slit 1/2-way through each radish slice. Insert one radish slice slit into a second radish slice slit. (Cartwheels can be made several hours in advance and kept, refrigerated, in cold water until ready to use.)
5. Thinly slice red scallion bulbs, diagonally.
6. On a large platter or individual plates, divide pea shoots. Layer roasted asparagus on pea shoots and garnish with scallion and radish cartwheels.