My menu decisions at Little Owl are determined by the seasons and what is available to me locally. And if you listen up, they talk to you! Simple summer Beefsteak Tomatoes (page 172) ask so little of me, just a few flakes of Maldon sea salt to enliven them. Because they are perfect. Because when we listen, the timing of Mother Nature is perfect. And connecting to her is important not just for our health, but also for the health of the planet. In the spring, mild, garlicky ramps grab hold of my senses. And what makes them such a treasure? They’re gone so fast! The urgency I feel to scoop them up and pair them with everything becomes my spring obsession. New and tiny sweet peas carry me back to my father’s favorite pea and ricotta–filled ravioli that we would eat around his birthday at Easter time. And Mexican-inspired summer corn swathed in mayonnaise is like shoveling summer right into my mouth. Delicata squash, Brussels sprouts, and escarole make me want to hunker down and welcome the cool breezes of fall. While many of my menu items at Little Owl, such as my Little Owl Crispy Chicken (page 146) and Little Owl Pork Chop with Parmesan Butter Beans (page 154), never change because they are my signature dishes, my best guideline for embracing seasonal cooking is through vegetables. And it was when I began to think this way that I started to become a better cook.