Normally I would write about the first appearance of asparagus, but since I developed an allergy to it (I break out into hives when I eat asparagus) I can’t bear to feature it here. Instead I’ll write about something more unusual, but still a harbinger of spring: stinging nettles. I’ve written about them before, but I picked those up at the Union Square market. Finding them here in Brooklyn is a bonus for me. Just make sure you heed the signs — you can be pricked by the nettles if you handle them incorrectly. Be sure you blanch them in boiling water fora short time before consuming, otherwise they’ll sting the inside of your throat.