Lily Bulbs

Springtime, and Easter in particular, brings an onslaught of potted white lilies to New York's flower vendors. To us, they are funeral flowers, but bodegas seem to sell plenty in April, presumably to people who are not yet dead. We've got no use for those fragrant blooms, we just want to eat their unborn children. Lily bulbs are delicious.

Don't go to a garden store to get your eatin' bulbs, head to an Asian supermarket. They can be found refrigerated in the produce section, usually in little packs of 2 of them for $1, depending on the size and the brand.

Once you get them out of their vacuum pack, cut them up. They should be a little soft, but never mushy. They taste like very mild onions, but won't smell like much.

You can cook your bulbs in a little butter or oil, and they're done when just a bit golden. Bulbs can be used anywhere you want a hint earthy onion flavor: in a stir fry, in a sauce, atop a piece of meat, or even in a soup. We just scooped ours onto a slice of crusty bread and enjoyed the bulb flavor all by itself.