Asparagus usually tops the list of people's favorite spring vegetable, but mine is definitely fava beans. They have a unique texture--a soft, almost chalky bite that melts as you chew--and lightly bitter taste that I adore. They are famously labor-intensive, and I don't make them everyday. But they're only around for 2 or 3 months in the spring, and when the weather turns warm I start to crave them. When I'm in the right mood the shelling, blanching, and then shelling again--which can seem punitive if you're not up for it--is mellow and meditative. The resulting Fava Bean & Pecorino Salad lets us all know spring is here.