Let California Cook columnist and L.A. Times Food editor Russ Parsons serve as your guide to the freshest produce of the season. Recipes included, and updated regularly:What's hitting its peak in February? Carrots

Remember when carrots were orange? Today, you can find them in a surprising assortment of colors: Royal scarlets that are so red they're almost purple; solar carrots that are a sunny yellow; lunar carrots that are pure white; and atomic carrots that are a candy-apple red. Click here for more:

How to prepare: Glaze carrots by slicing them into medium-thick rounds, then cooking them over medium heat in a covered skillet sprinkled with minced shallots with a little water and a lot of butter. When the carrots become tender, remove the lid from the pan and increase the heat to high to reduce the pan juices and butter to a glaze. Keep a sharp look out to keep from scorching.

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