Well, if you’re like us (and can’t tell your fennel from your celery, let alone whether it’s local or in season), you need some help. First and foremost, scope out your local farmer’s market and snoop around – it’s full of your very own resident experts, so don’t be afraid to quiz them on the subject!

Here are three other easy steps you can take to get your local on.

Step 1: Know Your Seasons

Seasonal Calendars will help you keep track of what's local, when.

First things first, whether you’re an aspiring gardener or just an ignorant consumer, you need to know what’s local when. One of the best ways to keep in the know and ahead of the curve are these fabulous 2010 calendars that feature seasonal produce every month.

From Left to Right: For you Californians, a handy-dandy notebook calendar from KrankPress on Etsy ($20); A free (!) printable calendar from the Cottage Industrialist; A fabulous 2010 calendar ($24) also available as a poster ($20) – and even a tea towel! ($12) – from Claudia G. Pearson on Etsy.

Step 2: Use Technology

As you might have guessed, as there is for seemingly everything these days, there’s an App for being a locavore too. Two of our favorites are the Locavore and  GoodGuide iPhone Apps. Locavore, $2.99 on iTunes, lets you know what’s local in your state, pulls up both Wikipedia links and Epicurious recipes, and alerts you to local Farmers’ Markets. GoodGuide scans the barcode of the object you’re picking up at the grocery store and lets you know its health, environmental, and social performance (in other words, how much  – or little – the earth and its inhabitants were harmed in the making of this product).

If you’ve yet to jump on the iPhone bandwagon, there’s also some handy Web Sites you can check out, like Epicurious’ interactive Seasonal Ingredient Map and Sustainable Table, which has information on Famers’ Markets and Food Co-ops, Shopping Guides, and more.

Step 3: Cook Smart!

For help cooking seasonal, local ingredients, check out these cookbooks.

Of course, most Chefs  wised up to the local food movement way before the average layperson – so why not take some of their excellent advice (and their excellent recipes too)! There are tons of great options out there, but we’re digging these five.

Clockwise from top left: I am almost always hungry by Lora Zarubin, a cookbook with “30 seasonal menus” and “unique insights into the subtleties of seasonal entertaining.” $20.53 on Amazon.com; Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets, by Deborah Madison. $17.16 on Amazon.com; Super Natural Cooking: 5 Delicious Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Foods into Your Cooking. $12 on Walmart.com; Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source, $19.80 on Amazon.com;  Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life, $18 from Barnes & Noble.

The it-dessert of the moment?

A delectable, crispy, colorful cookie with a gooey melt-in-your-mouth center known as the macaron (MAC-A-RON, or, if you secretly wish you were French:MAC-A-HRAWH). These guys are getting so popular, that even Starbucks is going to start selling them (although, after you’ve read this post and become a veritable macaron snob, you may want to avoid the crumbly Starbucks imitations).

While the spelling is similar to macaroon (those yummy coconut doodads you probably munched on as a kid), they couldn’t look and taste more different. Macarons come in a variety of colors and flavors – but the one thing they have in common is that they all look too good to eat.

That is, of course, until you actually try one, and then any self-control you have will swiftly go away. If you’ve had one bite, you’ll certainly want to get your paws on more – so here are our suggestions for ways you can satisfy those macaron cravings.

TREND: FOLLOW THE BLOGS

While you certainly could seek out macarons in every patisserie you come across, it’s surprisingly difficult if you don’t live in Paris. Of course, for the brave, there’s always the option of making them yourself.

We know, scary. These little guys look about as simple to construct as a model yacht. And, to be honest, baking macarons is not like baking brownies (where you can follow any recipe and have yummy chocolate goodness in no time).

For some help along the way,we recommend the blogs of David Lebovitz, Tartelette, and Serious Eats for tips on perfecting your technique (which you’ll definitely need to create these delicate cookies), inspirational recipes, and some serious, mouth-watering food porn.

TREAT: BUY THE BOOKS

If you want to take a lesson from the macaron masters, I’m afraid you’re going to have to brush up on your francais.

Pierre Hermé, generally considered the leading expert on the macaron, is the author of the aptly titled: Macaron (€29, approximately $40 on Amazon France). His book is the one you want if you’re serious about your macaron making. You could also check out Un Amour de Macaron (A Love of Macarons – €36, approximately $52 on Amazon France) by Stephane Glacier.

Of course, if your French never progressed beyond the level of “Quoi?” there’s  I Heart Macarons by Hisako Ogita – the newest entry into the world of macarons cookbooks and the hottest little pastry book on the market. Oh, and even better? It’s under $11.

TREASURE: TRUST THE PROFESSIONALS

For the culinary disinclined, it’s probably best to leave these ambitious pastries to the professionals. You’ll have to spend a fair chunk of change, but the return will be oh so delightful.

Outside of Paris or Tokyo, the best place to pick up a Macaron is New York City – but only at La Maison du Chocolat. Feel free to stock up while you’re there – but make sure you don’t wait too long to eat them. These cookies are meant to be savored when they’re fresh.

Of course, if you’re shopping at La Maison du Chocolat, chances are you wouldn’t be able to wait even if you wanted to.

TORTURE: When Only An Original Will Do

Finally, let’s say the blogs and cookbooks weren’t enough: you tried and ended up with a baking sheet of goop (not the trendy Gwyneth kind). La Maison du Chocolat sounds delicious, but a blizzard snows all over your hopes of making it to the city. And you’re an unabashed French dessert lover who likes your macarons Parisian, or Blair Waldorf. You’re on your own for getting your goodies from the City of Lights to your doorstep – none of the shops deliver to the US. But barring a Chuck Bass in your life, FedEx International will usually do the trick (pickup before 2pm will have them at your doorstep the next day).

Name dropped on Gossip Girl as Blair’s favorite, Ladurée offers the basics – chocolate, vanilla, coffee – as well as a number of seasonal flavors. And they’ve got a hypnotizing series of macarons that dance across your screen at their dedicated macaron page. For a shop with a lower profile, Dalloyau got their start in 1682 and have had a retail presence in Paris since 1802. Though there’s not a lot of diversion from the chocolate, vanilla, pistachio and raspberry flavors common in France, we can vouch from first-hand tasting that there’s a good reason why they’ve lasted as long as they have.

Pierre Herme Chocolat au Macaron and Black Truffle Macarons

But for the type of treat that would make you seriously consider flying these little lovelies in, there’s the aforementioned Pierre Hermé’s macarons. The website is a bit of a challenge to navigate – the British flag at the top only translates a portion of the site (thus proving it is indeed French), but images from the product catalog will tempt you regardless of language. There’s a savory macaron that mixes a chestnut biscuit outer, with a mascarpone black truffle center, and enough chocolate/macaron mashups to secure Herme’s place as master of the modern macaron.

From Indian cuisine, to Greek, cutting-edge to downright old-timey (ever wanted to know how to cure bacon?), this selection of untraditional cookbooks is guaranteed to please – both the cook and his/her lucky diners!

And if you still need a little taster to entice you, check out this delicious recipe for Lamb Burgers, from the book How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking:

Ingredients

2 (1/4-inch-thick) slices Spanish or sweet onion
Blended oil (90 percent canola, 10 percent extra-virgin olive oil), as needed
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
7 ounces ground lamb
3 ounces ground pork
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
1 scallion, green part only, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
About 2 ounces pork caul fat
2 kaiser rolls or sesame buns, or the roll or bread of your choice, brushed with olive oil and toasted
Htipiti (recipe follows) or lemon wedges and extra-virgin olive oil

Procedure

1. Brush the onion slices with a little oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. On a hot grill pan or cast-iron skillet, grill until tender. Separate the onion into rings and chop fine.

2. In a bowl, combine the chopped grilled onion, lamb, pork, mustard, coriander, parsley, dill, and scallion. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper. With clean hands, combine the mixture evenly and divide in half.

3. Place a 4- to 5-inch ring mold on a clean work surface (if one side is wider, place the wider side down). Lay a piece of caul fat over the top with a few inches overhanging all around. Place half the lamb mixture in the center and press down to form a thick, flattened disk. Wrap the overhanging caul fat up and over the top, overlapping a bit but trimming off extra bits and pieces. Smooth the caul fat so that it is flat to the surface. Repeat to make the second burger, and place them on a piece of parchment. Cover with another piece of parchment and refrigerate for a couple of hours if not using immediately.

4. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill, ridged cast-iron grill pan, or cast-iron skillet, until hot. Brush the burgers lightly with olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. Place the side with the caul fat down first, grill, and turn over until firm and char-marked on both sides, to your desired doneness. Transfer to the bun of your choice and top with a spoonful of Htipiti (or drizzle with some lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil). Serve with french fries (optional).

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