It was a year ago this month that a conference for work landed me at a swanky hotel on the posh DC waterfront. The area was littered with charming eateries but I was craving sandwiches.

Luckily, there was a specialty sandwich shop right around the corner with an excellent seasonal selection. The selection I went with? This baguette. And it was so good I ordered the same thing the following night and returned home determined to recreate it myself.

The creamy ricotta and avocado combined with fresh and fragrant herbs create the flavor while the watermelon radish and pickled red onion add beauty and crunch.

The hardest part of this sandwich was finding a store that carried watermelon radish but, to be honest, you could substitute any mild radish. I like to make my own ricotta using this recipe from Smitten Kitchen but store bought will certainly do. Same goes for the pickled red onions – they’re super simple to make and handy to keep in the fridge but no shame in buying them.

This is a sandwich, no need for exact ingredients or measurements. Take this template, add what you love, discard what you don’t, and enjoy this refreshing spring feast for the eyes and the palate.

Nevertheless, because it’s so darn pretty, here is the step-by-step:

Slice the baguette lengthwise and spread one side with a thin coating of mayonnaise. Scatter with fresh mint and dill.

Layer with sliced avocado.

Cover avocado with a layer of creamy ricotta and layer with thinly sliced watermelon radish and pickled red onion.

Scatter with arugula, season with salt and pepper, top with the other half of the baguette and serve.