From the Woman's World Book of Tested Sunday Dinners, a menu redolent of springtime, from the shad (April is the month that the shad traditionally start running), to the new potatoes and fresh asparagus, the dandelion salad, and the rhubarb pie.
In this part of the country, at least, it's too early for the potatoes, the asparagus, or the rhubarb from the home garden, but enterprising Southern nurserymen would have been shipping their produce north. It's also a little too early for dandelion salad but personally I would prefer to skip any foodstuff that comes with the warning "Be sure to get out all the blades of grass which cook to most unpleasant strings."
The menu for next Sunday looks even more delicious, with chicken, hot biscuits, angel cake and strawberries. As it so happened, we had angel cake and strawberries last night (but not Chicken en Casserole. I spent most of the day at a Red Cross seminar on international humanitarian law, so the spousal unit cooked and that meant manly food. We had grilled hamburgers).
Left click to enlarge, or go to my Flickr account to download. The rhubarb filling, which is on one of the supplementary recipes page at the back of the book, is below.
"Filling for Rhubarb Pie. Cut off green tops and the root ends of rhubarb and put in cold water for an hour before using to stiffen up the stalks. If it is strawberry rhubarb or the tender early green kind, do not skin, but be sure to skin the tough thick sort. Cut in inch pieces, sufficient to make 3 cups. Cover with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes, if old, but only 5 minutes for the tender sort. Drain well, mix with 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 tablespoons cornstarch and a few grains salt, put in the paste-lined pie plate and add lattice strips."
This brought back memories of going greens hunting in the spring.. our tummies were so ready for something fresh and boy were they ever good.. I still enjoy a bowl of poke or lambs quarter greens when I get a chance to visit the country.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter!
ReplyDeleteLambs quarters were a no-no in our house because Grandma had gotten sick on them when she was little. We did have dandelions tho, they're probably one of the most overlooked food source! The dandelions are out in great abundance now. The little violets, crocus and snowdrops are in bloom. The sun is shining and it is "warm". We're head to our daughter's for the day.
Dad, being Irish, would always announce Spring's arrival with a roasted leg of lamb. And new potatoes with peas in a cream sauce.
ReplyDeleteO.T.
Shay I'm sorry I didn't reply on my blog sooner. As Youngest Son says "reality bites!"
Any way, bless you no, I'm not anywhere near drafting patterns yet, it's Simplicity for me. For right now anyway.
Nancy
Well, we have potatoes and peas planted...but here in zone 5 it's a bit too early.
ReplyDeleteOur asparagus bed is still hunkered down in the straw, too ;-)
Happy Easter, everybody!