THE VILLAGE VOICE

"To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch their renewal of life - this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do." ~ Charles Dudley Warner ORIENTAL POPPY ( Papaver orientale ) MAY GARDEN STARS WILDFLOWER GARDEN GARDEN VIEWS EXBURY AZALIA GARDEN DELIGHTS APPLE BLOSSOMS (Michigan State Flower) ORIENTAL POPPY ( Papaver orientale ) _______________ BLACK PEPPER POUND CAKE ~ A delightful 'sweet ending' ( Southern Living ) ___________ 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups AP flour 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 1/4 tsp. ground mace (or nutmeg) 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients ;...

"With every leaf a miracle . . . and from this bush in the door-yard, With delicate- colour'd blossoms, and heart-shaped leaves of rich green A sprig with its flower, I break." ~ Walt Whitman LILAC ( Syringia vulagaris )

"After all, I don't see why I am always asking for private, individual, selfish miracles when every year there are miracles like white dogwood." ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh FLOWERING DOGWOOD ( Cornus florida ) ________________________ SALMON FILLET PRINCESSE ~ Elegant dinner using fresh asparagus, an obvious choice for spring from The Gunflint Lodge cookbook _____________ 12-18 fresh asparagus spears 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. minced onion 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup organic chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy cream salt & white pepper to taste 6 (7-oz.) salmon fillets 6-8 Tbsp. melted butter salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste white wine or water as needed 4-6 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese Trim asparagus a half inch off butt ends and discard. Line up asparagus spears so tips are even and cut spears in half. Set aside the bottom ends and blanch tips in boiling water until crispy tender, abut 3-4 minutes. Cool quickly in ice water; drain on paper towels. Refrigerate u...

"Soon her fingers were deftly pulling out tufts of grass and violets from around the bleeding heart; nothing like weeding to unknot the mind ..." ~ May Sarton Bleeding Heart ( Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart') ______________ Gardener's Note : This brilliant 'old-fashioned' bleeding heart POPS in a shade garden . Surprisingly hearty with long lasting blooms, its sunny leaves will glow throughout spring and summer. _____________ LEMON DELIGHT CHEESECAKE ~ Favorite 'heart smart' spring dessert from old clipped Bon Appetit (Aug 1995) ___________ 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 3 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp melted margarine 3 (8-oz) packages low fat/fat free soft cream cheese 3/4 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. flour 3 Tbsp lemon juice 3/4 cup egg substitute 1 (8-oz) carton lemon low fat/non fat yogurt Garnish: lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs Combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar, and margarine; firmly press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Combine cream ...

COLUMBINE (Aquilegia) OSTRICH FERNS (FIDDLEHEADS) ALPINE POPPY WILDFLOWER GARDEN

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view." ~ H. Fred Ale May Garden Flowers (Petunia, Sweet Potato Vine, Alpine poppy, Autumn fern, Gerbera daisy, Columbine, Centaurea , heuchera ~ Key Lime Pie - Creme Brulee ) _________________ MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD ~ Garden fresh and colorful ... like May _______ 1 large red bell pepper 1 large pocketless Greek pita 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 minced garlic clove 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup finely chopped romaine lettuce 1 large chopped English cucumber 1 (14 oz.) can rinsed chickpeas 4 seeded and diced Roma tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped scallions (green onions) freshly ground black pepper 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese Preheat broiler. Place pepper on foil lined sheet and broil abut 15 minutes, turning once or twice until blackened evenly . Remove ...

Mother (Favorite Flowers: Pansy & Lily-of-the Valley) ____________ "I notice that it is only when my mother is working in her flowers that she is radiant, almost to the point of being invisible ~ except as Creator: hand and eye. She is involved in the work her soul must have." ~ Alice Walker "In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens"

"Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts." ~ Sigmund Freud SAUTEED SHRIMP with PEPPERS & FETA ( simple 'one plate' Friday Night Seafood Supper) ~ adapted from the sutter home NAPA VALLEY COOKBOOK ________ 3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb. large peeled and deveined shrimp 3 cloves minced garlic 1 red pepper, yellow pepper and orange pepper, sliced in strips juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, flat or curly 1 tsp. fresh thyme ( cut from garden if not hit by frost) or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1 cup crumbled French feta coarse salt and cracked pepper to taste ~ fluffy rice Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add peppers and cook until soft. Add shrimp, lemon juice, parsley and thyme, stirring frequently until shrimp turn bright pink and opaque, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, black pepper and salt to taste. Cover. Remove from heat and let stand until cheese soften...

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment." ~ Ellis Peters Iris and tulips _____________ GRILLED LAMB SHWARMA ~ Shwarma ... thin slices of roasted meat and condiments often wrapped in pita ... a popular Middle East street food. This favorite is saved from Food & Wine (April 2007) _____________ 1 6-7 lb. butterflied leg of lamb 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra- virgin olive oil 6 cloves minced garlic juice of 2 lemons 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper freshly ground black pepper Kosher salt 2 orange bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips 3 medium thinly sliced red onions Yogurt Tahini Sauce In a small bowl, mix 1.22 up of olive oil with garlic, lemon juice, cumin, cardamom, Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp. of black pepper and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of salt. Set lamb in rimmed baking sheet and cot it completely with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight o...

“ Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America.” ~ Joe Baca Rembrandt tulips _______________ SEVEN LAYER CHICKEN TACO SALAD ~ Favorite taco fillings make a simple festive salad ____________ 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 cup organic chicken broth 3 Tbsp. chopped parsley 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 3 cups shredded iceberg and/or romaine lettuce 1 lb. diced ripe tomatoes 1 can (16 oz.) drained and rinsed black beans 1-2 diced avocado sprinkled with fresh lime juice 1 cup finely diced red onion 1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil salt & freshly ground pepper to taste 1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard 1 large peeled and sliced shallot Place chicken breasts in medium sauce pan. Add chicken broth and enough water to cover by 2 inches . Bring to simmer over medium high heat, reduce heat and cook until ch...

"To a certain extent we raise a garden as we might a child, putting in the seed, nourishing it and gathering nourishment from it, pruning and weeding its growth, protecting it, loving it, worrying over it." ~ Robert Finch Early May Garden

"The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." ~ Edwin Way Teale Magnolia blossoms Botanical: Magnolia acuminata, Magnolia virginiana (LINN.) Family: N.O. Magnoliaceae _____________ Tra la! It's May! The lusty month of May! That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray Tra la! It's here! That shocking time of year When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear It's May! It's May! That gorgeous holiday When every maiden wishes her lad would be a cad It's mad! It's gay! A libelous display Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks, Everyone makes divine mistakes, the lusty month of May! Whence this fragrance wafting through the air? What sweet feelings does its scent transmute? Whence this perfume floating everywhere? Don't you know it's that dear forbidden fruit? Tra la la la la! That dear forbidden fruit! Tra la! It's May! The lusty month of May! That darling month when everyon...