Although there was frost on the roofs this morning, the day was filled with sunshine. This afternoon I harvested the first rhubarb, some rainbow chard and chives. I'm drying chives for next winter - they are good to sprinkle in salads or egg dishes. I use them fresh for as long as I can, then use the dried ones.
The chard I cut up and sauteed for dinner, adding a dash of balsamic vinegar at the last minute. With roast beef, cauliflower and quinoa, we had a delicious dinner.
On Friday, at the grocery store, I saw California strawberries, organic ones, on sale. I thought I'd try them - surely the organic ones would be sweet. Alas, they were white inside, crunchy and not sweet at all. You'd think I'd learn my lesson. I usually buy one box of the traveling strawberries per year and then vow to never purchase them again. I'll wait for the real strawberries, the ones that grow locally and are juicy and full of sun ripened sweetness.
Since the oven was on already for the beef, I cut up the rhubarb and the strawberries, placed them into a 9 x 13 pan, sprinkled them with brown sugar and drizzled them with honey and baked them at 350 for about 45 minutes. The result: a lovely cooked rhubarb sauce to eat over ice cream, cake or with yogurt. My husband loves it.
This evening I planted carrots and mesclun lettuce, and set out my leek starters in their trenches. Then we went for our evening walk and watched the stars come out and the sky darken. A satellite sailed across the moon. Will we see any meteor showers tonight? We'll go outside again before bed.
Did you have internet troubles today? Google and its services were down for at least the afternoon. I could still access Pinterest and Facebook, and a couple of other websites, but not Feedly. Now Google is back, but Feedly is still not loading. It seems to have been a widespread problem in our area. Weird.
Rhubarb and strawberries do seem to go together so well. Your chard looks so pretty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and delicious spring day you have described! Ahhhh...life's simple pleasures...
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice any issues on this side of the continent. Sorry that you had some difficulties. I think we're being prepared for losing the www all the time. Have you noticed?
ReplyDeleteMy rhubarb is just above the ground...little nubs...at least, I know that it's returning after being relocated last year. I don't think I should harvest any for that reason. Must check.
Your meal does sound delicious!
I've never baked my strawberries and rhubarb, always stewed them in a pot on the stove. I must say the bakd version looks yummy. I use white sugar too but will try the brown for a change.
ReplyDeleteLike Vee, my rhubarb is just poking out now.
Judith
Hi Lorrie, I love that first photo. It's so colourful looking. I hope we get some good rhubarb this year from the old patch. I should dig it up and plant it here where I can enjoy it. I'll be looking forward to my first crumble in a while. Yum. I didn't have internet problems yesterday but last night, as in a lot of nights recently, things seem to freeze up and I can't do anything. I click out of everything, reset my Wifi link and it seems to be okay then. Weird. One day none of it is going to work. We'll be back to short wave radio! Haha. Scary thought. The 'traveling' strawberries are not nice are they? Sometimes they are very sweet, they are always very huge, and they are always white inside. Like you, I can't wait to fresh from the field local berries. Enjoy the day! Pam
ReplyDeleteI was gone most of the afternoon into the evening so I don't know about google problems. I wonder if feedly is getting overloaded with everyone switching their feeds...
ReplyDeleteI got sidetracked. I do love your lovely rhubarb harvest!
ReplyDeleteWe have rhubarb growing on the farm but the past years when my husband brought it home, I let it get old in the frig. He didn't ask last year or this year yet if I want any, ha! It's so cold here that it may not be ready yet either.
ReplyDeleteOh lovely rhubarb - mine is about ready for the first harvest - wish the strawberries were ripe too - I love the berry season. Isn't our weather fabulous?
ReplyDeleteMy mother grew rhubarb in our back yard garden when I was growing up but for some reason I never liked it. I've had maybe once since I left home. I wonder what it was that I didn't like about it. Your dessert surely looks good. We are in a strawberry season here--one of two. they are lucious and juicy--seems to be wherever you purchase them so they must be fairly local.
ReplyDeleteSuch fresh garden pictures! Love your harvest basket. Is it still called a "trug" if it is made of metal and not wood? It must be so satisfying to serve a meal with so many things from your garden, already.
ReplyDeleteRe: strawberries, there are many PYO farms in this area, and I have never done it, but I think I will this year, and freeze some, and "jam" some. Fresh and local really is the best way to go.
Oooo I lOVE rhubarb! Especially Rhubarb crumble. Now, see, I am going to have to go to the shops now!! Chelx
ReplyDeleteI have salad leaves ready to plant but we're still getting slight overnight frosts so I'll wait until the weather is a little milder, you're way ahead of me,how starnge considering where we live!
ReplyDeleteThe SP loves rhubarb but is banned from eating it by the Dr. because she says it brings on his gout! Such an old fashioned ailment to have!!
I love posts like this! I just found your blog from Patty's empty nest discussion and am happy to find another empty nester. I am now following your blog :-)
ReplyDeleteAll looks so fresh.
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