THE VILLAGE VOICE

"I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden." ~ Ruth Stout "My garden is my favorite teacher." ~ Betsy Cañas Garmon

"The tulip's petals shine in dew, All beautiful, but none alike." ~ James Montgomery (On Planting a Tulip-Root)

Dainty pansy whose soft painted face Tickles my garden with whimsical grace. WILTED SPINACH and GRUYERE FRITTATA 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 (10-oz.) package baby spinach leaves 1 bunch chopped green onions salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika 10 organic eggs 1/2 cup sour cream or half & half 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese dried parsley flakes for garnish Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Saute green onions in 1 Tbsp butter. Gradually add spinach until wilted. Drain well and set aside. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter. Whisk eggs, sour cream, and salt & pepper. Fold in 1 cup of cheese, spinach mixture and melted butter. Spread in greased quiche pan. Sprinkle with additional 1/2 cup cheese. Garnish with parsley Bake 45-55 minutes or until eggs are set. (Serves 4-6) ORANGE-ALMOND SCONES ~ delicious warm or cold _____________ 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 extra-large organic egg 1/4 tsp. almond extract 3 cups flour 4 tsp....

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." ~ William Shakespeare 'Beauty' outside bedroom window Flowering Norway Maple ( Acer platanoides ) ________________________ THAI PINEAPPLE SHRIMP 1 pound large shelled & deveined shrimp 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 1/2 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1 Tbsp. water 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 2 large minced cloves garlic 4 cups cooked rice 1 tsp. coriander seed 2 cups inch-long julienned slices fresh pineapple 1 large julienned sliced red pepper 2-3 Tsp. minced jalapeno pepper 6 diagonally sliced green onions Combine soy sauce, sugar, turmeric and water. Mix well and set aside. Pour over shrimp and marinate 20 minutes. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large heavy skillet or wok until hot but not smoking. Remove shrimp, reserving marinade . Carefully add shrimp and stir-fry about 2 minutes until pink and loose transparency. Remove from skillet. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet and heat. Add garlic and stir until golden. Add pepper...

“A pretty girl is like a melody That haunts you night and day Just like the strain Of a haunting refrain She'll start upon A marathon And run around your brain” ~ Irving Berlin LENTEN ROSE (Helleborus Orientalis) Helleborus Orientalis is the botanical name of the very popular, early blooming shade perennial more commonly known as the Lenten Rose . Lenten Roses grow hardy around the world in temperate zones 4-7. In the English speaking world they are known as the Lenten Rose but are not roses at all. They are actually of the Butter Cup family. Their flowers bloom during the Easter celebration of Lent, leading the vernal procession of color in the shady areas of thoughtful perennial gardens. When they are not in bloom they remain as lush ground cover throughout the year; and they are deer proof. This lush, hardy shade perennial is grown and prized by master gardeners throughout the world. (LentenRose.com)

"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...

"Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire." ~ Virgil Pansies, hyacinths and daffodils Yoshino cherry blossoms, shadblow serviceberry blossoms ( Amelanchier canadensis ), American Elm Forsythia Tulips Groundcover (myrtle, pachysandra , bergenia ) Trillium

"Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the Deity to be a source of delight." ~ John Ruskin Siberian squill ( Scilla siberica ) ' Rhapsody in Blue' _________ "Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer." - Geoffrey B. Charlesworth Gardener's Note: One of the first brave visitors poking its nose through the earth ... noteworthy ... its intense hint of true blue exerts a mysterious magnetism.