THE VILLAGE VOICE

"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...

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment." ~Ellis Peters ~ Spring container garden (Daffodil, pussy willow, primrose, English daisy) ___________ CEDAR PLANKED SALMON WITH MAPLE GLAZE ~ Native Americans pioneered the art of roasting on wood planks. The rich aroma of red cedar adds a sweet, spicy, roasted flavor. This keepsake recipe ( a 'perfect' marriage of maple syrup & cedar) came with the Chinook plank . ___ 1 cup pure Michigan maple syrup 2 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger root 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 2 1/2 lbs. center-cut salmon fillet with skin Greens from 1 bunch scallions In a small heavy saucepan simmer maple syrup, ginger root, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and salt & pepper to taste until reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Maple glaze may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring maple glaze to room temperature before proceeding. Preheat oven ...

"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 _ 'Farewell April' ______ Lungwart (Pulmonaria), Tulipa tarda, Bergenia, Trillium, Primrose Yoshino Cherry, Cherry blossom, Wood Anemone, Pansy, t. Tarda Japanese painted fern, Myrtle, Tulip, Pachysandra, Johnny-jump-ups Primrose, Hyacinth, Yoshino Cherry tree, fern, Tulips Fern, Yoshino Cherry Tree, Tulip face, Whimsy frog, Shadblow COCONUT PECAN POUND CAKE ~ After a busy month prepping and cleaning the garden, treat yourself to this delicious pound cake ( Southern Living Mid-October 2007) __ 1 1/2 cups softened (unsalted) butter 1 (8-oz) softened package cream cheese 3 cup sugar 6 large organic eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 cup bourbon 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup toasted chopped pecans 1/2 cup shredded coconut Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter & cream cheese at medium speed with...

~ Flowering Norway Maple ( Acer platanoides )

"Each flower is a soul opening out to nature." ~ Gerald De Nerval ~ It's about time! (First welcome visitor in the garden) _______________ GRILLED GORGONZOLA RIBEYE ~ Sixty degrees ... light the grill! _________ 4 10 oz. ribeye steaks or New York strips 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup red wine 1 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 Tbsp. dry mustard 1 Tbsp. minced garlic juice of 1 lemon splash Tabasco sauce 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary (2 tsp. dried) 1/4 tsp. coarse salt freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 lb. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese Combine olive oil, wine, soy sauce, dry mustard, garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco, rosemary, salt & pepper. Pour over steaks and marinate 4 hours. Remove steaks from marinade (reserve) and grill to personal taste. While steaks are cooking, reduce marinade. Serve over steaks, topped with crumbled Gorgonzola . (Allow steaks to rest a bit before serving) Suggested Michigan Wine: Chateau Grand Traverse 2004 Merlot Reserve _____________________ ROA...

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." ~ George Santayana _________________ "Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." ~ Doug Larson ~ Early Spring ~ Before the thaw (Hubbard Lake)

" And the spring comes slowly up this way. " ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge ~ Lone blue iris _________ BLACK FOREST HAM, PROVOLONE & ROASTED RED PEPPER PANINI ~ Perfect solution for leftover ham. Panini refers to a pressed sandwich so if you don't own a panini grill, simply grill in a skillet with a weight on top (2 iron skillets work well) _____________ 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise 4 tsp. basil pesto 8 slices good rye or sourdough bread 8 oz. thinly sliced Black Forest, deli or leftover ham 6-8 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese 1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips 1/2 cup fresh basil or baby spinach leaves Combine mayonnaise and pesto. Spread evenly on each of 4 bread slices. Arrange ham, cheese, roasted red pepper strips, and basil or spinach leaves evenly over bread. Preheat grill pan or large skillet coated with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan and cook until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted. (4 servings)

Bread feeds the body indeed, but the flowers feed also the soul. ~ The Koran ~ Easter bouquet _______________ TOASTED COCONUT BREAD ~ Favorite Easter recipe clipped from Bon Appetit /May 1981 2 3/4 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 1/4 cups shredded toasted (cooled) coconut 1 1/2 cup milk 1 lightly beaten egg 2 Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. coconut or vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350-degrees Lightly coat 9x5 inch loaf pan with vegetable spray. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder & salt into medium bowl. Add coconut and blend well. Combing milk, egg, oil, and extract in another bowl. Mix well. Add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring briefly until just blended; do not overmix . Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan 8-10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and let cool to room temperature before slicing. Delicious toasted the next day!

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises." ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

" If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. " ~ Anne Bradstreet ((British poet, 1612-1672) ~ 'Beautiful adversity' ~ 'Welcome prosperity'

“One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one fine day." ~ Aristotle ~ Spring bouquet ( Gerbera daisy & tulips) _______ FRENCH BLUE CHEESE SPRING SOUP ~ A taste of spring in January (National Soup Month) __ 1 bunch carefully washed and chopped leeks (white part only) 1 chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup unsalted butter 2 quarts organic chicken broth 6 cubed (well-scrubbed) cubed redskin potatoes 2 chopped carrots 1 bunch fresh trimmed asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces with snapped tips reserved 1/3 cup Arborio rice 1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach leaves 1 cup half & half (or heavy cream) coarse salt & white pepper to taste 1/2 lb. crumbled mild blue cheese ( Bleu D'Auvergne ) Roquefort or a mild Stilton Melt butter in large stockpot. Saute leeks, onion and celery. Cook until vegetables are soft. Pour in chicken broth and bring to boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and rice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove lid and add asparagus stems. Cover and cook another...

GARDENING NOTE: The Mediterranean herb, Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ), has graced gardens for centuries, its decorative appearance rivalling its culinary and medicinal value. Regrettably, it is not hardy where winters are severe. For year round use, dig, pot, and place inside near a sunny window. ~ Magnolia blossoms __________________ LEMON ROSEMARY POUND CAKE ~ decadent and worth every bite * 1 cup softened unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup honey 5 eggs 2 cups sifted cake flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh rosemary (1 tsp. crushed dried) 1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract 1 1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice Lemon Glaze sprigs of rosemary flower petals Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease with butter 2 8x4x2-inch loaf pans. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed about 6 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in honey. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. ...

Gardening note: Did you fertilize your perennials? Have you finished pruning roses and hydrangeas ? If pachysandra looks yellow, cut off old foliage to encourage new growth. Want blue hydrangeas ? Apply aluminum sulfate . ~ Simplicity in today's garden ___________________ GRILLED BOURBON PORK TENDERLOIN with MUSTARD SAUCE ~ 'a keeper' recipe in numerous files but if haven't tried, a MUST, especially with Derby Day around the corner. This adaptation is from Culinary Counterpoint (Detroit Symphony Orchestra) Cookbook. * 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup bourbon 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 lbs. well-trimmed pork tenderloin Chopped green onions Combine soy sauce, bourbon and brown sugar. Pour over pork and marinate several hours or overnight (long is good), turning occasionally. Remove meat from marinade and grill on medium, 10 minutes per side (or bake at 325-degrees for 1 hour or until done). Carve diagonally into thin slices and serve with Mustard Sauce. Note: This is a lovely buff...

~ YOSHINO CHERRY BLOSSOMS MICHIGAN CHERRY SOUP ~ from The Bountiful Arbor "This soup is a beautiful pink color; it's as lovely to look at as it is delicious for either a first course or a dessert." 3 cups cold water 1 cup sugar 2-3 cinnamon sticks 1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen stemmed and pitted tart cherries 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. water 3/4 cup dry red wine 1/4 cup heavy cream In stockpot over medium heat, mix water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Boil until sugar dissolves. Add cherries and simmer 35 minutes (10 minutes if cherries are canned). Whisk cornstarch with water; whisk into soup mixture. Boil 2 minutes or until thick. Cool in refrigerator several hours or overnight. Before serving, stir in red wine and cream and remove cinnamon sticks. If desired, add more wine to taste to reduce sweetness. Garnish with a white or purple flower. (serves 4-6) CHICKEN and WILD MUSHROOM STRUDEL with DRIED CHERRIES ~ from The Bountiful Arbor "Truly Michigan." 3/4 c...