Some hope arrived in the mail today. Just when I needed it most. I hate to admit this, but winter really did a number on me this year. The cold and the gray I can deal with, but please god, will the snow ever stop?
I try to remember what my yard looked like before it was solidly blanketed in white. Last week my mind wandered briefly to the memory of peonies. A fleeting image of pink and white petals, artfully rumpled like a woman's silk blouse. But just as soon as I'd thought about them, that image of peonies flitted right out of my head. June is when they'll be at their peak and that still seems laughably far off.
But Rhubarb! A sign of spring I remember well. So bracingly tart--mixed with a little sugar, some honey, or some wine, rhubarb's sour tang is tempered, but not tamed.
Rhubarb grows wantonly in my yard. The plants are so huge I mistook them for weeds when we first moved in. Happily, I lifted a giant leaf one day to discover its telltale red stalk.
Now what about that hope I mentioned earlier? The April/May issue of Fine Cooking magazine arrived today and with it came a recipe for Rhubarb Jam with Lime and Ginger. Unlike those poor peonies, I can vividly remember the rhubarb treats I made last spring: bunt cakes, syrups, compotes, and pies. I'm going to add jam to that list. And now, when I stare out at my desolate yard, I'll fix my eyes to the spot where my rhubarb will soon grow.
What will be sprouting up in your yard this spring?
