Spring has sprung!

My yard is full of lilacs - and I have brought them in the house.  If I close my eyes, their heavy scent takes me to my Grandmother's back yard in Philadelphia. 

Finally, finally, finally.  We have lift off!  Spring has come to Maine and it is very welcome.  After a relatively mild, but very long, winter, we are ready for spring flowers, new life, and warmer temperatures.  In the fall, my mom and I pruned and readied the garden for some new planting this spring...but, I know myself.  I am not a gardener, despite the influence of generations of master gardeners in my family.  However, I was unaware of the secret trick for successful gardening: Andrew West!  Also the product of master gardeners, Andrew has shown a very strong interest in the garden at 59 Park Street (he never, never ceases to surprise me).  Andrew recently spent a weekend preparing beds, turning and enriching the soil, and purchasing baby plants.  We are now the proud caretakers of a small plot of lettuce, potatoes, strawberries, chives, rhubarb, and brussels sprouts.  In fact, as I write, I am enjoying a bowl of rhubarb cobbler from the garden, and I am thrilled to say that homegrown lettuce was on last night's menu.  The future possibilities seem endless!

Red leaf and romaine lettuce leaves - tender and perfect with a light, homemade vinaigrette.

Rhubarb Cobbler:

I had about 10 small stems of rhubarb, which was about 1 1/2 cups chopped.  So, I halved the Joy of Cooking recipe for Cornmeal Cobbler Biscuit Dough - the full recipe is shown here.

1 1/2 pounds of rhubarb
1/2 c. sugar (or so...I sprinkle a bunch on 'til it looks thick with sugar)
Spread this mixture evenly in the baking dish

Prepare cobbler biscuit dough:
Whisk together -
1 c. all purpose flour (King Arthur from New England!)
1/3 c. corn meal
2 T sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt (Maine sea salt!)

Add:
5 T cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (Maine's Kate's butter!)

Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.  Add:

1/2 c. milk (Maine organic!)

Stir together until a dough forms.  Separate into small balls and press these flat into biscuit shapes, then lay these on the fruit mixture.  You may brush these with butter or milk (I didn't, and they still browned beautifully).  Cook at 375 for 45 minutes, until biscuits are brown and fruit is bubbling.

A garden....at Chicago O'Hare?

The urban garden at Chicago's O'Hare airport!

 The last time I was stuck in Chicago's O'Hare airport en route to Seattle, I decided to take a walk.  En route, I stopped at Rick Bayless' new Mexican food stand for a salad and noticed a sign that said some of the produce came from the "O'Hare Urban Garden."  Well, wasn't this local eater intrigued?  So, I went on a quest to find this garden during my layover, and couldn't believe my eyes:  on a balcony overlooking the hallways, there is an actual garden.  It appears to be hydroponic and everything grows in columns, fueled by water and lamps. 

Each plant is labeled and the airport restaurants serving this produce are listed.

It's beautiful and very peaceful, and there are comfy chairs provided for passengers - it is certainly unlike any other airport waiting area I have ever seen.  I was a little torn thinking about the amount of energy required to grow these plants indoors, but the air there was very fresh and the produce very green!  A small oasis in the hell known as O'Hare.

Andrew was thrilled!