GARDEN RECIPE FOR SPRING: EAT YOUR FLOWERS
April showers bring May flowers, right? Though the selections of lovely spring blooms may be limited by a paucity of water and we didn’t really have April showers this year, the nasturtiums running wildly up and down my hill are plentiful and make a simple, peppery salad with bright red, yellow and orange flowers and miniature lilypad-like leaves. And from a favorite Flower Fairies book:
Nasturtium the jolly,
O ho, O ho!
He holds up his brolly
Just so, just so!
(A shelter from showers,
A shade from the sun;)
‘Mid flame-coloured flowers
He grins at the fun.
Up fences he scrambles,
Sing hey, sing hey!
All summer he rambles
So gay, go gay-
Till the night-frost strikes chilly,
And Autumn leaves fall,
And he’s gone, willy-nilly,
Umbrella and all.
NASTURTIUM AND ARUGULA SALAD
2 C nasturtium leaves
2 C arugula leaves
12 nasturtium blossoms
4 T really good olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 T cider vinegar
1 t honey
1 T finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine nasturtium leaves, arugula and nasturtium blossoms. Whisk remaining ingredients together and lightly toss with the leaves and flowers. Swoon.
Photo Credit: Flowers, Creative Commons, Nasturtiums by Andy Wright is licensed under CC by 2.0