It’s Easter weekend. Children have been home for a long while, and families are delving in droves into their gardens. Growing food and cheery flowers has become a central focus in many lives.
It’s as though Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock has become a sort of national anthem:
We are stardust
We are golden,
And we’ve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden.
And we have — enough to see a major Canadian seed company actually have to take down its website for two weeks, “to ensure our capacity to fulfill all existing orders in our system.” Stokes Seeds has seen “an incredible increase” in orders from regular customers and also “an explosion of interest and orders from first time home gardeners.”
As we turn with urgent attention to our gardens, let’s consider also our need for peace, and rest.
Comfort stations. As I go about the garden, cleaning and tidying, preparing plots and planting, I’ve been strongly drawn to create what I think of as “comfort stations” for resting and contemplating projects in progress.
All are in the sunny back garden where most of the food is grown. The first to be completed is a wee nook between an old snake fence and a small flower garden adjacent to the garden shed.
I cleaned the spot, laid fresh wood shavings, and set out a small table and chair. The little bed, edged in lavender, also has snapdragons that have perennialized. Soon I’ll add fragrant purple heliotrope.
The second area is under and around the prune plum tree. A cleanup, fresh shavings, a little “loveseat” and small table have created another invitation to rest a while and view the developing vegetable plots.
When I finish it, a large clearing, levelled and covered with shavings over weed-blocking cardboard and newspaper, will be decked out with two large chairs and a table. The garden “furnishings” are inexpensive and well worn, but they’ll do just fine. Consider little oases of rest and peace, in gardens and on decks, balconies and patios, as necessary gifts of kindness to ourselves in uncertain times.
Comfort food. I’ve also been strongly drawn to foods that deliver considerable comfort. Two I’ve been indulging in rather indecently these past weeks are colcannon and fruit custard pies, sumptuous dishes that fit the times well.
Colcannon is Irish mashed potatoes, that is mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. Onion or leeks can be added too. I’ve been using kale and leeks from the garden and, because I like it and still have some from last summer’s harvest, I’ve added a significant quantity of garlic.
To make colcannon, first lightly stir-fry in butter and oil the chopped greens and leeks (or green onion) until they are wilted.
Steam potatoes together with cleaned and halved garlic cloves. Remove the clove centres where regrowth has begun. That part is bitter.
Mash the potatoes and garlic with butter and milk, sour cream and/or sweet cream. Then mash in the greens and leeks.
If you, as I do, use an old-fashioned hand masher, consider engaging a child in this last part. In my experience, children love mushing stuff about.
Colcannon is traditionally served with a dollop of melting butter.
Fruit custard pie. To avoid shopping as much as possible, I’ve been diving into the freezer and making pies with the blueberries, prune plum halves, and apple slices I have there. One fruit can be used to make a pie, but I often combine two, such as apple and blueberry. Plum and blueberry is my current favourite.
I first prebake a pie shell at 350 F for around 12 minutes, then put in a layer of fruit or berries. To turn the pie into a divinely delectable treat, I add thin slices of candied ginger and almond paste before putting in the rest of the fruit or berries. These extras are optional though. Pour this mixture over the fruit:
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
Top the pie with sliced almonds, a generous dusting of cinnamon and a sprinkling of sugar. Cover the pie loosely with foil. Bake, covered, for one hour at 375 F. Uncover, and bake for another 15 minutes or until the pie is nicely set.
A Happy Easter to all. May you find comfort and ease of mind in the garden and around the family table.
