Stick your head outside and take a deep breath! Have the crocus’ begun to peek out from beneath their wintry beds? Did this mornings’ bank of clouds seem a bit less gray or perhaps gone altogether? Have song birds started warbling near your bedroom window? If you live in The Valley of the Sun, you’re probably wishing that some damned clouds and wintry beds were hanging close by and you had a BB gun for the Grackles. Well, at least we didn’t lose an hour of sleep last Sunday.
Regardless of where you reside, the quarter of rebirth, the Vernal Equinox, is upon us. We are welcoming sunrises and sunsets at home instead of in cubicles; snow shovels are in temporary retire and we make our nursery lists for plats of petunias, geraniums and herbs. Welcome Spring!
I’m loving asparagus for nearly nothing per pound; planning early evening dinners on the patio; and, sitting back to ponder those enlightened Chefs who persuade me that stinging nettles and dandelion stems just might deliciously compliment my braised rabbit. God love ‘em!
Speaking of rabbit; can anybody out there stomach the price? The last time I looked (in AZ) there were only two places to purchase rabbit meat at, get this, $13.50/lb. Holy Easter! Does this species not breed and gestate in less than 45 days with litters of 12 or more? Not only that, they have a yield of at least 60%. I’m thinking there’s an untapped market awaiting some bunny breeding entrepreneur. Kick in Kick Start!
Rabbit is a fantastic source of protein. It’s very lean with lots of flavor and much the same versatility as chicken. The only problem is that it’s extremely overpriced and difficult to find. So, why not grow your own? Considering that Elmer Fudds’ nemesis is the international poster child for fertility, should you decide to set up a backyard nursery, you’d better really love these furry little guys, or have an extremely large freezer.
Have I mentioned that I grew up on a farm in a farming community with lots of farms? Needless to say, “Free Rabbit” signs sprouted up, well, every 45 days. My brothers and I snuck a few home in our pockets and hid them in the barn. In a few months’ time, my Dad was hastily building an above ground warren in order to save the garden, teach us kids about waskully wabbits, and force my mom to find new ways to cook it. Oh, and we bought another freezer.
Welcome, Spring!!
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