Sunday, June 08, 2014

Taste of Spring


I cut the first leaf lettuce of the season yesterday, a small bowl of it.  I’m surprised it grew at all.  I planted the seeds in April, and just as it was trying to come up it was buried in snow. This was followed by cold when nothing germinated and nothing much grew. Then it warmed up and the lettuce, tough stuff it is, grew like everything.
I remember on the home farm, lettuce was part of the “big” three that announced spring was really here.  Rhubarb came first.  According to Pa we needed to eat it to cleanse our systems from the long winter.  Then it was asparagus, wonderful and tasty.  And finally, leaf lettuce.  Each offering us a taste of spring, but each with a dramatically different flavor.  Here’s my mother’s recipe:
Leaf Lettuce Salad
4-6 cups of leaf lettuce
¼ cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon sugar
5 teaspoons vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Wash and dry lettuce and place in serving bowl.  In a separate bowl, stir together the milk and sugar.
Add vinegar to the milk mixture and stir until mixture thickens.
Add pepper.
Pour mixture over lettuce and serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6 people.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Better to remember that who you are is more important than what you've accomplished.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:    There remain a few openings and it is still time to sign up for my Clearing Writing workshop on June 21.. Go to this link for further information. http://theclearing.org/current/classes_workshop_description.php?id=3
If that doesn’t work write or call The Clearing:
12171 Garrett Bay Rd, Ellison Bay, WI 54210
(920) 854-4088.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 20, Wausau Historical Society, 10:00 a.m. Presentation. Stories from the Land.
June 21, Writing Workshop, The Clearing, Door County 9-4.
July 12-19. Writing Retreat, Rhinelander, WI.
July 23.  Jacksonport Historical Society, Mr. G’s, 6:00 p.m. Jacksonport, WI. Horse Drawn Days
July 26, Wild Rose Historical Society, 10:00-2:00.  Booksigning.  Part of Wild Rose Days.
July 29, Ephraim Historical Foundation. 7:00 p.m. Barns of Wisconsin.

Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):
The library now has available both of Jerry’s DVDs, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps A Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s book including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story).
Contact the library for prices and special package deals.

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St.
Wild Rose, WI  54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org

               









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