Sunday, April 12, 2009

First food from the garden

by June

My sources at the farmers’ market warned me that leeks wouldn’t over-winter in Maine. But winter caught me off-guard last year, and though I meant to harvest all those kindergarten-pencil-size leeks, I ended up tucking them under a blanket of snow.

Today, I surveyed the mush of the leek bed. It was disheartening: The stalks were frostbitten to the ground. When I tugged on one, its top layer slithered off in my hand. Still, I had to oust the remains for a spring planting. I went in gingerly with my trowel and came up with…firm, fragrant leeks -- albeit only five inches long at the most.

I soaked them clean, snipped off the roots, and layered them into a dish. I barely covered them in cream, then gave them an ample grinding of pepper and a lavish sprinkling of Maldon’s salt. After forty minutes in a 375-degree oven, those sorry little leeks had melted into the very solace of spring.

This was our first dish from the garden this year. It will be hard to top. But I’m willing to let my Ruby Gold tomatoes give it their best shot anyway.

4 comments:

Heather said...

Hi June- I am so glad you found my blog. I have been searching for the picture of your daughter sledding with the chicken since I first saw it. I love it! Are you on Blotanical? If not, it's a great way to find other garden bloggers. I am now following your blog and look forward to more great posts. I ordered my chickens, both layers and meat birds and can't wait to get them. Hope all my research pays off and reality isn't all that different from what I have read all winter.
Heather

Heather said...

Yeah! You are here! I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. Blotanical has been a great thing in a dreary winter.
Heather

Libby said...

Oh how scrumptious! Must plant leeks...

Libby

June said...

I got an amazing batch of leek seedlings at the Portland market last spring, Libby! Let's both keep an eye out for a reappearance. Thanks for stopping by...