Is it Beltane yet?

Nowadays Beltane, the main bonfires of spring, about which Stravinsky enthused in music for the ballet, is conflated with May 1. May Day, International Workers of the World Day in many places, has no correlation with the full moon, but then, neither does Halloween. Still, since it's only first quarter at the moment, I say let's have Beltane for another week!

Let us circle our May poles with wreaths and weave our ribbons. This year I have been circling threads so much with my wee crochet hook I sprained my thumb.  Let us eat our soups of the first chives and nettles and dandelions, garnished with cheerful boiled egg. Let us munch on violets and smell jonquils and plum and cherry blossom.  I hear that the smart Pagans down under have moved their Beltane to October and are having their Samhain now, as well they should.  For are not our fortunate grocery stores full of the harvest of South America?

Never mind what this Druid did privately to celebrate, unlike the wild citizens of Edinburgh with their RedMen and WhiteWomen flirting all over the streets round the May Queen. For all ages I prepared the kettle of dandelions de luxe. It goes very well with North American 'soul food'-- our cornbread was in the shape of a heart, also very seasonally appropriate, though no Green Men died for our celebratory rites round here.

I like to start with either good olive oil or bacon fat, supplemented by a couple cloves of miced garlic for sweetness, and two or three cups of finely sliced cabbage as well. Dandelion is a bitter green, though not as potent as mustard.  My front yard yielded an easy quart of young leaves. When they come up through mulch they are specially tender, and it's important to get them before the plant flowers, after which they toughen up. And float them in a basin of water before you chop them! no matter how I try to pick cleanly, there are always flower buds and grass and dead leaves lurking, not to mention sand. Two-inch lengths cook up well.

Once the cabbage is braised to your liking, begin to add as many dandelion greens as the kettle will hold. You will need to add water each time you add more greens in order to get them to steam and wilt down. The dent de leon is thirsty. That is why it is such a good tonic for the liver and kidneys. And once you have stirred down the final batch of leaves, it is important to fill with water to the level of the leaf mass as well. They will continue to absorb more water as they cook.

I like to poach eggs on top of the greens, but discriminating presentation frowns on this because the egg turns brown. You have heard of dandelion coffee, have you not? That is why sliced boiled eggs are the garnish for company. And they will turn a quiche brown too, like this:

Tastes good though, even with very little salt. Save it for the BBQ ribs.  I find myself craving barbecue at this time of year, and many cook-offs for BBQ trophies take place in the spring.

I have heard that paradoxically, swine are immune to swine flu. So perhaps consuming pork products is a way of boosting one's immunity? It's worth a try anyway.

http://www.myspace.com/blackpigbordermorris

  Here is a great link for more information about this holiday.

http://planetaryenergies.net/2009/04/28/planetary-...

Peace peace peace!