Spring Fiddleheads

Colin loves fiddleheads and we usually cook them one-too many times each spring. (Think four times a week for four weeks.) Buy a pound of fiddleheads at the market - make sure they look green and fresh. Break off the thick ends so that just the spiral remains. Blanche them in boiling water about one minute and then spoon the fiddleheads (draining as you go) into ice water. They should be richly green. Remove from ice onto a paper towel to dry. Save until ready to cook. Throw the fiddleheads into in a large hot pan of butter and olive oil, salt and pepper. Brown them until crisp on one side and then toss them over and brown on the other. Throw in a handful of thinly sliced prosciutto and cook just until the fiddleheads and prosciutto are crisp. Serve immediately with the rest of the meal. Yummy! Or ... make Fiddlehead Soup!

Norfolk Fields of Gold

Jill and Alyssa texted tonight the tell us that they are at a pub that serves a Fields of Gold cocktail. Not to be outdone ... my honey decided to try one for me. 1 T. honey, 1/3 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz Grand Marnier, 1-1/2 oz Bourbon.  Blend, shake with ice and strain into a Martini glass. Love you, girls!

Welcome Home on St. Patrick's Day

I happened to choose to spend half of St. Patrick's Day in an Amtrak train car, snoozing, reading and wishing I were home much faster! (I've been away for five days at the Public Library Association conference in Philadelphia.) Gerry 'cooked' up a special drink to welcome me home. It's called 'The Last Word' and you can read about the history many places on the Web. I spent several moments thinking about why Gerry chose this drink. Let's just leave it at that. The Last Word. (Those who know me? You get it.)

It's a great St. Patrick's Day drink (green, after all) and a wonderful 'welcome home' drink. That's my guy, that Gerry! And, yes, there were red roses, too. Here's the official Last Word: 1/2 ounce gin 1/2 ounce lime juice 1/2 ounce green Chartreuse 1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Source: recipe from "The Essential Bartender's Guide" by Robert Hess.