A Touch O' the Green

Waiting for the first crop sure is hungry work.  We decided to make use of some of the lovely hydroponically grown vegetables we've seen in markets around town.  This watercress and blue cheese butter tastes like a bite of spring, with a touch of the British Isles thrown in for a seasonally appropriate indulgence.

This would be divine on homemade Irish soda bread (or Clay's has a delicious version for those short on time), beer bread, or just a Digestive Biscuit (Mrs. McVitties, of course!).  Serve it on thinly sliced white sandwich bread without crusts for an elegant little tea sandwich.

Watercress and Bluecheese Butter
Adapted from The Canal House, Vol. No. 3 (Hamilton, Melissa and Hirsheimer, Christopher)

In a food processor fitted with a knife blade, chop 1 bunch of watercress and 1 bunch of chives.  Add in 4 tablespoons VERY soft unsalted butter (I used Kerrygold, in keeping with St. Patrick's Day) and pulse until just combined.  Add in 6 ounces crumbled blue cheese and 1 generous splash of dry sherry.  Pulse until just combined, about 4-5 pulses.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, although you may not need much salt, depending on the saltiness of the blue cheese.

Turn butter into a bowl and refrigerate to chill.

Makes about 1 cup, but, as the authors suggest, you really ought to double it.  You'll no doubt find plenty of uses.

Spring Has Sprung!

I know, I know: I've cursed us all.  As soon as you write a sentence like that, it is bound to snow the very next day.  And even in Pennsylvania, the odds are good that it's likely to be a real, actual blizzard.  But after the mildest winter we can remember, we are tired of pretending that our snowboots will protect us from anything but mud or that this will be the year for terrific cross-country skiing at Okehocking.  Plus, we just used up the last of our oven-dried plum tomatoes from the freezer.  We say, bring on the spring.

Rumor has it, the spring planting at Rushton Farm is already well underway.  To whet your appetites, in addition to the photo, above, from the Rushton Farm herb garden last spring, here are some important dates to mark in your calendars.


May 5-6, Plant Sale at Rushton Farm
May 29, First CSA Pick Up at Rushton Farm
June 2, Celebrating Rushton, a Fancy Farm Dinner

Stay tuned for an update from Farmer Fred and some recipes incorporating the gorgeous spring ingredients starting to crop up all over town, plus a few things stowed away from last autumn.  Get ready for a new season at Rushton Farm!