I sing behind the plough

I am just a simple farmer, downright and plain,
and yet I love my modest callings,
for around my little home grow blossoms fair with color and perfume.
Mine is the clear spring, mine is the fresh breeze.
I grew up to the song of the birds, learned a little of them, too.
I sing when the impulse comes to fly light and free.
I sing behind the plough and to the sound of the mowing.
Hills and woods give back my song.
And when I am weary with toil and day is done,
my spirit is fresh,my mind at ease, I am happy and free.
I would not change places with any man on earth,
nor will I leave this spot in the North.

-Mads Hansen

19th Century Danish farmer and poet

Baby Bok Choy Rosette

I chopped the bottom off a baby bok choy, and ta da!

Bok choy is good stuff. It's the Chinese equivalent of cabbage, although I would describe it as more similar to kale. I happened across a ton of it at a good price at the Asian Supermarket in Albany. So I picked it up because I had been wanting to experiment. My mother-in-law and I had quite an adventure discovering the wonders of an authentic Asian market. (Separate post on that to come.)

Eventually I ended up braising it on the stove top with minced onion, garlic, chicken drippings, and a splash of red wine vinegar. It turned out tasty. Plus I saved the the bottoms I chopped off to throw in a batch of chicken stock.

I'm learning that there are uses for what a lot of people write off as trash. An example would be the water used to boil asparagus, which is in season now. I save that little bit of green water to put in the chicken stock as well. There's flavor and goodness in there!