Good Food Down on the Farm

We like to pick the blossoms on the chive plants in our herb garden and just eat one, or gather several and chop coarsely to include in various things like green salads, pasta or grain salads, and the like. They are so tasty and add a lovely little overtone to various dishes. We decided to try drying some this year, so I gathered a large bunch and hung them up on the mantle piece to see if they dry nicely. We shall see! Meanwhile, they're making a pretty, upside-down bouquet in the kitchen!

This is one of those recipes that's so easy, I'll have to tell a story just to make it worth your while. If you've never made rhubarb sauce, you'll be amazed at its simplicity. If you have made it, then you probably don't need to even be here. We have lots of rhubarb and I like the sauce a lot so I make big batches. The amounts given below can be adjusted to suit the amount of rhubarb you have and the number of people in your house who will eat it. I will caution you that it should be eaten with a certain amount of restraint. If you've ever over-eaten rhubarb, you know what I mean. I start out with a big bunch of rhubarb, trim it and wash it well. Chop it into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. When this is cooked down, the rhubarb gets all mushy but the strings don't break down. The length of your pieces will determine the length of the strings in the sauce. When you've got about 12 cups, put it in a large saucepan, add about 2 cups of water. Bring to a b

Sampled one of the first jars we did, as they are 2 weeks old. They are yummy, and the zing of the pepper flakes is just right. These will make nice little snack/garnish items. However, have made a note on my copy of the recipe to cut the sugar in half - a little too sweet for our tastes.