A new addition to the newsletters will be monthly Web Specials.  You will also find occasional coupon codes for a variety of great offers through the year. Special pricing, free plant offers, shipping discounts and contest prizes will only be available to newsletter subscribers so tell a fellow gardener to sign up!  Newsletter special offers will be removed from the archived newsletters before being posted here.  We WILL NOT EVER sell, share, rent or otherwise abuse your inbox.

   
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Fall 2010
 

Season of Leaves, Sweaters and Frost


Here we are once more, with another summer at an end and racing into the holiday season. The hens have stopped laying eggs, the rains have begun and it’s time to put the garden safely to bed. As our thoughts turn to weather-stripping, hot soup, firewood and eggnog lattés, let’s make some quick garden notes before the memories fade like the last of the brilliant leaves. What worked the best this year, and what’s first on the 2011 list for change. What needs to be moved, or doubled in size? What plants were you the happiest with, and what ended up in the compost? Remember to mark where some of those prized plants are before they do their disappearing act. A huge help when you start digging in the spring.

Something to pond-er...

Among our Newsletter Specials, we have highlighted some Native American plants from our U.S. wetlands or waterways. The perfect solution for those boggy areas in the landscape and for creating more natural water features.
I hope your summer was glorious, and that this traditional season of gathering finds all your loved ones safe and near.

Garden on!
Deidre Finley, Big Dipper Farm

Great Customer Service! Speedy Shipping. Customer Friendly Site.
Received beautiful, healthy plants that were well represented on the site.
I placed 2 orders, 2 days apart and called to have them combined into one shipment.
They were most accommodating. Much to my surprise and totally unsolicited,
I received a refund for over-paying the shipping charges.
This is how I run my own online business.
You’ve got my vote and will be back for more. Thanks, will recommend.
Diane R. - Kingston, Washington

The Winter Forecast

The new 2011 Farmer’s Almanac says the eastern third of the U.S. will have a very cold winter. Westerners may have a milder time of it. Check out your winter forecast here:
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2010/08/29/2011-winter-outlook-the-wait-is-over/


 

~Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag?
~If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
~Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
-George Carlin

A full 10 on the ‘Holy Cow’ scale!

Vaccinium 'Pink Lemonade' - 'Pink Lemonade' Blueberry

This beautiful, delicious new Blueberry is a vivid hot PINK! 'Pink Lemonade' blueberries are just as sweet and flavorful as regular blueberries. With lovely pink-white bell-shaped flowers in spring, shocking pink fruit in late summer and the orange-red foliage in autumn, this award-winning new introduction blueberry will surprise your family and friends when you serve them in muffins and pancakes. The fruit are pale greenish at first, then dappled pink, and finally turning to hot pink on ripening. Leaves are glossy green and lanceolate. This is a wonderful ornamental shrub for your full sun areas, providing four-seasons of interest. Wintertime twigs are dusky reddish-brown and winter fruit encourages songbirds and other wildlife in the garden. Limited availability. $11.99
Zone: 4-8 Height: 4-5' Go to

Subject: Great Service
Just received my Ferns in the mail. They are happily in the ground now with the rest of my great ferns. The plants look great and were carefully packaged to ensure safe shipment.
Your service is excellent and your web site is very useful for viewing all your products. Next time I order by mail, it will surely be from Big Dipper Farm.
I will recommend you to my friends!
Clark H. - Columbia, Illinois

Things to do in the Fall Garden:

Just had to share, the maple over our pond is having a stellar autumn. Check the list below for any chores forgotten. There’s still a little time left before most of us get the first hard freezes.
  • When the fall mums fade just deadhead the flowers. Winter survival rates are higher when stems are left through the winter.
  • Do not fertilize trees, shrubs & perennials at this time of year as fresh pushed new growth reduces the plant’s cold tolerance.
  • Trim back roses to knee height so winter winds won't cause damage to the long branches.
  • Bait the garden for slugs during warmer, rainy periods. Slugs observed on the soil represent only about 10 percent of the slug population.
  • Dig up and store summer flowering bulbs and tubers like dahlias, calla lilies, canna lilies, gladiolus and tuberoses after a hard frost. Cut back the tops. Dry in warm sun for two days and brush off soil. Dust with fungicide and store in vermiculite.
  • Rake and destroy leaves, twigs and fruit from under fruit trees to prevent disease.
  • Spread a mulch of manure over the dormant vegetable garden area. A 3 to 4” layer of leaves spread over the garden plot prevents soil compaction and rain runoff.
Dear Deidre,
My shipment of plants arrived yesterday. All the plants are in sterling condition, with strong root systems,
nice sizes, and beautifully packed! Thank you! I potted them up at once.
We will see if, contrary to popular advice, hebes will grow in North Carolina.
Thank you very much for the kind gift plant of ‘Kent Beauty’ oregano,
which is a new one for me. Its description is exciting!
It was a pleasure buying plants from you and I will again.
Most sincerely, Mina F. – Pittsboro, NC

Kylee's Pumpkin Torte

Garden blogger Kylee Baumle has kindly agreed to let us share with you her famous Pumpkin Torte. It’s super easy and it’ll rock your gourd! Be sure to visit her blog and subscribe: OurLittleAcre.blogspot.com

Kylee's Pumpkin Torte
1 yellow cake mix (take out 1 cup)
3 eggs
1¼ cup white sugar
¾ cup butter
¾ cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large can pumpkin pie mix

Crust: Mix the cake mix (minus 1 cup) with one egg and ½ cup butter. Press into the bottom of a greased jelly roll pan (10½ x 15½ x 1).

Filling: Mix until smooth - pumpkin pie mix, 2 eggs, and evaporated milk. Pour on top of the crust.

Topping: Mix 1 cup cake mix, sugar, cinnamon and ¼ cup butter.  Sprinkle on top of the pumpkin mixture. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

Yummy!!! Thanks Kylee.

"Clouds of insects danced and buzzed in the golden autumn light,
and the air was full of the piping of the song-birds.
Long, glinting dragonflies shot across the path,
or hung tremulous with gauzy wings and gleaming bodies."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

Yay!!!! I'm soooo excited. I got the package and have followed the directions exactly. Can't wait to see them bloom. If all goes well, I will want more varieties for next year. Thanks for the great service.
It's nice to know you stand behind your product.
That seems to be a rare commodity these days. Hope to send in another order soon.
Pat D. - Sonora, CA

Welcome home darling!

It's been a beautiful summer break for our houseplants and they’ve enjoyed it outside. But to give your winter detainees the best possible conditions, remember a few things:

  • Check them over carefully. I’ve been surprised by hitchhiking critters that were hiding under the rims and bottoms of pots.

  • Replace the top layer of soil with some fresh media and check the undersides of leaves for unwanted pests, which can increase their population rapidly once they are brought indoors. (My lime tree had an ant nest in the soil this year… fun.)

  • Find the brightest window in your house. Low light and over watering are the top reasons for houseplant deaths.

  • Plants will slow down their growth considerably, so less water and fertilizer is needed.

  • Be sure to rotate your plants regularly. They will lean toward the light and get rapidly deformed.

  • Set the pots in trays of pebbles and water to increase the humidity. I use old 40’s blossom float trays for a colorful retro look.

"It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day; the sky was clear and serene, and nature wore that rich and golden livery which we always associate with the idea of abundance.
The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of the tendered kind had been nipped by the frosts into brilliant dyes of orange, purple, and scarlet."
-Washington Irving

What the caterpillar sees as the end of its life...
The butterfly knows is only the beginning.
author unknown
 

 

I have no plants in my house. They won't live for me.
Some of them don't even wait to die, they commit suicide.
- Jerry Seinfeld

Sleep tight… don’t let the Bedbugs bite…

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) A 100% Organic solution for Bedbugs, Fleas, Cockroaches, Beetles, Ants and many other crawling insects.
Diatomaceous Earth is a naturally occurring made from the finely ground prehistoric fossils. On any beetle-type insect like fleas, bedbugs and cockroaches, the DE works under the shell and punctures the body, which then dehydrates and the insect dies. DE is totally nontoxic. There is no buildup of tolerance like there is to poisons because the method of killing is PHYSICAL, not chemical. Works great indoors or out and insects die within 48 hours of contact.

FOOD GRADE
For pets and humans, use of diatomaceous earth can help eliminate worms and reduce toxins in the digestive tract. The daily recommended feeding amounts for Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth are generally listed in amounts similar to the below quantities:

I have been so pleased with the plants I've ordered from you. They all have arrived packed extremely well, and have thrived--even here next to the ocean with all the wind we get. Kudos!
Wendy B. – Gloucester, Massachusetts

Kittens – 1/2 teaspoon
Cats – 1 teaspoon
Puppies – 1/2 to 1 tsp.
Dogs under 35 lbs. – 1 teaspoon
Dogs over 35 lbs. – 1 tablespoon
Dogs over 100 lbs. – 2 tablespoons
Cattle, Dairy Cows and Hogs – 2% of dry feed ration
Chickens – 5% in feed
Goats, Sheep, Alpacas, and Llamas – 2% in grain
Horses – 1/2 to 1 cup in daily ration
Humans – 1 heaping tablespoon daily

INDOOR USE
Bedbugs, Silverfish, Cockroaches, Ants, Millipedes, Centipedes:
Lightly coat a thin layer in areas where these pests are found or may hide, such as cracks and crevices, behind and beneath refrigerators, cabinets, stoves, garbage cans and in and around sewer pipes and drains, window frames and in attics and basements. Dust insects directly if possible. Repeat treatment regularly.
For fleas, thoroughly treat floor and bedding in and around pets' sleeping quarters. Treat surrounding cracks and crevices, baseboards, carpeting and wherever fleas are suspected. Dust your dogs and cats and watch the scratching come to a halt within a few days. No more toxic chemicals on your animals. I dust my chickens for mites also.

OUTDOOR USE
Ants, Cockroaches, Earwigs and Other Crawling Insects:
Lightly coat a thin layer in areas where these insect pests are found such as patios, window and doorframes, outdoor sills. Dust around foundations, along ant trails, and around sewer pipes and drains. Repeat treatment as necessary.

We have one of the best prices on the Internet for both Food Grade and Garden DE!
Check it out. Go To

I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.
And a foundation leaks and a ball game gets rained out and a car rusts and...
Anonymous

Newsletter Specials

Orders placed on or before Thanksgiving, Thursday, 11-25-10 will get special pricing on the following highly rated plants. During checkout please choose your shipping date. We can either ship immediately or ship in the spring according to your growing zone. You can view the Big Dipper Farm Shipping Schedule on the Policy page.
 
Dwarf Solomon Seal - Polygonatum humile
This is one of the most reliable, under-utilized and unsung heroes of the shade garden. This charming shade-loving woodland groundcover is a native to the alpine regions of Hokkaido, Japan, where it is called Himeizui, ‘the Princess of Far Winding Roads'.
This is a very easy-to-grow dwarf Solomon's seal that will slowly march through those dark, boring areas spreading oodles of OMG where ever it goes! This extremely petite version of its tall, drama-queen cousin has clusters of diminutive stalks layered up with small crisp leaves reaching just 6-10” tall. In spring, the stalks hang full of dainty, white, bell-like flowers. An absolutely wonderful addition to fill in around shrubs in the woodland garden and an established clump is surprisingly drought hardy as well. This perfect Princess will grace your ‘jewel box’ garden as a lovely companion to Toad Lilies, Clubmosses, Wild gingers, Hostas, Trilliums, and Painted ferns.
Prefers medium to deep shade, needs zero maintenance, and will grow through a wide range of American gardens in USDA Zones 4-9. This cutie can rarely be obtained at such an affordable price.

Reg. $6.99 now just $3.99 if ordered on or before Thanksgiving, 11-25-10. Go To
 
Chocolate Cosmos - Cosmos atrosanguineus 'Chocolate'
Affectionately known as the chocolate cosmos, this is a wonderful half-hardy perennial that has become a much-loved staple in many summer gardens. This cosmos is grown for its deep reddish black flowers, which have a fragrance, described as chocolate or vanilla like. Its fragrance isn’t overpowering, but it is immediately and unmistakably identifiable. Great cut flower and the plants have the same sprawling habit as other cosmos. This yummy favorite break dormancy relatively late in the spring but will grow quickly and bear flowers from June through September. This is the official flower for a 2nd Wedding Anniversary and the perfect unique gift! Plant in full sun. Zones (7) 8-9 Height 24-30’’
Reg. $6.99 now just $4.99 if ordered on or before Thanksgiving, 11-25-10. Go To
 
Golden Smokebush - Cotinus cogg. 'Golden Spirit'
We have two mature plants in front of the office and this is one of my absolute favorites. This unusual plant has lime-green leaves with a translucent, golden character that truly glows in the landscape. ‘Golden Spirit’ Smokebush or Smoketree, get its common name from the cloud-like billows of misty flowers in summer, but it just gets better from there. The magic of autumn paints the round leaves with a rainbow of corals, oranges and reds, like a dish of sugarcoated candy.   For a stunning combination, plant a ‘Golden Spirit’ in front of a larger, dark purple smokebush variety like Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’. The foliage will not scorch in the sun unless conditions are extremely dry.  Zone: 5-9 Height: 6-7'
Reg. $16.99 now just $7.99 if ordering on or before Thanksgiving, 11-25-10. Go To
These Naturally Native Outstanding Americans are ALL WET.
Bog Bean - Menyanthes trifoliate
Among the most beautiful of our native water plants. In bud, bogbean flowers have a delicate whitish-pink color, and when the petals are fully open they are covered with a soft white fluff, or fringe. This attractive scrambling plant has a thick, long, creeping rootstock. May be slow to establish but will grow stems across water surface. Olive green leaves of three leaflets with white flowers can grow vertically 10'' in mid-spring. Sometimes called Buckbean, Bogbean can be planted in moist soils or submerged in 12-16'' of water. This Native plant is a virtually maintenance free plant. You might trim them back at the end of the season to prevent an excess of decaying plant material.
Zones 5-11 Height 6-10”

Reg. $6.99 now just $2.99 if ordering TEN OR MORE on or before Thanksgiving, 11-25-10. Go To
 
Swamp-rose Mallow - Hibiscus moscheutos
Also known as Swamp Hibiscus this hardy perennial is super tough and forgiving. A wetlands lover but, with adequate water, will grow in normal garden conditions just as well tolerating heat and dry conditions once established. As one of our showier Native Americans, it puts on a dramatic bloom of big 6-8'' flowers that can range from pure white with a crimson eye to deep rose in mid to late summer. The Mallow dies completely to the ground in winter, returning just as lovely the following spring. Hibiscus moscheutos thrives when planted in full sun in a wide range of U.S. gardens. Zones 4-10. The mature plant can grow to a height of 7 feet in a season.
Zone: 4-10 Height: 4-7'

Reg. $6.99 now just $3.99 if ordered on or before Thanksgiving, 11-25-10. Go To
In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year,
bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil.
And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such
superb color effects as from August to November.
- Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden, 1905

The Exquisitely Edible Fiddlehead

One of Earth’s first inhabitants was the ancient and lovely fern. A ‘fiddlehead’ is the generic name for a fern’s young unfurled frond. In many places around the globe, fiddlehead harvesting is a rite of spring. Like morels and truffles, fiddleheads are one of the finest wild forage vegetables in the world. Before their tight, gray-green spirals begin to stretch upward, they beg to be snapped-off and transformed into a nutty, crunchy, elegant dish. The flavor is best described as fresh and asparagus-like, with a distinctly crisp texture. Fiddleheads lend themselves well to butter and cheese sauces, stir-fry and Asian cuisine, pickling, and other such recipes in which you would use fresh asparagus.

One important word of caution - the only safely edible fiddlehead is from the ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris. The appearance of the ostrich fern is very similar to the Bracken fern, Pteridium aquilinum – but long-term consumption of Brackens can make you sick. Edible fiddleheads have a paper-dry, parchment-like sheath that usually has started to peel. Most other fern fiddlehead sheaths are fuzzy or woolly.

To be completely certain that you have the correct plant, or if you don’t want to tromp through the swampy, springtime woods, just grow them in your own backyard! Unlike store-bought ones, you’ll then also be certain that your backyard fiddleheads are chemical-free.

Matteuccia (mah-TOO-kee-ah) struthiopteris are absolutely gorgeous, garden-worthy plants that are very easy to grow, and will grace your garden for many years to come. You have a choice of the regular ostrich fern, 3-5 feet tall, or the newer jumbo-sized Asian selection called ‘The King’ that grows up to 7 feet tall, and wide!

This is a wonderful, back-of-the-shade-garden plant for a lush, bright-green backdrop to such jewel box shade plants as toad lilies, Trilliums, Hostas, and colorful painted ferns. Plant your ostrich ferns in a shady spot with rich soil and consistent moisture. DO NOT use any pesticides, which can kill ferns. These are extremely carefree plants. USDA Zones 3 to 8 - Sunset Zones A1-A3; 1-10, 14-17

Harvest only tightly coiled spirals about the size of a silver dollar, or a little larger, within an inch or two of the straight stem. The plant will quickly replace its harvested fronds, and is not harmed at all by your feasting. You should cook your fiddlehead fronds as quickly after harvest as possible, or process them for freezing or pickling. Fiddlehead ferns are a great source of vitamins A and C.

The following are cooking recommendations by the CDC (Center for Disease Control USA), CFIA (Canada Food Inspection Agency), and Health Canada:

“First, fresh fiddleheads should be carefully washed in cold water, removing the paper-like chaff. Boil in lightly salted water or steam for a minimum of 10 minutes, or till fork tender. Then the cooked fiddleheads can be sautéed, fried, or baked in recipes. Or, freeze for later use. There have been no reported cases of illness connected with eating fully cooked fiddleheads. Eating them raw is not recommended.”

Order the Jumbo Ostrich on or before Thanksgiving, 11-25-10 and get the Newsletter special price. Reg. $7.99 now just $5.99. Ostrich Fern
Fiddlehead Recipes
Sautéed Fiddleheads with Parsley and Garlic
This is probably the second easiest Fiddlehead recipe you're likely to come across, right after just boiling and serving with butter. This simple preparation brings out the wonderful, fresh flavor of the Fiddlehead with a minimum of muss, fuss or bother. Served as a side dish with wild game and a bottle of burgundy, this is exquisite.
1-pound Fiddleheads
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced very fine
¼ cup butter or extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Trim any brown ends off of the fern shoots and wash them in cold water, pulling the paper-like brown skin off as you go. Drain and pat dry. Crush the minced garlic with the side of a large knife. Heat half of the butter (or olive oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fern shoots and turn the heat up to medium-high. The ferns should sizzle, but don't allow the butter to burn. Toss and stir for about 8 minutes. Add the butter (or oil), the garlic, and the parsley. Continue cooking for one minute longer, or until you can smell the garlic and the ferns are tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately on hot plates.
Pickled Fiddleheads
Cider vinegar
sugar
1/8 teaspoon each of pepper, ground nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and celery seed
Pour enough vinegar over the fiddleheads to cover then strain it off into a pan. Add 1-cup sugar for every gallon of vinegar. Add a large pinch of each of the spices and celery seed. Boil this syrup for 7-8 minutes; then pour over the fiddleheads in pint-sized jars. Seal and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water process canner.
 
Mustard Fiddlehead Pickles
1 quart button onions (peeled)
1 quart fiddleheads
2 cups salt
4 quarts water
1 cup flour
6 tablespoons dry mustard
2 cups sugar
2 quarts vinegar
Wash and prepare button onions and fiddleheads. Mix salt and water. Pour over fiddleheads. Let stand overnight. Bring to boil, and drain in colander. Mix flour and dry mustard. Stir in enough vinegar to make smooth paste. Add sugar and vinegar. Boil until thick and smooth, stir constantly. Add the fiddleheads and cook until they are just heated through. (Overcooking makes them soft instead of crisp.) Pour into jars and seal immediately. Process 10 minutes in boiling water process canner. Makes 8 pints.
Vermont Fiddlehead Pie presented by The Combes Family Inn
Spring and fiddleheads are synonymous in Vermont. Ruth picks these in nearby fields as the Vermont countryside makes its annual transition from Mud to Green. Once the ferns have been washed and cleaned, after removing the paper thin membrane that clings to the coiled fern, they are sautéed with fresh garlic and herbs or blanched before freezing for later use in casseroles and pies. Broccoli or zucchini may be substituted for fiddleheads. (Serves 8).
1 cup of Vermont Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 uncooked 9 inch pie crust
2 cups of fiddle heads, sautéed and coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoon of olive oil
4 eggs
1 cup of evaporated milk or half and half
1 tablespoon of coarse mustard
1 tablespoon of flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Precook piecrust for about 20 minutes (prevents soggy crusts). Sauté fiddleheads in olive oil until tender. Place fiddleheads in piecrust, place cheese on top of fiddleheads. Blend eggs, mustard, milk, flour, and pour over fiddleheads and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Pie is cooked when knife comes out clean when inserted into pie. Let set for 5 minutes or so before cutting. Serve hot or cold as desired - any way that you want to serve it - it tastes great! Just remember that Vermonters do not eat quiche so this is called a pie.
Spring Vegetable Quiche with Fiddleheads
If you're lucky enough to find or grow your own fiddleheads, you’re in luck! If not, asparagus can be used.
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
6 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
6 to 8 ounces of fresh fiddleheads
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup half and half
Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
Pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg, freshly ground if possible.
Sauté mushrooms until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate; set aside. Rinse the skillet out; fill with water to a depth of about 2 inches. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring water to a boil; add trimmed asparagus or fiddleheads. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or just until tender. Bake the piecrust at 375° for 10 minutes to partially cook the crust. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese and mushrooms over bottom of shell. Arrange asparagus spears in a spoke fashion over mushrooms or arrange fiddleheads in an even layer. In a medium bowl lightly beat eggs with half and half, lemon peel, juice, salt and pepper, and nutmeg, pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Set the pie on a cookie sheet in a preheated 350° oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. 6 servings.
Fiddlehead Ferns with Lemon Pasta, Chicken, & Pine Nuts
2 tablespoons plus
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
12 – 16 ounce lemon-pepper fettuccine
2 ½ cups fresh fiddlehead ferns boiled in salted water for 10 minutes and blanch under cold water (to retain color)
¾ cup toasted pine nuts
¾ cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Cool. Cut chicken crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips. Cooked pasta per directions, drain and transfer to a bowl. Add 1more tablespoon oil and toss to coat the pasta. Add chicken, fiddleheads, pine nuts and basil and toss. Whisk lemon juice and mustard in medium bowl. Add remaining oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss pasta with enough dressing to coat. Serve immediately hot or can be served cold.
Spring Wild Harvest Ragout With Fiddlehead Greens & Morels
1/2 pound fiddleheads, cleaned
1/2 pound "baby" pattypan squash, trimmed
1/2 pound baby carrots, trimmed
3/4 cup shelled fresh peas
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 pound pearl onions, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute, peeled, and trimmed
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 pound fresh morels, cleaned and trimmed and sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 large garlic clove, minced
Boil the fiddleheads in salted water for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Drain and plunge in ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain in a colander. Repeat the process of boiling and cooling with the squash and the carrots. Boil the peas for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are just tender, and drain them. In a large heavy skillet combine 2 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, the thyme, the bay leaf and 1/4 cup of the broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the morels and 1/2 cup of the remaining broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the morels are tender. Add the fiddleheads, the squash, the carrots, and the remaining 1/4 cup broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 1 minute. Add the peas, the parsley, the mint, and the garlic and simmer, covered, for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter is just melted. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6
Salmon Baked with Fiddlehead Ferns
1/2c White wine
2 Tb Dijon mustard
4 7oz Salmon Fillets
Salt and white pepper to taste.
½ tsp Thyme
¾ lb Fiddlehead ferns
1 med. Onion; finely diced
2 Tb Unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375f. Combine wine and mustard in a 3-inch deep baking dish just large enough to hold the whitefish fillets in 1 layer. Place the whitefish in the wine and sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Place the onions and fiddleheads on top; cover the dish and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove baking dish from the oven. Arrange a bed of onions and fiddleheads on a platter and place the fish on top. Swirl butter into the cooking liquid and pour over the fish. Serve immediately. 4 servings
Fiddlehead Vinaigrette
1 pound fiddleheads
Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard or pinch dry mustard
6 tbsp Olive or vegetable oil
2 tbsp Finely chopped green onions or shallots
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Remove as many brown scales as possible. Wash ferns well in several changes of water. Trim off any dark ends. Steam or boil fiddleheads just until tender (10minutes.) Drain and rinse under cold running water until fiddleheads feel cold to the touch. Drain well and pat dry with clean tea towel. Wrap in dry tea towel and let stand at room temperature while preparing vinaigrette, or refrigerate if not using immediately.
Vinaigrette: In small bowl, stir together lemon juice and mustard. Gradually wisk in oil; stir in shallots, and salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, gently combine vinaigrette and fiddleheads. Serve immediately. 3 or 4 servings.
Fiddlehead and Black Olive Salad
2 cups trimmed and cleaned fiddleheads
1/4 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add the fiddleheads and blanch for 10 minutes. Drain. While the fiddleheads are still warm, toss them with the olives, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Let cool to room temperature. Divide among 4 plates, sprinkle with chives and serve.
Cream of Fiddlehead Soup
2 French shallots - finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 c carrot - finely diced
1/4 c leeks - thinly sliced
1 1/2 c fiddleheads
2 qt chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 c heavy cream -- 35%
2 egg yolks
Simmer shallots in butter in a frying pan over medium heat for about 10 min or until soft. Toss in carrots, leeks and fiddleheads. Add stock, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 min. Mix cream and egg yolks in blender. Pour into soup. Heat slowly. Do not boil. Boil remaining fiddleheads uncovered in salted water for 10 min. Drain. Serve in tureen. Sprinkle cooked fiddleheads on top as garnish.

"November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."
- Elizabeth Coatsworth