Getting Stitched on the Farm

The Daily Joy

I still can’t contain the daily joy I experience living on this farm – our little slice of heaven in western Massachusetts. One of the most delightful things to happen on a recurring basis is plucking a WARM egg from the meager little hen house my chickens call home. Do you know how exciting it is to discover it is warm? It means I arrived only seconds after the hen left her nest to eat some more grub which will in turn become an egg for me to eat in a couple days. Sometimes if I can spare the time, I rush right inside, crack it into my old copper pan and fry it up to eat on the spot.

Eggs are a perfect protein. They are reasonable to purchase (not so reasonable to raise when you keep the oldsters who haven’t laid an egg in several years) and make perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here’s a recipe for a springtime fritatta which is great for a quick supper and even elegant enough for lunch time company. Pair it with some spring greens and your friends will be impressed and satisfied. It is even good the second day between a hunk of bread for lunch.

Springtime Frittata Recipe

Preheat the over to 400. Chop a couple onions and 5 cloves of garlic. Saute them in a large skillet (that you want to present the frittata in) with a tablespoon of olive oil til brown. Watch so the garlic doesn’t burn and become bitter. (I know this from experience). Add a pound of fresh asparagus chopped into pieces about 2” long. Saute for a couple minutes til the asparagus starts to cook. Add a good handful of chopped up thinly sliced ham. Cook a couple minutes more. Take the skillet off the heat. Crack 6 eggs into a bowl and whisk. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet and mix it all up very quickly so everything is coated - don't overmix! Top with some feta cheese (about half cup crumbled) and if you have it, a little Parmesan grated. Throw it all in the oven and bake until brown (about 20 minutes). Serve with a green salad. That’s it – a really quick, springtime supper.