As promised, my
EASTER BASKET REVEAL
The flower and foliage selections that Sunshine and the gals at A Date with Iris came up with
were inspired! Their whimsical, precocious plant selections were right in line with my preferences (find them in my last post here) and I couldn't have been more pleased.
The yellow heads of the Craspedia Billy Balls (read about them here) are
There were the requested deep purple lilacs and hyacinths,
and the creams, whites and rustic
colored touches...of the wax flower...and the woody branches.
My favorite, unexpected element
was the addition of orange rose hips tumbling down the side.
(In MY seasonal world, they have always seemed a feature of summer/fall...not spring...)
I love the lesson of this bouquet.....looking at something familiar in a different, imaginative, way.
It should dry beautifully,
and later, with a few additions...
will transition seamlessly into fall.
I served a wonderful wild rice salad (I got the recipe from a vineyard in Napa this past fall...) at Easter brunch
that seemed to echo the tone of the bouquet beautifully. Plus, it was MAHVELOUS! A great salad to serve at room temperature for a crowd.
Of bunnies, OR humans.
2 cups wild rice (you can use Farro or other whole grain)
1 cup currants or raisins
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup green onions thin slices on the bias
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot chopped
1 t. curry powder
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cook wild rice according to directions on package, set aside. Bring currants and white wine to a boil, turn off and let steep for 20 minutes, drain currants reserving three tablespoons for the dressing. Chop parsley and nuts, slice green onions. To make dressing whisk together chopped shallots, curry, red wine vinegar, reserved steeping liquid, salt and pepper, olive oil. Toss all ingredients together, adjust seasoning to your taste.
* I used Farro grain along with the rice. It was delicious!