THE VILLAGE VOICE

"The beauty of daylight-saving time is that it just makes everyone feel sunnier." ~ Edward Markey Garden Clock and Daffodil ___________ LEMON COCONUT CAKE ~ Outstanding triple-layered treat from Oct 2007 Southern Living ______________ 1 cup soft butter 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs, separated 3 cups all purpose flour 1 Tbsp.baking powder 1 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut mint or rosemary springs for garnish Lemon Filling Cream Cheese Frosting Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at at time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and baking powder;add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form; fold 1/3 of egg whites just until blended. Spoon batter into 3 greased a...

"The moon looks upon many night flowers; the night flowers see but one moon." ~ Jean Ingelow ( Songs of the Night Watches ) STRAWBERRY MOON ' Odéimini - Giizis ' ~ Ojibwe _________________________ "The Ojibwe so delighted in this berry that they named a moon after it and included it in their vision of heaven." ~ White Oak Journal - White Oak Society _____________________________ STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE ~ Quick and easy, equally as good with raspberries __________________ 1 pound cake (good frozen is fine) 1 pint or more hulled strawberries 1/2 cup sugar 1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese 1 3/4 cup non-dairy whipped topping Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Crush 1 1/2 cup of berries, reserving remaining berries for garnish. Add sugar to topping cream cheese, beating until smooth. Fold in topping then crushed berries. Fill and frost cake with cream cheese mixture. Garnish with berries and chill.

"There is nothing pleasanter than spading when the ground is soft and damp." ~ John Steinbeck Tulipa tarda ( Eye-catching early Species tulip native to Turkestan. Neat foliage multiplies rapidly, happy to return each spring) ___________________ LUSCIOUS LEMON MOUSSE ~ Adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen comes this luscious tart ending for a warm spring evening. _____________ 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup water 1 tsp. grated fresh lemon rind 2 room temperature egg whites 1 cup heavy cream heavy cream 1 cup fresh berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) Mix cornstarch and sugar in small saucepan. Add lemon juice and water and whisk until smooth . Cook, whisking constantly over medium heat until thick (at least 5 minutes.) Pour into bow and stir in the lemon rind. Let cool to room temperature. Beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Fold into lemon mixture...

"The temple bell stops but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers." ~Basho ~ Pure Easter Lily ____________ COCONUT POUND CAKE with LEMON CURD FILLING ~ From the archives ( Bon Appetit /June 1984) appears this favorite Spring classic _______________ 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter 3 cups sugar 6 room temperature eggs 3 cup AP flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1 cup sour cream 4 oz. flaked coconut 2 tsp. vanilla Lemon Curd Filling (recipe follows) Orange Glaze (recipe follows) lemon leaves (garnish) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously grease 10-inch tube pan (preferably with removable bottom ) with vegetable shortening (or Pam) and dust with flour. Cream butter in large bowl of electric mixer. Slowly add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Sift dry ingredients. Blend into butter mixture alternately with sour cream. Mix in coconut and vanilla. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted in...

~ Iris Germanica 'Batik' _______________ LEMONY BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE ~ A luscious combo, perfect for warm weather ________________________ Crust: 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers 1 Tbsp. sugar 6 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter Filling: 2 1/2 pounds room temperature cream cheese 1 1/2 cup sugar 5 room temperature extra-large eggs 2 room temperature extra-large egg yolks 1/4 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 tsp. lemon extract Topping: 1 cup currant jelly 3 half-pints fresh blueberries additional lemon zest Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Combine vanilla wafers, sugar and melted butter. Pat into 9-inch springform pan covering bottom and 1-inch up sides. Bake 8 minutes. Cool. Increase oven temp to 450-degrees. Combine cream cheese and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, scraping sides as needed. On low, add sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla,...

"Violet! sweet violet! Thine eyes are full of tears; Are they wet Even yet With the thought of other years?" ~ James Russell Lowell ~ Sweet Violets ____________ KENTUCKY DERBY BOURBON CHOCOLATE TORTE ~ adapted treasured 10 year old recipe clipped from Southern Living and repeat from last year. ___ 12 (1-oz) chopped semisweet chocolate squares 1 (16-oz) finely ground package pecan shortbread cookies 1 1/2 cups soft unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 12 large organic eggs 1/3 cup bourbon 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar Bourbon Cream Sauce Candied Violets Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan and line with greased parchment paper Place ground cookies in large bowl. Microwave chocolate pieces at MEDIUM (50% power) in glass bowl for 2 minutes or until melted, stirring after 1 minute. Process butter, sugar, and eggs in food processor until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Add bourbon and chocolate; process until blended. Fold into ground cookies. Pour into p...

~ Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) ~ Early spring daffodils, pussy willow, English daisy and 'kissing clouds' (square 1) _______________ The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day, When the sun is out and the wind is still, You're one month on in the middle of May. But if you so much as dare to speak, A cloud comes over the sunlit arch, A wind comes off a frozen peak, And you're two months back in the middle of March. ~ Robert Lee Frost (Two Tramps in Mud Time) ~ Heralding daffodil and sky ~ Pussy willow and sky ___________________ COCONUT MERINGUES ~ Coconut ... the essence of spring and a perfect 'Happy Ending' to a beautiful day ( Cooking Light ) ___ 4 large organic egg whites 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided Preheat oven to 225-degrees. Cover 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and secure with masking tape. Place egg whites and c...

"A flowerless room is a soulless room, to my way of thinking ... " - Vita Sackville -West ~ Hydrangea gracing sun porch __________________ COCONUT POUND CAKE ~ Forget the pounds, just eat the cake! _______________ 1 cup unsalted butter 3 cups sugar 6 organic eggs 3 cups flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 8 oz. sour cream 1 cup coconut 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. coconut extract Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix butter, sugar and eggs until creamy. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamy mixture. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spray bundt pan with Pam. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour.