Google image
My mother would agree. Each spring about this time, she took her wooden-handled trowel and dug out dandelion plants fertilized by cow and horse manure in the meadow next door. “Dandelion has a lot of iron,” she said of the long, spiny leaves. “And it’s so good with hard-boiled eggs and bacon.”
Some time ago my sister Janice shared Mother’s recipe. I was pleasantly surprised because I didn’t know it was written down anywhere.
Add a little water till soft.
Add white sugar – a little vinegar
Fry bacon and hard boil two eggs
The recipe wouldn’t pass muster for cookbook publication, lacking as it does measurements and a logical order. But reading between the lines, I constructed her dish in a slightly different way.
First of all, I bought dandelion at a local farmer’s market. The label reads organic. The dandelion stalks pictured here look too perfect The dandelion strands of my childhood were more wiry, a deeper green. “Organic” was not a selling point back then.
I began by frying bacon and hard boiling eggs.
Instead of white sugar, I used brown.
And I saved the broth from cooking the dandelion. “It’s good for what ails you,” I imagine Mother would say.
Finally, good enough to eat!
Continuing the discussion of dandelion in The Morning Call, Sheehan quotes Patrick Donmoyer, an expert on Pennsylvania Dutch folklore, who believes eating dandelion greens is symbolic. “Donmoyer, who has lectured at the Pennsylvania German Heritage Center in Kutztown, reports that some people believed that the dandelion were special, holy even, gathered as they were during the week leading up to Easter.”
Christians will celebrate Easter the first Sunday in April, and about the same time (April 1-9, 2026), Jewish families will observe Passover, enjoying the ritual of the Seder meal. Surely no bacon will be served, but the menu will feature eggs, symbolizing renewal, and bitter herbs, signifying the agony of Hebrew enslavement in Egypt.
Traditional Seder Menu, Source: myjewishlearning.com
You can see a fully furnished Seder table here in a previous post. I wonder whether dandelion, like horseradish, would qualify as a bitter herb.
(The content of this post first appeared in a post published April 23, 2016. without the photo of Mother below.)
What rituals do you observe in the spring – eating certain foods? cleaning house? planting a garden?
Do you have a dandelion (or endive) recipe to share, or an experience of eating the dish?
Have you observed the Passover Seder?
Postscript to My Readers
Believe it or not, I have been blogging for over 13 years.
Since February 2013, blog posts have accrued on my website, “Plain and Fancy.” To date—717 of them. I write for bloggers and non-bloggers alike. Some of you have been with me in this adventure from the beginning. That’s wonderful! I value your friendship and our connection here.
Like author Marsha Ingrao admits on her blog, some readers comment regularly; others read quietly and rarely comment. It’s all just fine. You don’t need a blog—or even have an interest in blogging—to enjoy or participate in our conversations here. They are open to all.
I’ll be taking a break now through April, probably returning some time in May.
Good morning, Marian! We’ll be having our not-traditional Seder. I do have a Seder plate, and usually I just use some prepared horseradish for the bitter herb. Horseradish and charoset mixed and eaten together is also part of the Seder. My husband and I like the very hot horseradish. 😊
I’m looking forward to the start of farmers’ markets in May. I’m sure we’ll have a choice of bitter greens in our farm share. 😊
Enjoy your break!
Based on my sister’s experience in the mid-Atlantic now, I would say snow is behind you and you are springing ahead. Thanks for including the detail in your non-traditional Seder. And how wonderful that you have a farm share to look forward to and the farmers’ markets in May.
Thanks for the good wishes and for being a constant friend in this space, Merril! 😀
We had plenty of dandelions growing on our farm but the only thing that was ever made out of them was dandelion wine! We used to pick them and bring them in for mom as flowers. She would fill a canning jar with water and put them on the table for decoration to make us happy. Congratulations on 13 years of blogging! Enjoy your break. Will you be travelling for Easter?
Yes, I know about dandelion wine and people in our community who made it–ha! But we did make little bouquets out of the bright yellow flowers, which I remember on the kitchen table.
We won’t be traveling for Easter but shortly after plan at trip to the Mediterranean where we’ve never been. Thanks for asking, Darlene! 😀
Enjoy your break!
Thanks, Melodie! 😀
Marian, we started blogging at about the same time and that is how we got to know each other. Can‘t believe it’s been 13 years!
I‘m so anticipating spring, but as I look out my bedroom window I still see snow flakes!
A spring ritual for me is baking Paska for Easter and I did that yesterday. It‘s so good with a cottage cheese or cream cheese spread. As it rises I remember that Jesus rose from the dead and that spring will arrive!
Elfrieda, your mention of Paska bread reminds me of our trip to Ukraine where we saw worshipers carrying this bread on Easter morning. I’m sure you saw this on my blog years ago, but here’s a refresher: https://marianbeaman.com/2022/03/30/our-easter-in-ukraine/
I remember saying to the Ukrainians at the time, a phrase I learned: Khristos voskres! Christ is risen indeed! May the snow melt in Manitoba as spring returns! 😀
Marian, we started the same year, same month, so happy blogoversary to us both!
I’ve never had anything with dandelion. But I would try your recipe.
I have attended a seder. My church had a seder service/meal every year. A rabbi would come and do the honors.
So we have a trio of blogger friends who began blogging in February 2013 (You, Elfrieda and me) That a long time . . . and many blog posts shared!
I did not know your church had a Seder service with a rabbi attending. (You could blog about that.) As always, thanks for chiming in with a meaningful comment, L. Marie! 😀