And the wheel turns to spring
and the wheel turns to spring…
I got to hear that Crow song (Dance of Spring) frequently over the past year. It took a lot of rehearsal. Of course my human Mom would prance around the house singing “And the bunny turns to spring!” because she is ridiculous and likes to insert rabbit references into every song. Goddess bless her silly little heart. But it’s okay; I like spring.
One of my absolute favorite things about spring is something I believe you humans overlook and under-appreciate. Plus, you have a weird name for them. What is fluffy and soft and reproduces like crazy? A rabbit, of course! Hence a proper name for this yummy treat is “Dandy-rabbit.” I don’t know how you managed to confuse rabbits and lions. We’re nothing alike. However, for the sake of clarity, I will stick with your common name “dandelion” for this blog.
Dandelions are a delicacy among the lagamorph order (which includes my cousins the hares and picas). We love everything about them—the flowers, the leaves, the roots. I am fortunate to live with hippie-dippy pagan-type humans who eschew any sort of herbicides. So come this time of year, our yard is aglow with the yummiest little yellow tidbits on the planet.
(My people-companions have even gone through steps to have our property deemed a National Wildlife Preserve. They think that means something fancy. I know it just means that the neighborhood mule deer can poop all over the place without fear of reprisal. Let’s allow them their delusion, though.)
When dandelions start popping up in my yard, I ask my people to bring in as many as they can pluck. Not only are they super delicious, they are really, really good for me. They help support my healthy liver and digestion. And I hear they do the same for you!
I eat my dandelions raw and dirty, right out of the ground. Mom sometimes sprinkles some on salad. But humans like to complicate food. Raw and dirty don’t seem to be your thing. So to introduce you to the marvelous human-y things you can do with dandelions, I went to my Mom’s Crow friend, Melanie Crowombin, who originally introduced my humans to the wonders of the best flower on earth.
Dandelion Greens with Bacon
By Melanie Crowombin
Harvest dandelion greens, preferably from plants that have not flowered. Wash well and chop into bite size pieces. If upon tasting the raw leaf you find its too bitter for your taste you can blanch them by dropping them into boiling water for a minute or so and then scoop out with a slotted spoon, discarding the water. Cook bacon to desired crispiness and then chop finely. Drain most of the bacon fat out of the pan and then add greens to pan and saute until tender. Add back in the bacon, season with pepper and a little bit of vinegar (wine or balsamic are nice) if you like some tartness. Be careful to not season with too much salt as it can bring out the bitterness.
Cook bacon to desired crispiness and then chop finely. Drain most of the bacon fat out of the pan and then add greens to pan and saute until tender. Add back in the bacon, season with pepper and a little bit of vinegar (wine or balsamic are nice) if you like some tartness. Be careful to not season with too much salt as it can bring out the bitterness.
Dandelion greens and bacon also make an excellent addition to quiches, pizza etc. Get creative!
My mom tells me that not everyone has dandelions in their yards, though. The horror! Apparently some people spray things to keep them away, but some of you just don’t have easy access to yards at all. Mom and I chatted about how to help you experience the joy and medicine of dandelions anyway. There’s this thing called “tea” (which reminds me of when I drop my hay into my water dish, so I think I get it). Dandelion tea appears to be readily available at your local Grow-Sir-Ee Store, so people must recognize its value.
If you aren’t into tea, another thing Mom told me about is a “tincture.” The only equivalent in rabbit world comes from the vet’s office and we don’t like it. We don’t like it one bit. But to each species it’s own. Maybe a dandelion tincture tickles your fancy.
However you take them, take some dandelion magick to celebrate spring. And whatever you do, don’t forget the best magic of the dandelion. Make a wish and BLOW!
-Roki (the rabbit)