Can’t this be the real New Year

Whether the Groundhog was right or wrong, today is the official first day of Spring. That’s right: the Vernal equinox. It’s a time of rebirth, Flowers bloom, buds pop, trees come out of dormancy, and as many troubadours attest: young love is in the air. So, why is New Year celebrated in the coldest season? Why Can’t this be the real New Year? It’s a highly celebrated time of year. You have the Ides of March, St Patrick’s day, Easter, Passover, Holi, Norwruz, Ostara, and more. Winter celebrations are an escape from the frigidity. These are all exclamations of life in its fullest representation. Yet, you don’t hear a long playlist of holiday songs for these holidays. Everyone refers to November and December as the holiday season, when this is really the time of year to rejoice.

Each religion picks a deity or figurehead to represent the day. But, the reality is, it’s the time of year we celebrate. Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and others are merely representations of the faith of the observer. But, the true object of affinity for these holidays is the sun itself. Vernal and Autumnal equinox are times of stasis. The sun and Earth are at the perfect distance for the temperate zones where the majority of the world’s population live. It’s neither too cold, nor hot. We can evoke another story, and call it the Goldilocks season. We have little to complain about (save perhaps the rain). And, most of the holidays of this time period are joyous.

Since it’s so Joyous, why Can’t this be the real New Year?

The Gregorian calendar begins on January 1. The Chinese calendar begins sometime in January. The Jewish calendar begins around Rosh hashana. Meanwhile, the Hindu calendar (Saka Samvat), in use at this time, gets it right by starting on or around March 21. Maybe that’s why Holi is such a fun holiday. In Northern India, they use a different calendar: Vikram Samvat. It’s similar to the Jewish calendar at only 354 days, resulting in a “leap month” every 3 years. But, before calendars, people used the weather, the sun, and the moon to determine time and dates. The Cherokee observed 13 Lunar cycles of 28 days each. To reconcile with the Julian calendar, they cut that back to 12. Similarly, Celts mark the lunar and solar cycles in the Coligny calendar, similarly divided into 12 lunar cycles with a 13th added every 2 1/2 years.

The Celtic calendar has a dark half and light half, starting with Samhain (November 1) as the dark period. And Bealtaine or Calan Haf (May 1) marks the light period. Samhain corresponds with halloween and communing with departed souls on the other side of the veil. While Bealtaine and Calan haf celebrate the coming bounty of spring and summer. Both fall between Equinox and solstice, but, celebrate the fruition of the seasons. All of these different calendars have a common theme: Spring is King. Would you rather start the year with happiness and hope or counting the days until your previous harvest stores dwindle? Hunkering down for winter storms and hardship doesn’t have the same appeal as rebirth and perfect weather. So, why Can’t this be the real New Year?

Bears know it to be true

We all know Bears Hibernate through the winter. But, they aren’t the only ones. Hedgehogs, Lemurs, and bats do, as well. They all know that winter is not a fun time to be trudging about. So, they just shut down for a few months, waiting for this auspicious start of the year. For these creatures, the vernal equinox is a true rebirth. They don’t need clocks, calendars, or any of our modern accoutrements to let them know it’s the best time of the year. And, they’re not alone. Trees, flowering plants, and more come alive at this time of year. Our monochromatic world bursts with color, Much like a Holi celebration.

So, why is it so hard for us to understand that this is the true New year? Perhaps it’s people living in places like Florida and Southern California where the temperature doesn’t drop below freezing. But, even there, we hear people complain about the cold. Springtime is when everyone actually goes outside for a change. We don’t have to hide in small enclosed spaces to stay warm. It’s a phenomen9on that happens every year around this time. But, don’t expect accuracy from your calendar.

Why the different dates?

Our shorthand of equinoxes and solstices says they occur on or about the 21st of their respective month. But, that doesn’t hold true every year. In fact, this year, it’s occurs March 19 at 11:06 PM EDT. So, if you’re in the USA, you won’t actually see the sunlight phenomenon of Equinox, since it occurs at night. In fact, according to the Farmer’s almanac, we won’t have a daytime Equinox here until 2101. This is due to the inaccuracy of our calendar, and the fluctuations in our rotation around the sun. Additionally, this is a leap year, further complicating things.

According to Wikipedia: “an equinox is traditionally defined as the time when the plane of Earth‘s equator passes through the geometric center of the Sun‘s disk.” Due to gravitational relation of the Earth, moon, and other planets, the Earth doesn’t move in a circular motion, but an ellipse. So, this perfect alignment occurs at different times and dates.

Unfortunately, no calendar accurately tracks time due to these fluctuations. Our planet is perfectly imperfect. So, it requires adjustments over time. Hence leap years and 13 month calendars every 3 years with others. It’s 1945 on the Hindu calendar, 1445 on the Islamic calendar, and 4721 in China. Even the Julian calendar that our Gregorian calendar is based on is at 2777. So, if we can’t even agree what year it is, what difference does a day or two make?

Do politicians think: why Can’t this be the real New Year?

The decision to use the Gregorian calendar was a political choice. And, in most governments, the Fiscal year usually starts at a different date than New year itself. In the USA, October 1 is the start date for financing the following year. And, congress loves making up stupid rules. So, maybe it’s time to lobby for a change in the calendar. Let’s declare vernal equinox the official start of the year. Since it falls on a different time and date every year, that will drive everyone crazy. But, it would be more fun than the current chaos. And, it’s for a good cause. Let’s make Spring great again.

Plus, spring is when the best food comes out. The first berries, fruits, nuts, vegetables burst with color and flavor. So, let’s get in the mood for the vernal equinox and eat a colorful array of foods. We have some tasty recipes to get you started. You can follow them or go to market and see what’s fresh and bountiful. It’s hard to go wrong when fresh produce abounds. Put the politics aside and enjoy a good meal to celebrate the new “rebirth” of the world on this early Vernal Equinox!

“do dheagh shlainte”!

Roasted Beet and Pine nut Salad with baby Greens and Feta

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 1 Lb Fresh Beets
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• olive oil
• 1 Package Baby Greens
• 1/4 Cup Pine nuts
• 1/4 Cup Spring onions (julienne)
• 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese (use a vegan substitute if available or skip if you want)
• 1/2 Cup Seeded orange segments
• For Dressing:
• 2 Tbsp Honey or agave
• 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbsp White wine or champagne vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Cup olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Roast the Beets: Preheat oven to 400. Clean the beets and toss with a little oil. Put in a deep pan with a little water in the bottom. Cover with foil and roast for about an hour. Check to make sure they are cooked, but not mushy. Give more time if needed. Remove from the heat. Let them cool at room temperature. Then peel them. The skin should just brush off by hand. If it is being stubborn, use a knife to assist. Cut the beets and let them cool in refrigeration.
• Toast the pine nuts. Place pine nuts on a flat pan in a 300 degree oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Set aside
• Make orange segments. If you can get clementines, they are seedless and break easily into segments. If you have full sized oranges, Cut the top and bottom and cut the skin off the outside. Carefully, cut out orange fillets between each segment, remove seeds as possible.
• Make the dressing: Place all ingredients except oil in a blender. Turn on the blender and drizzle in the oil while it is running to create an emulsified dressing.
• Place all the ingredients except dressing and cheese in a mixing bowl. Also reserve some beets and nuts for garnish. Toss the salad with some of the dressing. Don't go too heavy. Save some dressing if people want more on the side. Place in a serving bowl or individual plates. Top with feta and garnishes.

Keyword Asparagus Salad, baby greens, Citrus Dressing, Feta cheese, Pine Nuts, Roasted Beet, vegan

Truffled Goat Cheese and Ramps Flan with Morel and Asparagus Salad

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course first course, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, French

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• olive oil for cooking
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• For Flan
• 1 Cup Fresh Ramps, Cleaned and trimmed, plus a few extra for garnish
• 1/2 tsp Chopped Fresh garlic
• 12 Each Large Egg yolks
• 3 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Thyme
• Truffle oil and truffle shavings to taste
• For Salad:
• 4 Oz baby greens, arugula or whatever is freshest
• 8 Oz Fresh Morel Mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic Scapes
• 1 Bunch Asparagus
• 1/2 Cup Sliced Fresh Spring Onions
• 1 Cup White Wine
• 1 Medium Lemon: Zest and Juice only
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Marjoram
• Grape tomatoes for garnish
• Extra fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

 

• Soak the morels in cool water for about 20 minutes to remove any dirt. Remove from the water, and soak a second time. They tend to get a lot of grit inside the gills.
• Preheat oven to 375
• Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Saute ramps and garlic, stirring as needed. Cook until translucent. Allow to cool.
• Whisk eggs until beaten smooth. Continue whisking in the cream, salt, pepper, and Thyme. Add in about a tablespoon of truffle shavings and a splash of truffle oil. Fold in the goat cheese.
• Spray individual ramekins or foil cups with pan spray. Fill each evenly with the flan mixture. Place on a sheet pan and bake in the oven about 30 minutes. You want them firm, but not too puffed up. If the center is still a bit runny, cook a little longer. 10 minutes should do.
• Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Saute the garlic scapes and spring onions until soft. Add in the mushrooms and cook until soft. Then add the wine and cook until it evaporates. You want it to create a glaze on the mushrooms and onions. Add in the asparagus, stir, and remove from heat. The residual heat will cook the asparagus. You want it al dente.
• Grill extra ramps for garnish if desired.
• Whisk the lemon juice, zest, oil, salt, pepper, and marjoram together. Toss the greens, asparagus, mushrooms etc in. Mix well.
• Invert the flans onto individual plates. Garnish with the salad, tomatoes, and grilled ramps.

Keyword Asparagus, Flan, goat cheese, May day, Morels, Ramps, salad, Seasonal, spring, thyme, vegetarian

Lemon Verbena Chick Pea Puree with Spring Vegetable Hash

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Soaking time for beans 4 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mediterranean, Vegan

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 1 Cup Dried Chic Peas Or 4 cups cooked
• 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Lemon verbena may substitute lemon balm or lemon Thyme
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
• For Hash:
• 1 Cup Cubed Sweet Potato
• 1 Cup Cubed Golden Potatoes
• 1 Bunch Asparagus
• 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Spring Onion
• 1 Cup Cubed Fresh parsnip
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Herbs (parsley, Dill, Thyme, Oregano)
• Water for cooking
• Olive Oil For Cooking
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Balsamic reduction/syrup to drizzle
• High quality Olive oil, preferably flavored, like basil or chive for drizzling
• Micro Greens to garnish

Instructions

 

• Cover the beans in water in a large vessel. Allow them to soak for about 4 to 8 hours at room temperature. They should almost Triple in volume.
• Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Drain and rinse the beans. Add to pot and toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the cumin. Add water to cover by double the volume of beans. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes). When tender, strain off liquid. But, reserve some of the liquid for pureeing.
• Put the beans into a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides occasionally. Add some cooking liquid as needed to help it get smooth. Add in the lemon juice and continue blending. Add in the lemon verbena. Then, with the machine still running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mix to a pan to keep warm.
• Make the hash: Heat some olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add in the potatoes and cook until they begin to caramelize and soften. Stir as needed. Then add in the Onions and parsnips and stir. Cook until slightly colored. Add a little water and cook down until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. Then, stir in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. The asparagus should cook in seconds. Fold in the herbs last minute and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Spread the puree evenly on the plate and artfully present the hash. Drizzle the plate with a splash of Balsamic and flavored oil. garnish with micro greens.

Notes

We cooked the beans with the onion and garlic here. You could use cooked beans (dare I say, from a can) to save time soaking and cooking the beans. But, you do want the cooked onion and garlic, plus the lemon and herbs.

If lemon verbena is not available, substitute a similar herb. If there is nothing with lemon, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the recipe and substitute fresh thyme and parsley.

Play with the vegetables for the hash. The potatoes and sweet potatoes make a nice base. Being spring, we like asparagus. try adding fiddleheads, cauliflower, zucchini or other vegetables as well.

Keyword Chic pea, hash, Healthy, Lemon verbena, Light, Mother’s day, puree, Spring vegetable, vegan