Spring Chicken; A Fairy Tale

Dear Mouse,

Once upon a time in New York City, two sisters made May Eve Dinner.

They just about fit in the kitchen.

They dined atop a high hill on the 7th floor overlooking 7th avenue, on the 30th night of the 4th month of the year, with The Fiance and Mr. & Mrs. Mighty Hunter in attendance. Mr. & Mrs. MH are a lovely pair of fellow theatremakers with healthy appetites for good seasonal food and the celebration of arcane holidays. They came bearing wine and a delightful spinach-strawberry-cucumber salad. So far, so good.

They tasted the gravy and it was good.

As everyone knows, May Eve is a magical night where strange things can happen.

No, not that. **

One sister set out to write a final paper, but somehow it turned into a lemon tart!

... and then it disappeared...

And the other sister made the Roast Spring Chicken from Sarah Leah Chase's "Cold Weather Cooking". (Can you guess which sister?) It was said afterwards she must have used faery magic, for how could such a delicious, fragrant roasted meat result from only 5ingredients (not counting chicken) and only a 4-step recipe? (The simplicity makes this very affordable...though I recommend putting those extra dollars into a really really good bird... like the 4lb 'Red Cockerel' I bought from Dickson's Farmstand Meats... uh, I mean, that I won from the Faery Queen after I beat her at Buck Hunter. Um.. whatever. Where was I?)

"We have too many chicken recipes already", the first sister warned. "Post something else."

Right you are.

The Boo's Home-Brewed May Eve Love Potion Tea

(... a refreshing beverage. This is a good non-alcoholic aperitif which would also probably be awesome in your prosecco)

fresh red rose petals

dried damiana leaf (available at Flower Power in the East Village or similar)

fresh mint leaves

honey or agave syrup (optional)

Damiana leaf is a sort of spearmint-meets-anise-tasting herb that is rumored to be aphrodisiac and also to have perhaps been used in the original margarita recipe... of all things. Live and learn.

Pour 2 C boiling water over 1 C fresh rose petals in heatproof bowl. Let steep until cool, drain. Reserve the lovely pink liquid. Pour 1 C of boiling water over 1-2 heaping tsp damiana leaf in teapot. Throw in a few mint leaves. Steep 20 min. (This makes 1 Cup;obviously use more of both depending on how much tea you want). Add maybe 1/4 C of the rose water and some sweetener of choice, stir while still warm. Serve cold with a mint leaf or two.

Happy May!

Love,

The Boo

** PorkHart, a live band burlesque experiment helmed by The Boo and The Mayor last week in celebration of spring. No food was served.