One of our resident barred owls.
Sitting outside with the dogs on this May morning, I am surrounded by life reaching, almost imperceptibly, into the warmth of the spring sun. The pulse of life beats steadily and insistently as our woodland sanctuary stirs and stretches; its winter slumber at long last, over. The slightest sweep of breeze stirs the crackled, dry leaf layer on the forest floor, as do red and gray squirrels, their chatter competing raucously with songs of phoebes, thrushes and robins.
A red winged blackbird trills and whistles while a chipmunk clucks in warning from its hiding spot; our resident broad winged hawk sits in a tall tree nearby and waits patiently for its next meal to expose itself. As does a barred owl hooting from its perch on a tree branch despite the daylight. We believe our owl nesting box is occupied by a family of barred owls. Owlets screeching to be fed. We hear the attentive adults daily now, calling to each other beginning late afternoon, through dusk and on into the night. Occasionally we hear a great horned owl. Rarely do we get a glimpse of either. When we do, it is a divine gift.
From my kitchen window I have a panoramic view of our “orchard” which consists of three varieties of peach and two varieties of apple trees. I watch as the first hummingbird arrivals of the season hover and dine at the peach blossoms. The peach trees are bursting with delicate pink color. The whir of hummingbird wings and the drone of bees is a spring symphony.
Every wild green sprout from the forest floor is pushing toward the sun. The ferns are freeing their fronds from their web like fists ; spreading their long green fingers, catching the wind, swaying pendulum like in greeting.
Trillium, wild viburnum, blood root, may apple. The earth is giving birth to another season saturated with green, vibrating with life, surrounded by the orchestra of nature; bows made of sun rays gliding over the strings of life; by which we live and breathe.
This past winter was hard. Seemingly endless, ruthless in its bitter cold shroud of dormancy. So, when the first shoots of chives punctuated the cold layer of winters dead skin with their green tips of life; I knew spring was indeed on its way.
For me, chives are as sure a sign of spring as the red wing blackbirds, peepers and pussy willows. I can once again begin to enjoy their delicate yet distinct green onion flavor, a cross between their relatives, leek and onion. Hollow, deep green shoots grow in clumps and produce purple blossoms. Chives can be invasive so if you are planting them, put them in a spot where you don’t mind if they spread. I dry as many chopped chives as I can and store them to use over the winter.
I can never have enough chives. I use them in so many dishes and baked goods. Like these cheddar, chive and dill, buttermilk biscuits. I have been working on a gluten free version from my original recipe and have come up with a keeper. It follows the original recipe below.
My gluten free recipe can, I believe, also be made using prepared gluten free flour (tho I have not tried it). There are gluten free flours readily available in markets. I find them expensive. So here, in my gluten free recipe, I have used brown rice flour and corn meal which I find less expensive in the long run, and as I use them in other recipes, I typically have them on hand. I have also added an egg and reduced the amount of sour cream.
Cheddar, Chive and Dill, Buttermilk Biscuits (original recipe)
2 cups all purpose, unbleached flour
1 scant TB granulated sugar
1 teas. salt
1/2 teas. baking soda
2 teas. baking powder
1 TB chia seeds
1 TB flax seeds
3 TB cold butter, diced into small chunks
1 cup buttermilk (I make my own using whole milk with 2 TB white vinegar added)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 teas. freshly chopped dill
2 TB finely chopped chives
If you are using dried dill and chives, or other dried herbs, reduce the amount of dill to 1/2 teas. and chives to 1 TB. These biscuits are divine with fresh herbs tho…I have added chopped thyme and parsley as well. Flavor with fresh (or dried) herbs to your liking…more or less to taste.
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To a large mixing bowl add all of the dried ingredients (including dried herbs if that is what you are using). Mix well with a whisk. Then add the diced cold butter. Add the butter and mix until the mixture is coarse and the butter is mostly blended with the dry ingredients. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer, with the paddle, on low speed. Add the grated cheddar cheese and fresh herbs. Blend well. Using a spatula, blend in the sour cream then the buttermilk until all the dry ingredients , cheese and herbs are just blended. Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes in the bowl before scooping into 1/4 cup sized mounds onto the parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges and tips of the tops are just brown. Remove and cool on a wire cooling rack. This recipe makes approximately 1 dozen biscuits.
When I am using these biscuits as an appetizer, I use my small cookie scoop and adjust the cooking time to 8 to 10 minutes in my 450 degree convection oven, watching closely so they do not get too brown.
Gluten Free Cheddar, Chive and Dill, Buttermilk Biscuits
Follow all of the above directions as used for the original recipe to prepare this gluten free version. An egg is used in this recipe as well, and a reduced amount of sour cream.
To a large mixing bowl add:
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
2 TB medium ground cornmeal
2 TB flax seed meal (ground flax seed)
1 TB chia seeds
1 TB cornstarch
1 scant TB granulated sugar
1 teas. salt
2 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. baking soda
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 TB cold butter, diced into small chunks
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 TB sour cream
1 cup buttermilk
As with the above recipe, using a whisk, mix all the dry ingredients well. Blend in the diced butter, then the cheese, fresh or dried herbs, lightly beaten egg and sour cream. Lastly the buttermilk.
Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before scooping into 1/4 cup mounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12 to 16 minutes until lightly browned on the bottoms and tips of the tops. These gluten free biscuits may spread slightly while baking. They will still taste scrumptious.
Enjoy every crumb with or without a spread of soft butter. You might have to have more than one.
The window screens are in, the windows…wide open. Spring days are sliding by as summer approaches. Enjoy the days of longer light and evenings filled with the songs of wood thrush and owls.
Listen to the GRACE of the world…
Many Blessings…