CSA V. NYC
by Marian Allen
“The community should support agriculture, but we’re not a community. We’re just two people! What are we supposed to do with this?” Lisa held a gallon plastic bag of lettuce in each hand and could only stare at the red, elephant-eared stalks that were left in the box.
Oliver patted her condescendingly. “Next year we’ll have our own garden and we can grow what we want. Meanwhile, we get creative with whatever comes in the CSA box from current local growers.
“But there must be twenty pounds of rhubarb here! What can I do with twenty pounds of rhubarb?”
“Look around! There’s probably a cookbook in the attic or something.”
Lisa looked around and, sure enough, she found the answer to her question.
What could you do with twenty pounds of rhubarb?
You could chop the stalks up, put them with an equal measure of sugar into a saucepan, and cook it, stirring frequently, until the stalks softened into a sweet-tart sauce, and pour it over pancakes, toast, or ice cream.
You could chop the stalks, mix them with sliced strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and flour, put it in a pie shell, and bake a delicious pie.
You could chop the leaves, serve it to your husband as a salad, claim you had no idea the leaves were toxic, collect the insurance, sell the farm, and move back to town.
That’s what you could do with twenty pounds of rhubarb.
~*~
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Two people disagree on major life choices.
MA
Holly Jahangiri
May 20, 2015 at 7:29amOh, my God! That was ALMOST cheating. Almost. Lulled me into thinking this was just a little cooking vignette. You did say “condescendingly.” That should’ve given it away. 🙂
Marian Allen
May 20, 2015 at 8:06amEver see Green Acres? This was what I thought every week.
Holly Jahangiri
May 20, 2015 at 8:37amHahahaha!!! Yes, but wasn’t it much more fun to watch her find ways, week after week, of exasperating him in return? 🙂
Marian Allen
May 20, 2015 at 9:49amYes, Holly, it truly was. It would have been a very short series, if I had written it. And that would have been a loss. That show was surreal!
Pierre Laberge
May 20, 2015 at 10:52amBut she never poisoned her husband! Though her pancake batter was used to make a engine gasket!
Marian Allen
May 20, 2015 at 11:07amMr. Ziffel used her pancakes to shingle his roof!
Pierre Laberge
May 20, 2015 at 10:54amGREEN ACRES: But she never poisoned her husband! Though her pancake batter was used to make a engine gasket! He survived! And Arnold the pig was the star!
Marian Allen
May 20, 2015 at 11:08amArnold was DEF the star!
Jane
May 20, 2015 at 9:39amHAR HAR HAR HEE HEE HEE !!!!!!!
Sorry, I’m just rolling around larfing it up!
POW! BAM!
Well played.
Marian Allen
May 20, 2015 at 9:50am~grin~
Pierre Laberge
May 20, 2015 at 10:58amThe rhubarb leaves, would likely not be eaten, as they are NOT tasty. You’d have to boil them to extract the poison and…. Well, maybe I should not say….. Since you, and Holly, and the others all know where I live….
But I am reminded of my aunt Yvonne’s story/joke (gads I miss her!) about the 4 time widow and the poisoned mushrooms. And the steak. And the story she told the judge. And maybe I better not tell that one, either…..
Maybe, I paradoxically know too much, and way way way too little, at the same time. Which is a story for you all to compete on…. “The weird man who knew too much and too little”….
Marian Allen
May 20, 2015 at 11:10amLOL! Pete, I figure Oliver eats stuff like arugula and fenugreek, and he wouldn’t let a little thing like bad taste stop him.