Spring...it's what's for dinner!

It's been a tough winter. I mean as tough as wimps like us Pacific Northwesterners ever see. Temps in the single digits, seven*TEEN* inches of snow. Pity us, oh folks with actual weather. We're just not built for this.

But now it's feeling spring-ish. I'm desperately trying to think about considering setting aside some time to ponder getting my garden together. But in the indefinite interim, I'll scrounge. Last night the man-friend and I went to visit a friend of ours. Her housemate had harvested a large quantity of tender spring stinging nettles (Urtica dioica, for those keeping score at home). I have fond memories of nettle-eatin' from my misspent youth in Alaska, but I haven't harvested any from my home "stash" (they're related to marijuana, you know). So today I picked a bunch:



I steamed 'em thoroughly, combined them with a half-dozen eggs, some fresh parmesan, a few chopped basil leaves, and a diced avocado. This I poured into an oiled glass dish and baked at 350 until all puffy and pretty-looking. Thus was created my first Nettle Frittata:



Which is not to be confused with Nelly Furtado:



This is an important distinction, as frittatas (in all likelihood) originated in Spain, while Furtado is Portuguese. Both nations get surly when their identities are conflated.