Dandelion

End November-March. This is a salad that you must know how to find. The easiest way of tracking it down is to look for the bright yellow flowers that push their way up through the grass of the meadows. That’s what I used to do when my mother sent me out to find the salad for the evening meal. My basket was filled quick as a wink, and I was free to go off and play with my friends. When I got home the dressing-down was not for the salad but for me, and the supper had gone to the rabbits. This was because dandelions should not be eaten when in flower. They should be picked after a frost and chosen as small as possible. You can also pick leaves from those tight rosettes showing only the promise of a flower which reminds me of the winder of an old man’s pocket watch. To close the discussion of dandelions I must tell you the disgusting fact that the best and tenderest are found under dried cowpats or beneath mole-hills. Seasoning: walnut oil.