Here we are in splendid mid-May with roses, hydrangeas and iris unfurling and the local farmer's market open with budding herbs and tender spring produce: the sights and scents of sensual, food-loving Taurus!
Our market visits this weekend were full of good things, including asparagus and ripe strawberries:
All-natural soaps in heavenly scents:
According to Lucy Ash's wonderful cookbook A Taste of Astrology, Taurus is the sign par excellence of culinary enjoyment and the gracious appreciation of nature's bounty.
She describes the Taurus palate as "sweet and delicately savory"; its foods include scallops, grapes, bread, lentils, kiwi, peaches, beets, honey, mint, thyme, spinach, and spring onions. This graceful sign is associated with Venus and our bountiful planet Earth, so the beautiful foods of spring are its perfect expressions. Some of this weekend's market finds that became part of this bento...
The Taurus bento features pasta primavera salad tucked into pillowy butter lettuce: the shell-shaped conchiglie pasta is combined with farmer's market asparagus and snow pea shoots, English peas, artichoke hearts, gingered carrots, fresh thyme and mint, dressed with Dijon-mayo flavored with grated ginger and orange zest.
Golden beet flowers nestle close by a romantic sea scallop in a fresh orange and Citronage liqueur sauce (we had the rest of the scallops hot from the broiler for lunch with some icy Pinot Grigio!)
A honey-pear tart is topped with a baby pink rose (the flower most associated with this sign) and a wild strawberry. Persian green grapes add juicy sweetness--they were purchased at Iran Sara Market in Falls Church, as were some of these pretty green plums:
In bloom this weekend: snowy white kalmia, clematis and iris:
Have a great week ahead, bento friends--looking forward to your new creations!
