There is a very special time of year when you are a farm to table eater.
There’s the middle of July when you are overcome with fresh vegetables and fruits from the garden. When you are in the thralls of tomato and cucumber season, so much so that Dan eats a tomato a day much like an apple, it is hard to imagine anything better.
But there is, in a sense.
Right now we are in that season. The season of Spring. While, yes I would trade my pinky toe for a fresh tomatoes that tastes like warm air and sunlight, I am pretty much pleased as punch for this season too.
Because before this season there was nothing. There was the darkness of winter, a lot of bone broth and rice, and lettuce from the store.
This is egg season. These glorious days make my heart full again. Longer days, warmer breezes, full nesting boxes, baby goats, baby chicks. It’s all good. I don’t even mind that the yard is a sad looking plateau of yellow grass, dirty piles of snow still hanging on on the edges of the driveway, and well let’s not talk about the poop. Because dang when that snow melts it sure is nasty.
Let’s focus instead on egg time, baby! When Dan and I eat eggs at pretty much every meal, savoring the bright yellow yolks. Those same yolks that got us through the dark days of winter, energize us even more so now. I love cracking an egg and seeing the sun peering back at me. Even with no grass, bugs, or outside vegetation those eggs are dang fine looking!
This is the wonderful season before the heat of the summer starts to slow down egg production. This is the one time of year when Dan and I can eat or use as many eggs as we want without worry that we won’t make our egg orders. This is the best time of year. So, while we wait on the tomatoes, we dine.
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Because really, besides the Lord and Dan, there really isn’t anything I love more than dining. And my brother, because he’s watching me. Ahem.
So with all those extra Spring eggs, let’s make Chocolate Meringues. Shall we?
Chocolate Meringues
You Will Need:
3 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 225°F.
With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer whip the egg whites.
While they’re whipping slowly add in the sugar, vanilla extract, and wine vinegar.
Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. They’ll look pretty and glossy too.
Gently fold in the cocoa powder until no lumps remain and the cocoa powder is evenly distributed throughout the egg whites.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop the meringues onto the parchment by the tablespoon (or overflowing tablespoon if you’re like me. If you’re also like me and suddenly realize you don’t have parchment paper you can line your cookies sheets with tinfoil, just keep it shiny side down).
Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
And then proceed to eat them, still slightly gooey, straight from the pan.
Because yum. Chewy, sweet but not overpowering, with just a touch of chocolate.
Oh lardy Spring has never been so sweet.
And amen.
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