There is an unrealistic expectation that as soon as it is officially spring, the birds will be singing, the insects buzzing, and a profusion of flowers will be blooming. Of course, it is far more gradual than this. It takes a while for things of both the flora and fauna kind to wake up. The birds are early to the spring party. The swallows have reappeared from wherever they go and are busy collecting garden debris to construct their nests. We had a couple last year who insisted on building their nest on the verandah post right outside the kitchen door. It was not the ideal place, but they were determined and seemingly oblivious to ours and the cat’s comings and goings. The three babies would call to their parents, who would sit on the electricity wire, assessing the situation, before swooping under the verandah roof to deposit morsels of food into the mouths of their hungry offspring. They grew quickly, and before long, the three of them were vying for space in a too-small nest perched atop a too-small post. And then, one day, the three were sitting on the fence, having tested their new flying skills. In the evening, they would return to the nest until, about a week later, they never came back.
Despite the inconvenience of constant bird droppings just outside the back door, they were a joy to watch. There are seemingly baby birds everywhere. A walk down the street and you are alerted to the presence of baby plovers, simply because of the aggressive behaviour of the parents. They flap and squawk, diverting your attention from the babies sitting in the middle of nowhere with no protection other than the vigilant parents. I’m amazed each year that the babies manage to make it to adulthood, given the unsuitable nesting locations chosen by the parents, but with their prolific numbers, it’s obviously not too much of a problem!
There are the turbo chooks, the affectionate name given to the local native hen, a flightless bird that is extinct on the mainland but has adapted well to living conditions in Tasmania. They are much beloved by locals, providing material for children’s books and bumper stickers. Running up to speeds of 50 kph, they live near water, and you’ll often see the fluffy dark chicks and their parents in our local park close to the river. Black swans are a common sight. You see them in surprising places, not always near the water. The other day, I sat in the car for a few moments on the highway, along with a car travelling in the other direction, as a pair of swans crossed the road to greener pastures. You see a bank1 of them in orchards or paddocks, happily digging for grubs in the soil. Where we walk the dogs on the beach, there is a black swan couple who regularly swim in the ocean, trailed by their two cygnets. They look quite majestic, if not somewhat out of place, gliding parallel to the shore, bobbing up and down on the small waves. And there are geese, gaggles of them, wandering on the side of the highway, with their numerous chicks following behind, oblivious of their proximity to the road and sudden death lifestyle.
Even if the weather appears not to have moved on from winter, I figure the animals are much more in tune with the cycle of the seasons than we are. If they think it’s spring I’m happy to agree with them, even if it does take a little imagination.
It’s not just the birds that are enjoying the longer daylight hours. While there are still plenty of bare trees around there are buds and flowers starting to emerge. The primroses, with their blooms nestled snuggly in the centre of the plant, present a burst of colour. The sweet peas are not far behind, nor is the wisteria or the jasmine. Our jasmine has been slowly creeping its way over the side of the shed. I love its simple star-shaped flowers and its heady fragrance.
At this time of year, when there is little in the way of fresh produce available, I look for alternatives to add flavour. Some years ago, when I owned a tea shop, I used to serve shortbread biscuits made with a flavoured green tea that imparted a subtle fruity flavour. Similarly, this recipe for shortbread gets its spring floral flavour from jasmine tea, which is readily available. Rather than a biscuit, I’ve gone for a Scottish-style shortbread, where the dough is pressed into a tin before being baked and cut. This combination of a slightly more sturdy shortbread that is, at the same time, delicately flavoured seems to best represent the contrasts of spring.
Jasmine Shortbread
Makes 10 wedges
10 g jasmine tea or 5 jasmine teabags
200 g plain flour
50 g wholemeal plain flour
80 g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
200 g salted butter
80 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
Grease a 20 cm round, shallow cake tin and line with a round of baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Put the jasmine tea in a small blender and whizz it until it is fine. Tip it into a bowl with the flour and the sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it is well dispersed and the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Toss through the white chocolate.
Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down evenly. I use a small, straight-sided glass as a mini rolling pin to even out the top. You can also make this as a more freeform shortbread, shaping the dough into a round on a baking tray lined with baking paper. You can pinch the edges to create a traditional shortbread edge. Use a knife to score the shortbread into 10 wedges. Sprinkle over the extra caster sugar; I vary between a light sprinkling and a thicker layer that is almost crunchy once baked.
Bake in the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on it; you want a pale golden colour. remove from the oven and leave to cool before removing from the tin and cutting into wedges along the score lines. The shortbread will keep in an airtight container for several days.
Next week: welcome strawberries + a workhorse cake
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There are a few choices for the collective noun for swans. Bevy is sometimes used for a group of swans on the ground, but a bank seems to be the preferred option, while swans in flight are known as a wedge.
Keep Tassie Wild, love it. The jasmine shortbread looks wonderful and that tea cup is so pretty!
For months now I’ve noticed a pair of ducks hanging around our shed. Yesterday I saw them with a heap of ducklings. Too quick for me to count them but it was so lovely to see the little family. We also have a swallow nest on our verandah and agree, while their poop is annoying, it’s kind of cool to watch them.