A cold, grey, monotonous rain

In his Gormenghast trilogy, author Mervyn Peeke wrote the most wonderful line. His anti-hero, Steerpike, is looking out onto the city and notes...."It was a cold, grey, monotonous rain. It had not even the power to stop."   That's TODAY!   It has rained all day, cold, wet, grey and really rather ugly  I call these "real days"  because everything is just so...real..without the rose-colored hues of a sunny day or a fresh snow fall. A day like today just sits there and says "Well, what of it?"   When I go to a new place I often think.  Would I like it on a "real day"  one when the chamber of commerce is NOT sending out photographers to capture the beauty of their town.   If the answer is yes, I would like it even then, then I know it is a cool place and I could probably even live there.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Steerpike from the PBS DVD of Gormenghast

So, what do we look at on cold, grey, wet days when spring seems so far away.  How about an herb that loves water.   WATERCRESS

Nasturtium officinale

Watercress, probably best known as a salad garnish, is a cute little plant that can pack quite a tasty punch.
It is a member of the Brassicaceae family of plants.  The same family as the more commonly known cabbage. It is also related to garden cress and mustard plants

Watercress loves to live in semi-aquatic areas.  Like bogs, for example. There is earth about, but more mud than dirt and more water than mud. It is a small plant with tiny white flowers.  It can also be grown hydropontically in just water if needed and since it is a major player in the salad world, watercress hydroponic farms to exist. The envirnoment is controled and clean

One problem with Watercress is it does not like to be dried.  Basically, ya gotta use it while it is fresh and it doesn't like to keep.  So buy it only when you are ready to use it.
The plant is harvested before it produces flowers.  After it flowers, it gets bitter to the taste and not just spicy. Folks also just use the sprouts for food too.

I first discovered watercress while taking tea with a friend who had put together a lovely spread in honor of Queen Victoria's birthday. (don't ask.  No one really needs a reason to take tea!)  We had watercress sandwiches as well as cucumber sandwiches.  And YUMMY! they were indeed.  Really, wonderful.  Try one yourself. A blend of chopped watercress and parsley, with cream cheese. A mix of watercress and cucumber sandwiches will make a nice light plate to serve with afternoon tea.


Ingredients:

•1/2 cup watercress
•1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped
•1/4 cup butter, soft
•4 oz cup cream cheese
•2 tbs chives, chopped

Preparation:

Chop the watercress and parsley together until fine. Blend herbs with butter, cream cheese and chives. Spread on bread, and make into sandwiches. Remove crusts and slice diagonally into quarters.


Recipe from About.com  Coffee and Tea

Want another example???  Here is one that combines Cucumber and watercress at once.  I'm getting hungry

Ingredients

8 cups cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 cup chopped fresh chives
 2/3 cup butter, softened
20 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups trimmed and coarsely chopped watercress

Directions

Place cucumber in a medium bowl. Mix in salt. Cover and set aside for approximately 30 minutes.
Mix ground black pepper, chives and butter into the bowl with the cucumber.
Spread whole wheat bread slices with mayonnaise. Top 10 slices with equal portions of the cucumber mixture, then with equal portions watercress. Cover with remaining 10 slices of bread. Cut into triangles and serve.   Actually, I think this would make WAY more than 10 sandwiches....go carefully!

OKAY...I would argue the whole wheat bread.  I know it is good for you and everything, but this is TEA we're taking here, not a health club.  White Bread just tastes better.