Bicycles and Blooms

More than 20,000 wildly enthusiastic bicyclists rode from west to east across the state of Iowa last week on an event called RAGBRAI . Along the 472-mile route, riders have the opportunity to park their bikes every few miles in tiny Iowa communities to partake in sweet rolls, berry pies, omelets, sweet corn, pork loin sandwiches, and a host of other Iowa delicacies that will fuel them on to the next stop.

No, this isn’t a mad dash to the finish line; it’s a leisurely two-wheel glide across our state. The dominant landscape is corn and soybeans with a smattering a yellow coneflower, swamp milkweed, and Indian paintbrush populating the roadsides.

Tiny towns along the route get into the celebration by sprucing up their streetscapes and, with the help of the local cheerleading squad or marching band, cheering the riders on as they pass through town.

This year I was one of those folks cheering on riders as they passed through my hometown. Someday I would like to be pedaling! Indianola greeted the riders in blooming style with flower-filled baskets hanging on the front of old bicycles. Simple plant combos like geraniums, sweet alyssum, and a bit of vinca were all that was included. And they were perfect. The riders smiled and waved as they passed, occasionally whipping out their digital cameras to take a picture on the fly.

For the love of zucchini

A quick peek under the sandpaper-like leaves of my boisterous a zucchini this morning revealed a plethora of sunny yellow blossoms each promising to produce a robust green fruit. While the tomatoes are slow to ripen this year, the zucchini looks to be thoughtfully picking up the slack and turning out bushels of fruit. I quickly promised myself to tend the plant vigilantly so as not to produce baseball bats, but respectable-size zucchini perfect for sautéing.

It’s inevitable that a fruit will go unpicked, languishing under leafy cover and growing to magnificent proportions. So Hannah and I chop, mix, bake, mix again, and spread. Finally we sit on the porch swing with the dogs at our feet and get delightfully chocolaty.

Chocolate zucchini brownies
3 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda
1/3 cup cocoa
3 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Place grated zucchini in a colander for 10 minutes to drain excess liquid. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into a greased 11x15 pan. Bake at 350º for 30 to 35 minutes, until tests done with a toothpick. Dust with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Or frost with quick and easy buttermilk frosting.

Buttermilk Frosting
In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup butter, 3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 T. buttermilk. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar. Quickly spread warm frosting on warm brownies.

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