Fiddlin' around with fiddleheads

For those of you who are really interested in DIY/frontier living, and not some silly made-for-TV pioneer construct, roll up your sleeves and get back to the land, which is yielding fiddleheads. Fiddleheads are the new shoots of fern before they unfurl into fronds. They are so named because they look like the top of a violin, or fiddle. In New England, they can be found along streams in woodsy areas in late spring. You don't have to harvest them yourself, though; you can now find them in the produce section of the supermarket.

Fiddleheads have an earthy taste like asparagus or broccoli. But they are a bit tough and tasteless when steamed. They are best boiled in salted water for about five minutes. To prepare fiddleheads for cooking, cut off any brown ends and dump them into a bowl of cold water. Slosh them around and rub off any brown leaf-like coverings. Drain and rinse again. Continue to rinse until the water runs clear. Place them in a pan and cover them with water. Add a pinch of salt. Heat them until they begin to boil. Allow them to boil for about five minutes or until tender. Serve them buttered, with a squeeze of lemon, if desired.