Often mentioned in Emily Dickinson’s poetry, robins symbolize hope, happiness, new beginnings and loyalty. In myth, the bird gained its rusty red breast by carrying water to sinners condemned to a fiery hell. In another, a robin that enters a house via an open window blesses the dwelling with love.
Perhaps inspired by the bird’s worth ethic, I renewed a search for unused rhubarb patches in the neighborhood in hopes of recreating Mother’s unmatched upside-down cake.
Rhubarb, a vegetable although the U.S. government weirdly classifies it as a fruit, was first mentioned in Chinese writing 3,000 years ago. Valued as a lifesaver in cold climates as a much needed and spring source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K, it has other medicinal uses.
My search ended at Donna and Larry’s patch, located next to a pasture where horses grazed. Larry, who wished to protect his patch from ruin, said that stalks must be pulled and not cut to allow regrowth, and leaves put back in the patch for fertilization.
The directions were easily followed; not so a recipe to produce the piece de resistance. As per my sister, it should include a white cake mix, whipping cream and a few other ingredients not found in our pantry. Two harried trips to the grocery store followed before realization dawned that I was lost in complexity.
That was the case until I made a third trip and discovered angel food cake mix, which promised four simple steps with water as the only added ingredient. Jean, who has spent much of her life warning her brother against taking shortcuts, said it wouldn’t turn out well. The cake and boiled rhubarb and pineapple chunks quickly entered the oven.
Angel food rises as it bakes; placed in a too small pan, it will spill out, which it did. Soon the unmistakeable smell of a mistake polluted the house. Stunningly the cake emerged appearing edible, especially so with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Satisfied and sedated, I return to watching the robin work. In lore, a robin is said to inspire humans to try new things and rise to difficult challenges. A Dickinson poem ended the day with a call to a nobler purpose.
“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.’’
The effort must constitute more than a Don Quixote dream in our difficult times.
Mychal Wilmes is the retired managing editor of Agri News, now known as Agweek, an agriculture-based newspaper published by Forum Communications Co.
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