Redwall Feast

"Friar Hugo bustled his way around the Redwall Abbey kitchens. He was a very busy mouse. A cook's hat wobbled on his head as he mopped at his brow with the dock leaf attached to his tail. Hugo's tubby form appeared and disappeared between ovens and ranges of steaming pans, squeaking out orders to his assistants. There was only one way to do things in the Abbey kitchen -- Friar Hugo's way.

"'Durdlum, scrub that chopping board clean. Sister Pansy, fetch the spring vegetables. There's peeling and chopping to be done, lots of it!'

"Sister Pansy was the prettiest young mouse. She loved cooking and had been around the kitchens since she could first toddle. Pushing a laden trolley of vegetables to the chopping block, Pansy chatted away as she unloaded them. 'Most of these have been picked fresh this morning. Oh, isn't it exciting, Friar? The Springtide Sunfeast!'

"Friar Hugo helped Pansy with the vegetables. He liked the young mouse; she was intelligent and hard-working. 'Springtime was made for good young 'uns like you, Pansy. Tell you what -- I'll teach you how to prepare a Springtide Sunfeast. How would you like that, little Sister?' Pansy's eyes went wide with delight. 'Oh, I'd love that, Friar! Thank you. Just tell me what you need, and I'll try my best to help. What's first?'

"Hugo scanned the menu. 'Hare's Pawspring Vegetable Soup. It's an old recipe from Basil Stag Hare's family. They say it improves their pawspringing powers. I think it must -- have you ever seen a hare leaping about at springtime? Remarkable! Now, here's how it's made. Pay attention.'"

The perfect intersection of family interests -- hares' pawspringing powers and kids willing to try roasted rutabaga sticks (artfully called Bellringer's Reward). I won't tell you how many hours I actually spent in the kitchen peeling said rutabagas and other vegetables, but let's just say our second annual Redwall Feast was a huge hit. Thank you, Brian Jacques!