The Edible Garden Opens this Weekend!

Posted in Exhibitions, The Edible Garden on June 26 2009, by Plant Talk

Martha Stewart Heads Lineup of Celebrities, Chefs
Jennifer Josef is Director of Public Education.

At long last all these months of planning are coming to fruition: from the amazing signs and information that interpret the special garden exhibitions to the fun and interesting programs happening on Saturday and Sunday and beyond. The Edible Garden finally opens.

Coming from an Italian family, food and cooking have always been a large part of my life. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of times spent with my mom in our garden or in the kitchen cooking together. I think that’s why The Edible Garden resonates with so many people—we all have had great experiences that involve food.

With the amazing lineup of chefs, gardening experts, and scientists, The Edible Garden takes growing and cooking great food to another level. This weekend I look forward to learning about heirloom vegetables with author Amy Goldman and then how to save their seeds from George DeVault, President and Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange, to get my own container garden growing in my apartment. Thank goodness Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardner for Public Educaiton, leads the Home Gardening Demonstrations on the weekends: She always answers my beginner questions with ease, although I’m sure she must get a laugh out of my wacky questions.

I had the privilege of meeting Dan Barber, chef at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, during our interview for the Edible Audio Tour; he was amazing. Secretly (or not so secretly now!), I have developed a crush on him. His passion about great food and the local food movement is inspirational. I can’t wait to hear more from him about his own work and where we as consumers can take the food movement. He’ll be presenting in the Conservatory Kitchen on Saturday.

And who doesn’t love a cocktail! I feel sure I’ll be able to re-create some of the cocktails Martha Stewart will be making during her demonstration on Saturday. Her recipes, along with others, will be posted on the Botanical Garden’s Web site, so no need to take notes while enjoying her “Cocktail Hour.” While I haven’t managed to eat at Savoy yet, I’m positive that owner and chef Peter Hoffman will show us recipes that will whet my appetite and have me calling up for reservations right after he finishes his Sunday demonstration!

Speaking of recipes, at our Media Preview on Wednesday, Chef Dan Rothman from Whole Foods Market, one of our sponsors, put our new Conservatory Kitchen to use. He whipped up a Rainbow Chard Slaw with Yarrow-Berry Vinaigrette for those in attendance, choosing his ingredients especially for their seasonality—what can be found at this time of year in home gardens or at farmers markets. Try it out and tell us how you like it.

We have been working with these and other amazing people for many months now in planning The Edible Garden. Like with any good meal preparation, the moment comes when it’s time to “dig in.” So please come, dig in, and enjoy this celebration of food and return throughout the summer for more fun events.