The Edible Academy Family Garden Picnic

Posted in Programs and Events on June 3 2013, by Matt Newman

Don’t mourn spring for too long! Even if those idyllic daytime temperatures came and went like an afterthought, what follows is that much better: summer, and all the delectable eats that tank-tops-and-flip-flops weather brings along with it. Spring’s fruit and vegetable plantings are teetering on the edge of the first harvest (I know, where did the time go?) in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, and naturally that can only point to cookouts in our future. But we’re not about to settle for half measures when it comes to the tastes of the warmer months. With Mario Batali back in our corner for another round of edible outdoor adventures, how could we?

This year’s Edible Academy Family Picnic brings the maestro of all things culinary back to The New York Botanical Garden for an exclusive evening dining experience, complete with a seasonal cooking demonstration from the chef himself. That’s in addition to hands-on vegetable harvests in the Family Garden, tutorials for hopeful greenthumbs, tree climbing, and more than enough crafts and family activities to keep even the most tireless toddler happily occupied. It all begins at 4 p.m. on June 10, kicking off with a delicious picnic supper designed by Mario himself and enjoyed on the flowering Garden grounds. Afterwards, dig into the fun taking place in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden before joining Mario at 5:30 p.m. for a book signing, followed by his gourmet cooking demonstration alongside Daphne Oz, Mario’s co-host on ABC’s The Chew.

As the night closes out, Mario hosts a special Cocktail Reception, complete with his signature cocktail recipes and other Batali-inspired treats. For a better idea of all the goings-on coming next Monday, we caught up with Toby Adams, our Edible Academy Manager.

All proceeds from this exclusive picnic event will go directly to the development of The New York Botanical Garden’s new Edible Academy, a dramatic expansion of the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden set to create a year-round learning center that will not only teach 80,000 children a year, but parents, teachers, families and adults as well. There, visitors will not only learn about the goings-on in the vegetable garden itself, but about important connections between plants, nutrition, and health, expanding on the wonderful programs already in place at our Family Garden.

Tickets are limited, and Monday, June 10 is fast approaching, so reserve your seats while you can!