Life lived OUtside

OK, so maybe that title is backwards and should say the art of food. If you've been receiving this newsletter over the years, you know that the thing we love to do when we aren't outside in the garden is to cook. From marshmallow-fluff hamburgers to our annual meatball day for Christmas, our family enjoys our kitchen almost as much as we do our gardens.

And food can also be an easy, creative medium for art. Harder to frame to be sure, but delectable and delightful at the same time. Maybe you've done a make-your-own-pizza night before. Whether it's with the kids or with some friends, it's a fun way to do something together, plus you can satisfy everyone's tastes and diet. (I won't wade into the pineapple on pizza debate. . .)

But my mom had something different in mind to do with the girls a few weeks ago, when they set out to make pizzas. They didn't just put toppings on their pizzas, they used the toppings to create a beautiful garden scene. Really cool, and as you can tell, they are quite proud of it. It was both delicious and a treat for the eyes. If we hadn't been so hungry, we might have hung it on the wall.

With the holiday season fast approaching, great recipes are probably on your mind. Whether you plan to turn them into visual art is up to you, but if you want your cooking to really shine with fresh flavor and a backyard-to-table twist, then join me this Saturday at 10am for our herb gardening seminar. I'll tell you my best tips and tricks for growing great harvests of fresh herbs and highlight some fun ways to use the huge variety of herbs that Florida has to offer. I'm getting hungry already.

P.S. With the time change coming up this weekend, we are changing our store hours slightly. Starting Monday, November 8th, we'll be open until 5pm instead of 5:30pm.