Inside The New York Botanical Garden
recipes
Posted in Gardening Tips on September 10 2013, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.
We all have good intentions. Recently I was perusing well-known quotes on ‘good intentions’ when I came across one that I liked from Jeffery Kluger, a senior writer at Time Magazine. It reads as follows: “There’s a deep-freeze of sorts for all good intentions—a place that you store your plans to make changes in your life when you know you’re not going to make them at all.”
This blog entry is about making good on ‘good intentions’ which may incidentally involve a deep freeze. Every year I plant at least four different types of basil. I do this partially for experimental purposes, though mostly because I love having fresh basil around in the summer. But how often do I actually use it?
That is where good intentions come in. Often basil from my garden or from the store lies around the kitchen before it is all used up. I am ridiculously frivolous and wasteful when it comes to basil. Try as I might, there is something about summer that just does it to me. I swear I will be more vigilant and still it blackens and wilts before my eyes.
What, then, can be done to excess basil to ensure that it is put it to good use throughout the year? When I buy or pick a large bundle of basil, the first thing I generally do is stick the long stems in a glass of water to keep it hydrated. I use it like a vase arrangement and place it on the corner of my kitchen counter at arm’s length from my cutting board.
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Posted in Gardening Tips on September 3 2013, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Over the long weekend, I spent my afternoons out in the Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden teaching the public how to make herbal teas and herbal vinegars. It is a great time of year to think of creative ways to start using your garden herbs.
One of my colleagues gave me two large pineapple sages (Salvia elegans) for teaching props. Despite its name, pineapple sage has no direct relation to pineapples (which can be seen in our Wild Medicine exhibition growing in containers by the water lily pools). The common name refers to the wonderfully fragrant foliage that exudes a sweet pineapple fragrance. For those of you who like herbs but sometimes feel that the fragrance can get too strong, this is certainly an annual herb for you.
Pineapple sage is indigenous to Mexico and regions in Central America. It is hardy from zones 8-11, so we grow it as an annual in these parts. It is a tall plant, reaching 4-5 feet with beautiful, deeply veined, citrine green foliage. The stems—like other members of the mint family—are square, and in this instance deep burgundy and hairy. Late in the season, this fragrant sage is covered with red flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
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Posted in Programs and Events on July 26 2013, by Matt Newman
As I write this, it’s barely lunchtime on Friday and already our stomachs are grumbling for Sunday night’s Family Dinner with Mario Batali’s Chefs. But if you saw the menu, you’d have no cause to blame us for jumping so far ahead of schedule. Chef Cruz Goler of Lupa and Chef Frank Langello of Babbo will be here and in rare form, slinging gourmet dishes in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and talking shop with cooking demonstrations both before and after the meal. It’s a pretty well-rounded approach to highlighting everyone’s favorite pastime—eating well! And with plenty of crafts and activities to keep the kids happy (and perfectly paired wines to give your own mood that much more of a boost), it’s the quintessential al fresco dining experience.
There may only be two days until the event kicks off, but we still have a few tickets left for you to snap up, so don’t wait until the last minute. For more information on Family Dinners and everything happening during our summer Edible Garden events, head through to our official page—or zip right over to MasterCard’s Priceless NY registration page to grab a spot for Sunday night!
We’ll be prefacing our gourmand experience with an entire weekend of music, poetry, and hands-on activities centered around our ongoing exploration of Wild Medicine. Join us in the Ross Hall on Saturday, July 27, for the heights of lyricism hosted by visiting poets. The likes of Terese Svoboda and Rafael Campo will be joining us for dramatic readings of 16th-century classics, proving that the art of botany moves well beyond the beauty of the flower itself.
For the DIY dynamos among you, the Home Gardening Center should be high on your list of destinations, too. We’ll have an NYBG expert on hand to answer your questions on the pride of so many summer gardens: the hydrangea. Whether blue, pink, or somewhere in between, we’ll teach you how to grow and maintain these flower puffs to your liking.
There’s a whole lot more going on this weekend than I can jabber on about here, so head below for the schedule and we’ll see you on the grounds!
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Posted in Gardening Tips on January 8 2013, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.
Last week I introduced you to a few new dwarf blueberry and raspberry cultivars that are on the market this year: blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Jelly Bean’, blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Peach Sorbet’, and raspberry Rubus idaeus ‘Raspberry Shortcake’. This week I would like to tell you more about Dave Brazelton, the hybridizer behind these plants, and share a few pointers for growing dwarf berries of your own.
During a summer spent working on his cousin’s blueberry farm in New Hampshire, Dave fell in love with the business. He excelled in the field and was the first overzealous employee to hand-harvest more than 1,000 pounds of berries in one day. Years later, when he was married and working as a veterinary technician, Dave and his wife Barbara decided to realize their dreams and buy a blueberry farm and nursery. They found a 25-acre blueberry farm in Lowell, Oregon, that they purchased in 1978.
Since then, the farm has grown from a retail operation and a landscaping business to a wholesale nursery, with one of the top blueberry breeding programs in the industry.
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Posted in Programs and Events on September 4 2012, by Matt Newman
So the kids are shuffling back to school with no lack of grumbling and the chill in the morning air has you rethinking a light jacket. No matter! Summer still reigns on Wednesdays at the NYBG, where our weekly Greenmarket takes center stage from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s free to park and peruse, so why make excuses to stay home?
Each week’s fresh offerings are something of a surprise, depending on the month, so we can’t make any guarantees as to what our growers will be bringing with them. However, based on last week’s bounty, we’re looking at a bevy of heirloom tomatoes in reds, yellows, and purples, along with beets of all hues. To that end, I’ve listed a sampling of simple recipes to put your haul to its best use (because I’m nice like that). Alongside the vegetables, you’ll also find Red Jacket Orchards selection of fruit juices, and of course Millport Dairy’s pickled eats (habanera pickles among them). Round out the menu with some moon pies and you’re looking at an envious shopping list.
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Posted in Around the Garden on July 31 2012, by Ann Rafalko
It’s tomato time, and that can only mean one thing, that it is also gazpacho time. Gazpacho (or gaspacho) is a cold soup from Spain. It is refreshing, healthy, delicious, and a great way to showcase the intense flavor of summer’s most perfect tomatoes.
Gazpacho generally consists of a few basic ingredients; tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, garlic and olive oil, but as with most “simple” recipes, the variations are endless. We have rounded up a handful of our favorite gazpacho recipes below. Do you have a favorite variation we haven’t mentioned? Feel free to tell us in the comments!
Summertime is also a good time to brush up on your food safety smarts. To that end the Cornell Cooperative Extension will be at the Greenmarket this week 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. to offer tips and answer all your food safety questions.
The weekly NYBG Greenmarket occurs every Wednesday through November 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. near Tulip Tree Allée. Admission and parking for the weekly Greenmarket is always free, and EBT, WIC, and FMNP and NYC Health Bucks are accepted.
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Posted in Around the Garden on July 24 2012, by Ann Rafalko
It is a bountiful time of year. Just about any fruit or vegetable you can imagine is available and at the peak of flavor. It’s the best time of year for vegetable lovers; tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, peppers, garlic, peaches, nectarines, cherries, they’re all available at the weekly NYBG Greenmarket! Last week we featured recipes for salads that use lots of vegetables and require little or no cooking. This week we’re giving you recipes that involve cooking, but also take full advantage of all of summer’s amazing produce. See our picks below.
Also this week you can also learn how to take your vegetable scraps and turn them into the gardener’s version of black gold–compost! Representatives from the NYC Compost Project will be on hand 11 a.m – 1 p.m. to offer composting tips and tricks and to answer all your questions.
Admission and parking for the weekly Greenmarket is always free, and EBT, WIC, and FMNP and NYC Health Bucks are accepted. The Greenmarket is situated near the Mosholu Gate entrance near Tulip Tree Allée and occurs every Wednesday through November 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Posted in Around the Garden on July 17 2012, by Ann Rafalko
It’s hot, I cannot lie. Another thing I cannot lie about: I’m really bad at dealing with the heat. My favorite ways to cope include sitting in the shade along Tulip Tree Allée, drinking lots of cold water, indulging in an occasional popsicle, and staying as far away as possible from the stove; in other words, it’s time to eat lots and lots of salad.
But, as I’m sure you know, plain old iceberg and tomatoes can get a bit repetitive. What’s the solution? Hit the weekly Wednesday NYBG Greenmarket for inspiration (and check out our recipes below)!
This week, in addition to the usual abundance of fruits and veggies, you will also find representatives from the Montefiore Office of Community Health and Wellness offering advice and screenings, and educators from St. Barnabas Hospital offering advice on healthy habits and staying well. And though it may seem hard to motivate in this intense heat, a bit of gentle exercise is still important, so pull on your sneakers and go for a walk with the members of the Weekly Walking Club.
Admission and parking are free to shop at the Greenmarket and EBT, WIC, and FMNP and NYC Health Bucks are accepted. The weekly NYBG Greenmarket near Tulip Tree Allée happens every Wednesday through November 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Posted in Around the Garden on June 26 2012, by Ann Rafalko
At the Garden’s weekly Greenmarket you’re going to find more than just beautiful veggies and fruits for sale. At the Greenmarket, we’re hoping you will also find the inspiration to grow your own healthy crops! And we’re here to help you along the way.
This week, amid the greens and beans and peas and cherries, you will also find experts from the NYC Compost Project who will demonstrate how to turn your food scraps into beautiful, rich garden soil that can feed you for years to come! While they say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, growing your own and using what would normally be thrown comes pretty close.
The weekly NYBG Greenmarket near Tulip Tree Allée happens every Wednesday through November 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free to shop at the Greenmarket and EBT, WIC, and FMNP are accepted. Stay tuned to Plant Talk for information on weekly special events, produce updates, and recipes for using your freshly bought produce.
For a special healthy grilling recipe, head below the jump!
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Posted in Around the Garden on June 12 2012, by Ann Rafalko
The weekly NYBG Greenmarket returns tomorrow! Fresh veggies, fruit, baked goods, and cheeses are available near Tulip Tree Allée every Wednesday through November 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free to shop at the Greenmarket and EBT, WIC, and FMNP are accepted. Stay tuned to Plant Talk for information on weekly special events, produce updates, and recipes for using your freshly bought produce.
Weekly Walking Club – Meets every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. by the NYBG information table.
Join Public Education staff for an invigorating 1.5 mile loop around the Garden. Wear your walking shoes and bring a bottle of water for a walk that makes a great part of a healthy lifestyle.
What vegetables will be available?
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We all have good intentions. Recently I was perusing well-known quotes on ‘good intentions’ when I came across one that I liked from Jeffery Kluger, a senior writer at Time Magazine. It reads as follows: “There’s a deep-freeze of sorts for all good intentions—a place that you store your plans to make changes in your life when you know you’re not going to make them at all.”
