Our little plot.

Zoe, Doug & I recently rented a plot in a community garden just down the street from our house.  In a perfect world, we would have an immense garden in our backyard, but unfortunately our lil’ piece of swamp land here in the city makes our newly rented plot entirely necessary!  There is something to be said about growing your own food; a special satisfaction that I cannot compare to anything else. I have been lucky to work in many kitchens that have relied on what grows in the garden; Les Fougeres, Peter Island and Inn At Bay Fortune.  So, when it came to planting my garden, here are a few of the essentials that I could not live without. The herbs that I need on a regular basis were the first things that we planted; basil, flat leaf parsley, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, marjoram and lemon balm.  Next came a few tomato varieties, such as roma and teardrop. Doug planted green peppers, even though I think they’re evil.  Lettuces, arugula, radishes and tons of lavender rounded out our little plot. So, we shall wait and see what comes about in our little corner of the community garden. I’ll keep you posted on how green my thumbs get!

Click here for the full set.

Learn more about lovage.

When I was growing up in Quebec, my parents had this big, crazy bush of lovage that I had to walk by everyday.  Everyday that I walked by that bush I complained that it stank and that the smell made me sick to my stomach; typical child behaviour.  To me, lovage was the bane of my existence!  It was only many years later, when I moved to Prince Edward Island to become Executive Chef of The Inn At Bay Fortune, did I have to face my fear.  Working in a kitchen where I changed the menu daily, and depended on the garden for ninety percent of my produce, I realized that lovage and I were going to have to fall in love with each other.  I  took it upon myself to learn about this magical herb, that I could only describe as “celery on crack”.  Lovage grows year round in some parts of the world, and unlike most herbs, when you cook it, it does not lose it’s flavor.  So, out came lovage soups, oils, purees and salads.  It works wonders in a chicken salad sandwich, and pairs perfectly with pears!  I am now proud to admit that the first thing  I planted when we bought our house, was a tiny lovage plant that has now turned into a beautiful, aromatic bush.