Victory Gardens..any beyond!

BonJour!!

Did anyone see "60 Minutes" last week? Alice Waters, of the famed Chez Panisse in Berkeley, numerous cookbooks etc., was on discussing organic farming and gardening, cooking with fresh ingredients and sustainable living. She hoped that our President Obama would be the first to grow an organic garden on the grounds of the White House. A great interview with Alice! I was inspired - and evidently the Obama's were too, as just this last week Michelle and some local children were on the nightly news planting a White House Victory Garden! Wonderful!

In my true "Francophile" spirit I am equally inspired by the potager, or kitchen garden, so prevalent in the French countryside. I love how the French knowingly turn leeks and potatoes into flavorful soups, crush fresh herbes with garlic and season meats, fish and poultry and, of course, who could resist a perfectly sweet Apple Tartin. If the Francophile spirit moves you, pick up the enchanting little book, A Pig in Provence and dream of your own little "potager".

I was blessed growing up in Northern California. My dad loved gardening and each summer and fall we had the most beautiful tomatoes, squash, peppers, cucumbers, chard, green beans and others fresh gown veggies- trees were abundant with plums, figs, peaches, apricots and little apples. I remember the seemingly endless watering and hoeing of weeds and putting up fencing to keep the 'coons and rabbits and birds at bay. It was a colorful and bountiful garden! Looking back we were really quite progressive, but my pop actually reminisced about his childhood in Santa Rosa and the necessity of home gardens and canning and about the Victory Gardens of WWII.

They say history is cyclical. I am once again blessed as John just planted tomatoes and peppers, pumpkins and squash, artichokes, colorful chards and lettuces in a sunny spot in the middle of our little orchard. We also have plum, grapefruit, lemon, lime and pear trees. We heard all the new baby plants and fruit trees giggle during last night's rain and then we heard more giggles as the sun broke through the clouds warm and bright. Hoeing the weeds was easy as the ground is soft and damp. It is a glorious Sunday!

I mention all these tales of gardening because I know Petit Soleil will be a direct beneficiary of John and my "Victory Garden". I look forward to making stratas and quiche using the Swiss chard and peppers, and tomato basil tarts, and fresh plum coffee cakes! We will continue to pick up fresh produce, dates and nuts at the Thursday evening's Farmer's Market in downtown SLO (the strawberries are especially flavorful right now, as is the asparagus!), but the thought of bringing in our own home grown goodies will be especially thrilling!

I hope this little blog entices you to visit us at Petit now or in the future, but even more, I hope this little blog entices you to plant your own Victory Garden, or even a big barrel full of tomatoes and herbes (weather permitting)...and we will share recipes using the fresh ingredients from our good earth.

Happy Gardening!