08-04-2008, 12:02 PM
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK’s leading gardening charity, is celebrating the joy of growing and eating your own produce with a series of culinary events across its four gardens throughout August.
The activities, themed to savour the last of the summer with Mediterranean and Italian flavours, will help gardeners enjoy the fruits of their labour which began earlier this year as part of the RHS Grow Your Own Veg campaign, sponsored by NS&I.
“Everyone can benefit from growing their own produce,†said John Prout, NS&I Sales Director. “Not only is growing your own an enjoyable activity that all the family can be involved in, it also benefits the savings pot. By working with the RHS we are helping to teach the nation how to get the best benefits from growing produce and saving money.â€
A Mediterranean feel arrives at RHS Garden, Hyde Hall, Essex on Tues 12 August.
Gardeners will be able to learn how to grown a variety of ‘hot’ plants including vines, tomatoes and herbs for summer salads. Cooks from local company ‘The Green Kitchen’ will be creating wonderful Italian and Spanish dishes for people to sample.
There will be inspirational ideas for harvest time at RHS Garden, Harlow Carr, Harrogate on Monday 18th August. Broadcaster and local vegetable grower Joe Maiden long with RHS experts, will be advising visitors on all aspects of growing vegetables.
Chef Andrew Wood from The Vegetarian Society will be demonstrating delicious recipes using more unusual vegetables in a variety of dishes. Greek feta cheese bubble and squeak frittata and exotic fruit ceviche will be among his offerings.
Mini walks around the Kitchen Garden will help visitors find out what’s in season and how to store their harvest. Families can design their own lunch boxes and take part in the creation of a giant kitchen collage.
LAZY COOK’S PESTO
Take a handful of basil leaves and pine nuts. Add a clove of garlic, 1oz/30g of freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and 3fl oz/85ml of olive oil and whizz in a food processor.
A feast of ideas for vegetable gardeners comes to RHS Garden Wisley,Surrey on 11th and 21st August. One of the highlights will be an amazing dinner centrepiece display, with a salad leaf tablecloth and wonderful produce from the aubergine trial and colourful tomatoes for decoration.. You’ll be able to watch expert chefs from Company of Cooks demonstrating sizzling summer dishes under the cookery canopy in the garden. Children can have fun in the ‘Amazing Maize Maze’ – made entirely from sunflowers, sweet corn and green beans.
Children will be the focus of events at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon on 5th and 20th August, home of the Beatrix Potter Exhibition.
Special guided walks for youngsters will be held around the main fruit and vegetable garden where they will be able to dig up beetroots and cut courgettes. After all that hard work, the young visitors will then be able to taste some of the produce in the restaurant which will be serving up unusual summer dishes.
SPICY COURGETTE SALAD
Grate 2 courgettes, add a clove of garlic and a small red chilli pepper. Toss in olive oil with a squeeze of lime and season with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish to a sizzling barbeque.
The activities, themed to savour the last of the summer with Mediterranean and Italian flavours, will help gardeners enjoy the fruits of their labour which began earlier this year as part of the RHS Grow Your Own Veg campaign, sponsored by NS&I.
“Everyone can benefit from growing their own produce,†said John Prout, NS&I Sales Director. “Not only is growing your own an enjoyable activity that all the family can be involved in, it also benefits the savings pot. By working with the RHS we are helping to teach the nation how to get the best benefits from growing produce and saving money.â€
A Mediterranean feel arrives at RHS Garden, Hyde Hall, Essex on Tues 12 August.
Gardeners will be able to learn how to grown a variety of ‘hot’ plants including vines, tomatoes and herbs for summer salads. Cooks from local company ‘The Green Kitchen’ will be creating wonderful Italian and Spanish dishes for people to sample.
There will be inspirational ideas for harvest time at RHS Garden, Harlow Carr, Harrogate on Monday 18th August. Broadcaster and local vegetable grower Joe Maiden long with RHS experts, will be advising visitors on all aspects of growing vegetables.
Chef Andrew Wood from The Vegetarian Society will be demonstrating delicious recipes using more unusual vegetables in a variety of dishes. Greek feta cheese bubble and squeak frittata and exotic fruit ceviche will be among his offerings.
Mini walks around the Kitchen Garden will help visitors find out what’s in season and how to store their harvest. Families can design their own lunch boxes and take part in the creation of a giant kitchen collage.
LAZY COOK’S PESTO
Take a handful of basil leaves and pine nuts. Add a clove of garlic, 1oz/30g of freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and 3fl oz/85ml of olive oil and whizz in a food processor.
A feast of ideas for vegetable gardeners comes to RHS Garden Wisley,Surrey on 11th and 21st August. One of the highlights will be an amazing dinner centrepiece display, with a salad leaf tablecloth and wonderful produce from the aubergine trial and colourful tomatoes for decoration.. You’ll be able to watch expert chefs from Company of Cooks demonstrating sizzling summer dishes under the cookery canopy in the garden. Children can have fun in the ‘Amazing Maize Maze’ – made entirely from sunflowers, sweet corn and green beans.
Children will be the focus of events at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon on 5th and 20th August, home of the Beatrix Potter Exhibition.
Special guided walks for youngsters will be held around the main fruit and vegetable garden where they will be able to dig up beetroots and cut courgettes. After all that hard work, the young visitors will then be able to taste some of the produce in the restaurant which will be serving up unusual summer dishes.
SPICY COURGETTE SALAD
Grate 2 courgettes, add a clove of garlic and a small red chilli pepper. Toss in olive oil with a squeeze of lime and season with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish to a sizzling barbeque.