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Written by Ann Shepphird
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 You've gotta love a place that's not only named after an herb (Tiato is a Vietnamese herb in the mint family) but surrounded by a garden filled with herbs and citrus used in its dishes. You've also gotta love a place that comes from a family known for a revered garlic noodle recipe that's revealed only to family members (and made famous at the Crustacean restaurants in San Francisco and Beverly Hills). But you've REALLY gotta love a place that manages to take a vegetable that's fun to grow but not to eat (I'm talking about you, Brussels sprouts) and turns it into a wonderful chopped salad-type side dish by roasting it and adding roasted kale, dates, almonds and garlic in a lime wasabi sauce. I'm going to work on getting the recipe to share here for those growing kale and Brussels sprouts but in the meantime I am happy to introduce you to the House of An's Tiato Kitchen Bar Garden in Santa Monica, which offers breakfast and lunch in both a sit-down cafe and a grab-and-go market.
And, for those who want help with part or all of their Thanksgiving dinner (and want it to be fresh, healthy and organic), An Catering is offering a Thanksgiving dinner (pictured above) available to go from both Tiato and AnQi, their bistro in Costa Mesa and available for pick up the day of or day before Thanksgiving. The menu includes organic, free-range turkey that's been brined in citrus and herbs for 48 hours, a choice of stuffing (turkey-apple sausage and leak; mama's sticky rice with Shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage and chestnuts; and a gluten-free version with caramelized onions and herbs), and a long list of side dishes that include cranberry-orange chutney; haricot vert with water chestnuts and ginger in a butter sauce; smashed yams with rosemary garlic; and, yes, "An's famous" garlic noodles. For more information or to order, visit Tiato Thanksgiving. |
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Written by Linda Hayes
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 Floating in a private Watsu therapy pool. Testing your balance (and bravery) on a 35-foot-high challenge course. Connecting with your inner cowgirl during a nurturing equine experience, or on a bucking mechanical bull. Hitting your target in an archery class. There are endless ways to work up an appetite at Travaasa Austin, a serene, eco-friendly retreat and spa in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve about a half-hour from downtown Austin.
Lucky thing there's Executive Chef Benjamin Baker (a.k.a. Chef Ben) to keep hunger at bay. In charge of Jean's Kitchen (above), Travaasa's casual restaurant and bar, he turns out appealing and satisfying dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner -- and there's always something available to snack on in-between meals as well.
In tune with the healthy dose of activities on tap (or dose of healthy activities, as it may), Chef Ben's fare is packed with fresh, organic and locally sourced ingredients. Key to this is his relationship with an Austin distributor, Farm To Table, that partners with farmers within a 200-mile radius to supply locally grown farm products to area restaurants, independent groceries and other folks.
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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 There's something very soothing about finding fruits and vegetables that grow in your own backyard when you're halfway around the world. This happened to me recently on a trip to Istanbul and Izmir, Turkey. As we were walking around the Old Town of Istanbul -- viewing the centuries of history still alive at the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Underground Cistern and the Museum of Topkapi Palace -- there, suddenly, were a number of vendors serving freshly sliced watermelon. And not just any watermelons but huge green watermelons that looked very similar to the watermelon that was the first thing I grew in my garden and in a way launched this site (story here). The watermelon I grew was an Ali Baba heirloom watermelon, which originated nearby in Iraq, but these were very similar looking -- especially in size. I later learned that Turkey is the second biggest producer (after China) of watermelon. As you can see, the ones they were serving look absolutely wonderful.
 Also available (in abundance) were artichokes (which have a very short season), oranges (which they fresh squeezed at stands in Ephesus), almonds, asparagus, olives, cucumbers and tomatoes. To the right is just one display at the Kemeralti Bazaar in Izmir. Later, as we drove from Izmir to Ephesus, the rows and rows of almond trees reminded me quite a bit of driving down through Central California on a summer day.
One of the new trends we discovered in Istanbul is the bringing back of historic Turkish and Ottoman cuisine using fresh seasonal produce. We found this at both the Tugra Restaurant at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski (a former Ottoman palace) and at Nar Lokanta restaurant, which also runs a culinary institute and has a gorgeous vertical botanical garden running through it. I'm hoping to have a recipe to share soon and then we can all enjoy historic Ottoman cuisine using the fresh seasonal produce from our own backyards. |
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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 It somehow doesn't feel right using the word "tucked" when describing the location of the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. The fact that the Huntington spans 207 acres would seem to make it difficult to tuck it anywhere. But that is exactly the feeling one gets after leaving the Los Angeles freeways that take you into Pasadena, past CalTech and then into the residential community where the Huntington is located. Originally a ranch, Henry Huntington bought the land in 1903. His superintendent William Hertrich then helped develop the plant collections for the botanical gardens, which now feature more than 14,000 different varieties of plants in more than a dozen garden areas.
 The Huntington's Japanese Garden (above), originally built in 1912 and a favorite since the Huntington opened to the public in 1928, recently reopened after a year-long $6.8 million renovation. New elements include an authentic ceremonial tea house, a restoration of the original Japanese House, repairs to the water infrastructure and pathways, and the addition of a waterfall. Additional gardens on the expansive grounds include the Australian Garden, Camellia Garden, Children's Garden, Chinese Garden, Desert Garden, Herb Garden, Jungle Garden and the Rose Garden (right). Upcoming events of interest to gardeners include the Huntington's annual plant sale, going on Sunday, April 29 (with a members' preview on April 28). For those who can't make the bigger event, there's a free garden tour and plant sale on the second Thursday of every month. Or there's the popular Tea & Tour, which includes a morning docent-led tour of the gardens followed by English tea in the Rose Garden Tea Room.
For those that want to further their "Huntington" experience, nearby The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, also offers beautifully landscaped gardens (including a Japanese garden) as part of its 23 acres. The hotel is featuring a "Gastronomy in the Garden" dinner on August 23, where Royce Chef David Feau will create a tasting menu featuring seasonal produce from the hotel's organic garden. For more information, call 626-585-6218 or visit pasadena.langhamhotels.com. |
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