I want to share with you some of the exceptional places that I come across from time to time. These places are gems and not to be missed if you are in the area, or they could even be a destination. Most have a “garden thread” to them. “Places To Know” can be retail, restaurants, nurseries, and other. Whatever the place, expect the unusual.

Can't find Chocolate Mint, Dark Opal Basil, or Cat Mint at your local nursery. You can find them all at Pearson's Gardens, along with about 800 other herbs. Pearson's Gardens is a specialty nursery who grow potted herbs, potted heirloom vegetables, scented geraniums, unusual edibles, and ethnobotanical herbs. (Ethnobotanical, is an adjective describing the scientific study of traditional knowledge and customs of a people relating to their use of plants for medical, religious, and other uses.)

Tucked away in the hills of Vista, this nursery is a treat to visit. All of Pearson's Gardens plants are naturally grown in rich organic soil, and plain ol' Southern California sun. No chemicals or pesticides are used here. If you are not in the vicinity their herbs may be purchased online, too.

Whether you are new to incorporating herbs into your life, or a veteran in gardening and cooking with them, Pearson's Gardens will still surprise you at their vast selection and "herb niche" they have created. Thank you, Cindy and Mark, always kind and gracious when visiting them on site, were happy to respond to my e-mail interview questions about their business below. Pearson's Gardens, 1150 Beverly Drive, Vista, CA 92084. (tel) (760) 726-0717, Monday through Friday, 9am - 4pm.

1) How did you and Mark get started in the herb nursery business? Was it a hobby that blossomed? Your intention all along to grow herbs? Why herbs in particular?

We began growing herbs out of personal interest and as a sideline to our indoor & exotic plant business. Personally, I didn't think it would ever amount to much because herbs had such low regard in the gardening community. However, with better cultivation techniques herbs broke into the mainstream of both culinary and garden circles. As public demand grew, our herb selection grew from about 50 common varieties to over 800!

Why herbs? Both Mark and I are lifelong health nuts. We have always sought out natural, healthy, homegrown foodstuffs. Herbs were a pursuit waiting to happen....

2) With the popularity today of growing your own edibles, has this trend affected your business in any way?

The recent explosion of interest in growing edibles has encouraged us to expand our offerings to include a significant selection of gourmet vegetables, heirloom tomatoes, and more truly unusual edibles from around the world.

3) Is there anything that you would like to say about herbs, (growing, cooking, in the garden), that people might not know about? You can be general or specific.

In the realm of herbs exists the story of history itself. Herbs have been carried in ships by early explorers, by wind and birds, and in pockets of immigrants seeking a new homeland. In their travels they bring part of the culture from the place the journey began.

4) I think I heard you speak of culinary chefs seeking you out for certain harder to find herbs. Please name some of them, and what they might be used for.

Yerba Santa/Hoja Santa Piper sanctum is used in Mexican and Central American cuisine as a flavor infusing wrap, as well as to flavor sauces and entrees.

Mentuccia/ Nepitella Calamintha nepeta, native to Tuscany, might be thought of as a minty oregano flavor that is paired inseparably with mushrooms.

5) Who are your customers, local and online? Do you have specialty clients for certain herbs?

Since we grow an extensive selection of international culinary and ethnobotanical herbs, people from very continent walk through out gate!

6) You sell over 70 lavender varieties. Which is your favorite and why?

It's hard to narrow it down to just one. We favor Sweet Lavender for its year-round color. For fragrance and culinary use, it's a tie between Provence and Grosso.

7) If someone was new to growing herbs, and wanted to start using culinary herbs, what are your top ten basic recommendations?

The short answer is - the ones you use!

1. Basil 2. Parsley 3. Sage, Berggarten or Sage of Bath 4. Chives 5. Mint, Kentucky Colonel 6. Oregano, Greek 7. Rosemary 8. Tarragon, French 9. Dill 10. Cilantro

You are now growing heirloom vegetables and tomatoes besides herbs. Is this one of your new directions? Are there other directions you are going?

We are definitely continuing to expand our offerings of vegetables, tomatoes, as well as international and exotic edibles.

9) Are there any trends with selling herbs that you have noticed?

We are seeing more men, as well as young adults with a new found interest in herbs and edible gardening

10) Is there anything you would like to add, or mention? There is an exciting trend of edible landscaping and co-mingling herbs and vegetables within ornamental gardens. In doing so, gardeners should always remember to use food-safe products and practices.

Please comment if you use herbs in your life now. Please share which herbs are your favorites.

Hello January, and hello to a new decade! I hope that all of you had wonderful and memorable holidays with your loved ones and friends. May this "New Year" and decade bring you happiness, health, and the passion to "live your best life" (to borrow from Oprah). I look forward to another year of sharing "the garden lifestyle" with all of you here on VintageGardenGal.

For New Year's I gathered up a bouquet of fresh flowers in bloom from my garden. We've had so much rain, there is quite a bit blooming in my garden the beginning of  January. One of my "petite resolutions" this year, is to bring more of my fresh cut flowers into the house to enjoy. Fresh bouquets, especially from your garden, are such a special touch to a room.

As I gathered this bouquet of blooming "My Sweet Valentine" roses, Alstroemeria "Casablanca", and Crimson King iris, I was reminded of my fellow garden blogger, Carol Michel, and her wildly popular "Bloom Day" post every 15th of the month.

Carol writes a popular garden blog out of Indiana, Zone 5, called May Dreams Gardens. On "Bloom Day" she encourages everyone to visit her site, and post photos of what is blooming in their own garden on the 15th of each month. It is a real melting pot and sharing of gardens from all over, and what is beautiful in bloom. What a concept.

This bouquet won't make it to the 15th of this month, but maybe something else wonderful will be blooming to share. Treat yourself, and visit Carol's "Bloom Day" post this month, and tell her VintageGardenGal sent you.

I want to share with you some of the exceptional places that I come across from time to time. These places are gems and not to be missed if you are in the area, or they could even be a destination. Most have a "garden thread" to them. "Places To Know" can be retail, restaurants, nurseries, and other. Whatever the place, expect the unusual.

Nearly six years ago I met girlfriends in Paris, for a pre-Christmas splurge and getaway. Paris is always enchanting, but even more so around the holidays. Ever since then, I associate Paris with Christmas time. What a grand pairing!

A few Decembers ago, I borrowed from my "Christmas Time in Paris" experience, and helped create for one of my garden groups, a Parisian Holiday Tea, hosted at the opulent (and closest venue to Paris that I could find in the San Diego area) The Grand Del Mar, just east of Del Mar, California. Holiday teas can be a special gesture to share with good friends, nieces, sisters, moms, grandmothers, granddaughters, and loved ones.

Like a thread I could weave, I picked the "Christmas Time in Paris" theme and wove details for a Parisian Holiday Tea. Here are some of the styling details that helped create a special holiday tea.

1) The invitation was created from one of my favorite photographs in sepia, from that earlier Paris trip. For more on that trip, see Christmas Time In Paris.

2) Setting was an intimate fireside seating just past The Grand Del Mar foyer with all of their holiday decorations, grandeur, and holiday tea menu.

3) Special "Parisian" favors were created using a gold sheer bag tied with gold/bronze fleur-de-lys ribbon. Inside the party favors, there were special vintage pink alabaster glass cameo charms from French General, fleur-de-lys chocolates from The Royal Sweet an extraordinary chocolatier out of Georgia, and least but not least, an "April in Paris" sweet pea packet from Renee's Gardens.

4) A few words spoken about how Parisians, and those in the French countryside celebrate their holidays with Pere Noel, and their grand "reveillon" traditional feast.

5) One of our members spoke about "Bachelor's Preserves", and gave everyone a gift-wrapped jar of it and recipe to take home. Bachelor's Preserves is the French technique of preserving summer fruits with liquor.

Picking a theme for a party or event makes planning and creating your event easier, and adds a certain element of surprise. Please share if you have enjoyed "tea" with friends or family around the holidays. Please comment if you have been to Paris at Christmas time.

VintageGardenGal Tidbit Thyme...

VintageGardenGal wishes everyone Happy Holidays!

Jim Dodge Chocolate Pecan Cake

I'm a big fan of French author Mireille Guiliano who burst onto the publishing scene in 2005 with her book, French Women Don't Get Fat. She has gone on to write several more books, including French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, & Pleasure (Vintage) Mireille Guiliano (and as I also aspire to) lives her life by the seasons. In French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, & Pleasure (Vintage), she writes chocolate isn't strictly seasonal, so it can be certainly be enjoyed year-round, but she emphasizes that chocolate lends itself much better to the fall and winter seasons. I agree, and therefore must share with you one of my favorite winter desserts, Jim Dodge's Bourbon Chocolate-Pecan Cake.

Jim Dodge's Bourbon Chocolate-Pecan Cake

I was given this rich dessert recipe from my dear friend, Janet Leutel, nearly a decade ago. Janet annually compiles a short softcover cookbook of her favorite recipes over the past year, and gives it as a special gift around the holidays.

This is a very rich, dense flour-less cake. Use good chocolate and cocoa powder. The "bourbon" ingredient is optional in this recipe. I generally make it without. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups pecan halves

3/4 pound unsalted butter (divided)

12 oz. bitter or semi-sweet chocolate (divided)

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

6 eggs

1/3 cup bourbon (optional)

Method:

Spread pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast in 350 degree oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set aside and cool. Separate out 1/2 cup for decorating top of cake layer. Grind until coarse, 1 and 1/2 cups pecans in food processor, which will be added to the cake mixture later.

Cut circle of parchment to fit bottom of 9" spring form pan. Butter pan well, and line with parchment circle.

Melt 1/2 pound butter and 8 oz. chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. Stir until very smooth and set aside to cool.

Mix sugar, cocoa, and eggs just until well combined. Add melted chocolate, stirring to combine. Add coarsely chopped 1 and 1/2 cups pecans, and stir in. Add bourbon if you are using it, as this point.

Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and place this pan into a larger pan with simmering water. Water level should come to 1/2 of spring form cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees in oven until cake is firm to the touch, about 50 minutes.

Cool cake on wire rack, and remove side of the pan. Leave parchment paper on and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (I like to refrigerate cake in spring form pan overnight).

Remove cake from refrigerator, and place upside down on wire rack, or serving dish. Peel off parchment paper and drizzle with glaze. Drizzle the sides, and then the top. Smooth with a spreader. Decorate the top of cake with remaining pecans.

Glaze Recipe:

4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 pound unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until completely smooth. Cool about 5 minutes, before spreading on cake.

Please share if you have a traditional dessert you make every holiday. Please share if you are known for a signature gift you make for others each holiday.

Attention chocolate lovers!  Carole Bloom's latest cookbook is out, Intensely Chocolate, 100 scrumptious recipes for true chocolate lovers. (Wiley 2010)

Carole notches up the "chocolate factor" creating over 100 recipes with many different types and forms of chocolate.  Many of her recipes in her latest book, call for high cacao, high content chocolate, which intensifies chocolate flavor. Written for bakers of all levels, Carole graciously walks us through the different types of chocolate, equipment, and best techniques. Nine different chapters cover every one's chocolate favorite something.

I read Carole's new book, Intensely Chocolate, like a novel, gliding through each chapter, enjoying the fresh and upbeat easy format and size, and relishing all of the mouthwatering photographs.

It was hard to decide which recipe to make first. I decided on "Milk Chocolate-Dulce de Leche Bars" in Carole's Cookie Chapter. Coincidentally, she said it is one of her favorite recipes, too. Enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Dulce de Leche Bars

These potent bars have three layers, a coconut and brown sugar crust, a Dulce de Leche (caramel) filling, and a glaze of dark milk chocolate. You can cut these into smaller bite-size pieces, if you like.

Makes 2 ½ dozen 1 x 2 ½-inch bars Special equipment: 9 x 13-inch baking pan

Crust: 4 ounces (8 tablespoons, 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 cup (2 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut 1 cup (6 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar 1 cup (4 ½ ounces) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon kosher or fine-grained sea salt

Dulce de Leche filling: 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Glaze: 13 ounces dark milk chocolate (38% to 42% cacao content), finely chopped

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the inside of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, pressing it into the pan, and letting it hang over the short edges.

For the crust, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Place the coconut, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a 2-quart mixing bowl and toss to blend thoroughly. Pour the melted butter into this mixture and use a rubber spatula to stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and press it in evenly, making sure it reaches into the corners.

Bake the crust for 15 to 18 minutes, until light golden and set. Remove the baking pan from the oven and cool it completely on a rack.

For the Dulce de Leche filling, combine the sweetened condensed milk, the unsalted butter, and the corn syrup in a 2-quart heavy-duty saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until it thickens and turns a deep beige color. Pour the filling over the cooled crust, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Return the baking pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the filling begins to bubble. Remove the baking pan from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool completely.

For the glaze, melt the dark milk chocolate in the top of a double boiler over warm water, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Or melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on low power for 30 seconds bursts, stirring between each burst. Remove the top pan or bowl of the double boiler, if using, and wipe it dry.

Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the Dulce de Leche filling and use an offset spatula to quickly spread it evenly. Tap the pan gently on the counter top to release any air bubbles in the chocolate. Chill the pan for 10 minutes to begin to set the chocolate then let it set completely at room temperature.

Lift the bars from the pan by holding the edges of the parchment paper then peel the parchment paper away from the sides of the bars. Use a chef’s knife dipped in hot water and dried to trim off all of the edges. Use a ruler to help measure where to cut and cut into 1 x 2 ½-inch bars, cleaning the knife between each cut.

Serve the bars at room temperature.

Keeping Store the bars in an airtight container between layers of waxed paper at room temperature up to 3 days.

Streamlining The crust and the filling can be baked the day before adding the dark milk chocolate glaze.

Carole Bloom is a personal friend, and an accomplished European-trained pastry chef, confectioner, chocolatier, and best selling author, speaker, and teacher. For more information on Carole, please visit Carole Bloom.

Please share if you have a "chocolate lover" or "cookie monster" in your life.

Best Garden Boots from The Best @ Dianne B. Garden Boots. Tired of the standard Wellies? My dear friend, Debra Prinzing had the skinny when I asked about her great gardening shoes. She was right. These Panther Print Garden Boots ($74) are garden chic, comfortable, and durable. Did I say French, too? I always get compliments on them. Boots are also available in Olive Green ($64). Tip: I ordered a whole size larger, than my normal shoe size.

French Woven Baskets by The French Basketeer. Beautiful, authentic French baskets and totes. Prices vary by different shapes and sizes. They are beautiful! Available online, and Sundays 9am-1pm at the Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market.

Books! My dear  friend, cookbook author, and speaker, Carole Bloom, has another hit with her new book, Intensely Chocolate. More on Carole, and her new chocolate cookbook next month, as I must share with you her "Milk Chocolate-Dulce de Leche Bar" recipe that I recently made!  Edible landscaping pioneer, Roslind Creasy has a "hot" new book out, Edible Landscaping, pushing us to continue to explore the endless possibilities of edible and garden together.  I also recommend many more incredible books on VintageGardenGal's home page, right side bar!

Cobra Head Weeder & Cultivating Tool. My dear friend, Anneliese Valdes, and her family out of Wisconsin, make a wonderful must-have gardener's tool, The Cobra Head ($24.95). Created by her father, the Cobra Head concept was invented from a five-tined old fashion cultivator. I use my Cobra Head all the time. It is easy on your hands and wrist, and glides through soil. Check out other fine products for gardeners on their website, Cobra Head.

Zingerman's Olive Oil Food Club. ($125.00). Most gardeners are terrific cooks. What better gift for them than rare olive oils from around the world. Think spring mesclun salads, roasted home-grown vegetables, and dipping with artisan fresh-baked bread. Zingerman's Rare Olive Oil Food Club. Coined "Best Food Club" by the Wall Street Journal in 2007. You have the option of different monthly installments.

Succulents Galore. Author, speaker, and painter,Debra Lee Baldwin, has opened an online store, Debra Lee Baldwin with "everything succulents" from key chains to mouse pads, to her paintings. We all need to add a few more succulents in our life!

I was able to landscape in front of our home quickly, simply because I was inspired by a perfect $10.00, five gallon "Little Gem" magnolia tree. I have always loved magnolia trees. When I saw this "Little Gem" magnolia tree, I thought  I could create something different and focal using espaliered magnolia trees. From this one special tree, I drew inspiration for a color scheme, complementary plants, and garden style.

When inspiration strikes you, act on it quickly. You can get inspiration from just about anything and anywhere. It can be an object, a color, a setting, a single tree, or even a beautiful phrase of words. You just need to be open to it.

"Little Gem" magnolia trees have beautiful green leaves on their top side and a distinct brown-bronze color on their underside. Ah...garden inspiration, chocolate or bronze color, wtih a smidge of blue-purple color, and a hint of deep wine-cranberry pink color. From this palette, I looked for plants that had these colors, that were low to medium height, drought tolerant once established, and were basically in the Mediterranean style. The following is a list of plants I used in my design.

Chocolate Color Plants Magnolia Tree "Little Gem" New Zealand Flax, Platt's Black Summer Chocolate Mimosa Tree Bugleweed Bronze Ajuga Reptans Red Fountain Grass Red Hook Sedge Pittosporum Harley Botanica (Bronze Structure)

Blue-Purple Flowering Plants Rosemary Tuscan Blue Rosemary Huntington Carpet Duranta Sweet Memory Nemesia "Blue Lagoon" Bugleweed Bronze Ajuga Reptans (Blue Flower Spikes) Ceanothus Concha

Pink Flowering Plants Redbud Tree Lavender Twist Muhly Grass Mallow Barley Boysenberry

I might have waited until spring to landscape in front of our home, but inspiration hit, sparking this planting. The fall season is perfect for planting, and establishing plants over the rainy winter. Most of these plants were on sale which was an added bonus.

Resources: Armstrong Garden. Evergreen Nursery, and Home Depot.

Please share if you have been struck by an inspiration that prompted something new in your garden. Please comment on some of your garden inspirations.

VintageGardenGal Tidbit Thyme... From Our Coop to Yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

It was about this time last fall, give or take a month or two when my husband, John, and I embarked on our remodel project. Fast forward one year, a zillion decisions, a few surprises, ample changes, some upgrades, and our home remodel project is finished. I should say the construction is finished. There is still window treatments, landscaping, and more fun projects.

If you  recall, we remodeled our 1930's Spanish style 1,600 square foot home pushing out in two directions gingerly hugging around our mammoth Italian Stone Pine tree. We added approximately 1,000 square feet to our original home, with "night and day" improvement in livability, function, beauty, and views to our garden and horizon. Additionally, we built a new construction 20' x 40' two story barn. A simple gravel courtyard connects our home and barn. As seen in the above photo, we have a guest auto court and pedestrian gate to enter our courtyard.

John and I kept our basic Spanish-style home, upgrading materials and transitioning from a brown tile roof and beige stucco home,  to a traditional red tile roof, white stucco beauty. I was looking for a warm brown for an accent color for barn doors, barn shutters, and front gate and ironically stumbled across the color, "Wild Raisin" with a bit of wine color and life to it. Wild Raisin could easily become a name for one of our future wines out of our Domaine de Manion syrah vineyard.

Inside our home, the color theme is white "Cielo Blanco" walls with warm gray trim, accented by flat black lighting, railings, and door handles. Our floors are either hard wood or concrete terra cotta tile.

John and I appreciate immensely, all of the people and their talents who worked on our home remodel project. It was a real team effort, and a coming together of many, many people. We especially want to thank our architect Bill Bocken, William Bocken, Architecture Interior Design, (tel) (619) 260-1162 for his vision, and ability to be "right on" all the time when it comes to design, style, function, and color. We would be remiss if we didn't mention our savvy and energetic contractor, Robert McCarron, Robert McCarron Construction, (tel) (619) 726-6517, who orchestrated this entire project.

Other Key Components: Jim Gibson, Gibson and Gibson Antique Lighting. Custom Lighting. Vintage Timberworks, Vintage Timberworks. Recycled Wood & Flooring. Gary Henschel, Fixtures For Living. Appliances & Plumbing. Vintage Tub & Bath, Vintage Tub & Bath. Sinks. Ay's Designs in Iron, Ay's Designs In Iron. Custom Railing.

Please share if you have recently been through a home remodel. Please comment on your home remodel experience.