The Kitchen Garden at Allt-y-bela in Wales, Garden Design 2012 Magazine — The Kitchen Garden at Allt-y-bela in Wales, *Garden Design* 2012 Magazine

From my post last week, Down The Garden Path, followers were asking me where I got my willow fencing. I thought it might be fun to revisit the original post and my original kitchen garden inspiration from photos and the Garden Design article. I hunted “high’ and “low” to find willow products, and finally found them at Master Garden Products in the Pacific Northwest. I actually called them as I had several questions and needed more information to make my order. Master Garden Products couldn’t have been more helpful and so friendly. I highly recommend the company and their products.

Now is a great time to get your gardens plans in place, make an order, and enjoy the beauty of willow!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

The inspiration for my kitchen garden, or potager, came from a Garden Design, Winter 2012 magazine article, Simplicity Rules, on well-known garden designer, Arne Maynard’s rustic and historic late medieval farm, Allt-y-bella. Located in Wales, much of the rustic gardens and garden structure remind me of Provence. I envisioned borrowing a lot of the main elements featured in the article and photos, creating the look of a rustic kitchen garden. Some of these elements that caught my interest were the wattle hazel fencing, arching fruit trees with a centered bench, raised beds for vegetables, obelisks for climbing vegetables, easy pathways around the raised beds, and select spots for larger perennial plants like rhubarb and artichokes.

Allt-y-bela Kitchen Garden Pathway, Arching Fruit Trees, and Bench, Garden Design 2012 — Allt-y-bela Kitchen Garden Pathway, Arching Fruit Trees, and Bench, *Garden Design* 2012

In 2015, I started creating a kitchen garden space to the north of our vineyard, with 4’ x 8’ raised bed kits. I looked high and low for hazel or willow wattle fencing for enclosing the kitchen garden similar to Allt-y-bella. I couldn’t find any source at the time. I needed about 75’ total. However, I happened to find a large amount of rolled willow fencing at Rogers Gardens at 50% off in an obscure sale corner. My intention for fencing the perimeter was to keep our chickens out of the kitchen garden as well as any random critters.

Up until 2020, my kitchen garden was good, and a work in progress. Over time, with sun exposure and high winter winds the willow fencing began to come apart and break down. This is common. I started looking for what I call wattle or willow fencing again.

Last month I found willow fence panels online at Master Garden Products. They offer a nice selection and sizes of willow fencing, panels, borders, obelisks, etc. They are out of the Seattle area, and will freight orders to you. I purchased 6’ L x 3’ H woven panels for my entire perimeter, and used the same anchoring rebar and metal stakes that were already in place. I am really pleased with the look, and the material overall. I also purchased three obelisks for climbing beans. The willow panels are stronger and sturdier than the rolled fencing, but will eventually break down over time.

Fine tuning the willow fence, I will put put larger rocks around the bottom of the fencing, to discourage critters from burrowing under the fence.

Starting an Outside Row of Perennial Artichokes

For more information and musing on how I create garden rooms from garden magazines, photos, and design ideas, please go to my previous post, The Making of a Garden Room.

French Fabulous! On Netflix, there is a new French subtitled drama series, Lupin. It is like a modern day “Houdini” Thriller series. Lots of twists and turns. Not only does it keep you on the edge, it is filmed mainly in beautiful Paris. Once you watch an episode or two, it draws you like a magnet. With two series completed, I see there is a third one coming.

Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Kitchen Garden, Styling, Musing, GardenBonnie Jo ManionJune 24, 2021Garden Design Magazine, Kitchen Garden Inspiration, Allt-y-bela, Arne Maynard, Master Garden Products, Willow Hurdle Fencing, Willow Obelisks, Provence, Bonnie Jo Manion, Domaine de Manion, French Country Living, Rogers GardensComment

Ma Amie, Kathy

I have a dear friend who exudes “joie de vivre” whether she is here in San Diego, at her little stone house in Provence, or anywhere in the world. Ma Amie, Kathy Hurder. We are both Francophiles, and share the love of French country cooking, the wine, the copper, the markets, the brocantes, the lifestyle, and the beauty in the simplicity and quality of life.

With France opening up once again to tourists and foreigners, I remember with fond memories our last trip to France in 2019. Kathy and her charming husband, Ron Lauderbach, graciously invited us to their special corner of Provence. My husband, John, and I in turn invited them to share a weekend in Beaune, Burgundy, France, together a week later. We had so much fun, and yes, it was cherry season!

No need to buy cherries this morning, as Kathy and Ron have their own happy cherry trees in their “petite jardin.” When it is cherry season, you enjoy them fresh, but also make a Cherry Clafoutis.

Cherry Clafoutis is a very popular French dessert, simple and seasonal, in which you can easily exchange seasonal fruit of the moment. If I remember correctly, we made Mimi Thorisson’s Cherry Clafoutis from her first cookbook, A Kitchen in France, and in her 2013 blog post, which she shares the recipe along with her complementary Duck Burger recipe. Yum!

Kathy and Ron, in Medieval Village, Séguret, Provence and overlooking Sablet, Provence

One of our incentives for a rendez-vous a week later in Beaune, besides the incredible Burgundy wine and regional food, was taking a “Day in Burgundy Cooking Class” with American ex-pats “mother daughter duo” Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, at The Cook’s Atelier. Planned well in advance, Kathy and I were lucky to land the last two spots in a Saturday June cooking class. While at our cooking class, our fellas were happy to further explore Beaune and dabble in some wine tasting. Needless to say, it was an incredible day and experience, full of special memories. For more info on The Cook’s Atelier see below.

I can’t say enough about Beaune, Burgundy, and highly recommend spending some quality time there. It is really worth it to bike or hike into the surrounding world famous vineyards. There is a real sense and spirit of place, and the terroir is immaculately managed and revered.

Past and Present Merge in these Vineyards

It is a real gift to have “joie de vivre” and the ability to put a spark in other people’s lives, just by being your passionate self. Merci Kathy and Ron!

French Fabulous!

The Cook’s Atelier, by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, is one of the best cooking classes I have been to. From start to finish, it is a whirlwind for your senses. I often thought about them, through this pandemic. Was this small family business surviving, with no classes, no brick and mortar storefront retail? Were they writing a new cookbook? Well, good news, yes, and yes, and yes.

The Cook’s Atelier hosts regular one day classes, and also offers week long master classes. The Cook’s Atelier has taken this gift of time to expand their country home outside of Beaune, creating a large potager and teaching kitchen. They are now growing most of their own fruit and vegetables for their culinary classes, and in the week long master class will be bringing the class to their country setting for more culinary instruction and Burgundian experience. Adding to this, they have expanded into custom copper gardening tools, found on their website. Amazing.

Another Related and Past Blog Link, The Cook’s Atelier

Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Musing, Places To Know, Provence, Travel, Vineyard to VintageBonnie Jo ManionJune 18, 2021Cherry Season, Cherry Calfoutis, Séguret, Provence, Beaun, Burgundy, The Cook's Atelier, Mimi Thorisson, Marjorie Taylor, Kendall Smith Franchini, A Day in Burgundy Cooking ClassComment

"P" is for Peas and Parmesan Pasta

“P” is for Peas and Parmesan Pasta is a tongue teaser, but also a very passionate pea and pappardelle pasta recipe, a must if you love peas! This recipe is from Manhattan’s Pó restaurant, and Pó chef John Baron, which I originally saw featured in Oprah magazine, January 2001. Pó restaurant was established in 1993, and is permanently closed now, but it’s memory will live on with this recipe.

Keeping frozen peas in your freezer— olive oil, dried pasta, and red onions in your pantry, it can be an easy “go to” recipe when needed. With that said, this recipe calls upon best quality ingredients as usual for your best flavor and outcome. Fresh pasta is preferred, but you can easily used dried too. For the recipe this time I used bucatini pasta. I have always used frozen peas for the recipe with fabulous results, but I do want to use fresh peas from my garden one day.

Add a nice slice of rustic bread with your finished pasta, and you have a bright, flavorful, simple pea pasta dinner of comfort food.

Pappardelle with Peas and Parmesan

Lovingly Adapted from Pó Restaurant, Pó chef John Baron

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh or dried pappardelle (or fettuccine)

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup coarsely chopped red onion

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups fresh or frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

1 Tbsp. butter

12 whole mint leaves, optional

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste

Whole cooked peas and lemon zest for garnish

Directions:

1) Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta of your choice until al dente.

2) Meanwhile, in a wide skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, sugar, salt, pepper, and peas. If you are using fresh peas, cook 10-12 minutes or until the peas are soft and tender, stirring occasionally. If you are using frozen peas, add them when the onion is tender, and cook 2 more minutes stirring. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree with broth or water and the remaining olive oil, scraping down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula.

3) When the pasta is done, drain it. Mix the pea puree and butter in a saucepot; add the pasta and stir until it’s evenly coated. Add the mint leaves and toss well. Serve with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garnish with whole cooked peas. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Please share if you have a simple pea recipe. Please share if you make this recipe.

French Fabulous!

I want to mention a wonderful French film (subtitled) (comedy, drama, and family) I saw recently which was so sweet, School of Life (2018), L’ecole buissonnière is the original title. I found it to view on Amazon Prime Video. Beautiful characters, beautiful story, beautiful France, and a theme that “life sometimes rights itself.”

Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend…Bonnie

RecipesBonnie Jo ManionJune 10, 2021Pea and Parmesan Pasta, Oprah magazine, Garden Peas, Simple pea pasta, French Country Living, Domaine de Manion, School of Life movieComment

Flowering Grapevines

Depending on weather, the end of May, the beginning of June, our vines flower on new grapevine shoots reaching towards the sky, and this starts the beginning genesis of grape clusters. Grapevines are self-pollinating, so each flower has the ability to turn into a single grape berry, and ultimately a very handsome cluster of grapes. It is not a showy flower, green in color, and often you have to look very close to see this process happening.

It is a vulnerable time in the vineyard, as strong winds, can harm these delicate flowering grapevines and affect your yield and quality of grapes for the rest of the growing year.

Happy Summer Grapevines Marching Towards Fall

The grapevine shoots are still chartreuse green in color, but soon will become a darker mature forest green as the canopy grows and spills over the structured wiring keeping them in place. The grapevine clusters look plentiful, and so there is hope for a nice grape cluster yield and harvest in the fall.

For More Related Posts on Our Vineyard:

Domaine de Manion Vineyard

Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend…..Bonnie

Vineyard to VintageBonnie Jo ManionJune 3, 2021Backyard Vineyard, syrah grapes, grapevines flowering, domaine de manion, Bonnie Jo Manion, French Country LivingComment

Jubilant for Cherries

Our Gite Patio Overlooking Sablet, Provence

Back in 2007, my husband and I rented a gite outside of the medieval village of Sablet in Provence, France. A gite is a small furnished vacation house in France, usually in a rural setting. I rented it online, and was drawn to the spectacular setting nestled amongst the grapevines with the stunning lower Rhône Valley before our eyes.

Once a bachelor farmer son’s small stone home upstairs, and where livestock often were conveniently sheltered on the ground floor below, this beautiful little property had been lovingly restored and transformed into a very comfortable gite. I will never forget walking into the stone home and kitchen for the first time, finding a waiting bottle of Rhône wine on the wooden kitchen table, a huge bowl of fresh ripe cherries, and a note to enjoy our stay. I was in heaven.

Since we usually travel to France in the spring, I now always associate Provence in the spring with the fabulous seasonal cherries. So sweet and delicious, perfect fresh or in a light dessert.

Cherries at Apt, Provence, Saturday Market

Experiencing fresh cherries in Provence, I wanted to grow spring cherries in our orchard, but cherries typically need a cool climate, abundant chill hours, not normally trees for Southern California. A few years ago, I found cherry trees suitable for Southern California at Green Thumb Nursery in San Marcos, a retailer for Dave Wilson Nursery.

I bought a Minnie Royal and a Royal Lee, two great Southern California cherry trees necessary to pollenize each other. For some reason, I kept losing the Royal Lee tree, twice in fact, and then once with the Minnie Royal tree. Graciously, Green Thumb Nursery replaced each tree for me. I was beginning to doubt it was possible to grow cherry trees in Southern California.

With persistence, both trees are doing really well now. Last year was my first crop, and now this year, an even bigger cherry crop. I eat them off the tree when gardening. I don’t think they will see my kitchen for a couple of years.

Garden Design Tip: I always enjoy spring nasturtium that reseed and self-sow in my orchard which adds a little color and interest. This year I planted multi-color sweet peas at the base of many of my orchard trees, providing a few small stakes close to the trunk of each tree. The sweet peas responded well, climbing up the stakes, some onto the trees, and sprawling around the base of each tree with pretty color. I was pleased, and will continue to do it next year. You can also plant a climbing rose at the base of your fruit tree, and the rose will use the tree as support as it grows. These ideas are simple, add interest, and dress up an orchard or focal fruit tree.

Royal Lee Cherry Tree on the Left, Minnie Royal Cherry Tree on the Right

Do you have a success story with a fruit tree, or your backyard orchard? Please share!

Bon Appétit and Bon Holiday Weekend….Bonnie

Ode to Alice Waters

Meeting Alice Waters at Chino Farms, December 2013

Alice Waters has a new book coming out in June 2021, We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto, which you can pre-order now at Amazon. This year, her iconic restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California, celebrates its 50th Anniversary. So hard to believe. If you missed the recent New York Times article, Alice Waters Says People Who Call Her Elitist Just Don’t Get It, it is juicy reading.

I am just one person among millions, who have been greatly influenced by Alice Waters in so many ways. She is a national treasure. She is not afraid to speak her mind about eating, food, and food production. She has been honored over and over again, and people from royalty to presidents listen. Alice Waters is a great example, like Lulu Peyraud, of how one person can change the world, with authenticity and passion.

When I speak to groups, and in my writing, her underlying voice is resonating the now familiar philosophy of growing your own food, cooking fresh and simple, eating locally, eating seasonally, celebrating your food with all of your senses, teaching children through gardening, sustainability, supporting artisan farmers, slow food versus fast food, and more.

In 2018, I helped one of my garden clubs bring Alice Waters to San Diego to speak at the beautiful ballroom, Prado at Balboa Park. It was a sold out event. Everyone’s ticket included a beautifully prepared luncheon, a copy of her then latest book, Coming To My Senses, and a meaningful contribution to Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project. Besides her ability to speak gracefully to over 300 attendees about food, her philosophy, her long time friendship with Chino Farms, our food culture, and her beloved schoolyard project, she also had time to meet and “thank” the chef who prepared our luncheon, the event committee, and my dear friend and team, who made the beautiful edible centerpieces.

VIP Table at Alice Waters’ February 2018 Event, Prado at Balboa Park

Thank you Alice for your courage, vision, and tenacity! If you have a favorite Alice Waters story or recipe, please share!