Flourish Magazine

pears to be the best one yet. She explains that heat spikes have the potential to burn plants, kill baby plants and send things to flower rather than letting them ripen, but Napa has had only one so far in 2013, in June. "This year, we've been very fortunate," she observes. When all goes well, the garden gives the restaurants a convenient source of organic produce at peak freshness with ultimate flavor, and it's part of the slow food philosophy that the region embraces, but it's also a business and more than simply a labor of love. "Every year, it's a massive investment. Jessica delicately plucks the blooms off the Scarlet Runner bean stalks for Oenotri's. It has to be productive," says Rodde. He reveals that Oenotri's goal is to grow 80 percent of its own produce, and with the garden, as well as other agricultural properties in Napa Valley, it is getting close to its target, reaching as high as 75 percent. Freshness, Flavor and Innovation Oenotri's fall crops include squash, chard, tomatoes and sunchokes, and in devote an entire plot to herbs and fruit, namese herb similar to coriander] to use such as mint and rhubarb, for use in bever- in the restaurant's pho. She is also using ages at a new cocktail lounge. Kitchen Door's six 50-foot beds to cultivate Having the space to grow difficult-to- squashes, three types of eggplant and a find plants is one of the assets of having a variety of tomatoes — including Copia, an garden. Florist Amanda Barad, who owns attractive red tomato with green streaks. Kitchen Door with chef Todd Humphries, Cucumbers are at the heart of a chilled her husband, is a hands-on gardener, and summer soup garnished with melon and she is currently growing rau ram [a Viet- Kim Chi cucumber. "It's yogurt based, so summer, Scarlet Runners give Rodde and his staff a chance to be creative. "We love the Scarlet Runner beans, but we love the blooms even more," he says, describing the beans as a delicious byproduct. He uses the blossoms primarily as garnish, but they add an understated note to a dish as well. The flavor of edible flowers is intense. "The radish blossom is the spiciest blossom you'll ever have," he says. The fresh flavors the garden delivers are paramount. "We have heard only positive things from our guests, from the freshness of our salads to the beautiful presentation that our edible flowers provide," says Stephanie Kendall, who owns Carpe Diem Wine Bar with her husband, chef Scott Isaac Coles. "We mainly focus on growing unique herbs that our local farmers' markets don't provide, such as shiso [a distinctive Japanese herb] and lemon basil, to add fun unique flavors to our internationallyflavored dishes," she says, adding that the restaurant is planning to expand and will RESIDENTIAL AND SOLAR INSTALLATION FREE CONSULTATION AND ENERGY ANALYSIS DESIGN AND INSTALLATION SERVICES SOLAR ELECTRIC AND SOLAR POOL HEATING "The Sun First! fellows were very hands on. In our Tiburon home we cut our natural gas usage by more than 90%. I cannot recommend the Sun First! group highly enough." Frank Levinson CALL TODAY TO SAVE $1,000.00! (Some restrictions apply.) 415.458.5870 SunFirstSolar.com FALL 2013 • FLOURISH 25

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