Boston Flora

Month: March 2016

  • Saturday, March 26, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Meet the Chef

    Tower Hill Botanic Garden is hosting a series of Meet the Chef cooking demonstrations at 11 French Drive in Boylston. Studies continue to show that farm to table is beneficial for taste, nutrition, the environment, and the local economy. That’s why Tower Hill staff invited some of the best area celebrity chefs for cooking demonstrations to offer visitors tips for cooking seasonally, tastings to get guests motivated, and inspiration to escape winter’s chill by visiting Tower Hill. The demonstrations include Bill Brady, the chef at Sonoma Restaurant in Princeton, on Saturday, March 26, at 2 p.m. The demonstration, which is included in the price of admission, has limited seating available on a first come, first served basis. For more information, please visit towerhillbg.org or call 508-869-6111.

  • Friday, April 1, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Aquatic and Terrestrial Decomposition of the Invasive Norway Maple

    The New England Botanical Club will hold its April 1st meeting at 6:45 in the Haller Lecture Hall, Room 102, Geological Museum, 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge. The speaker will be Dr. Anna Aguilera, Assistant Professor of Biology, Simmons College in Boston, who will speak on Aquatic and Terrestrial Decomposition of the Invasive Norway Maple. The meeting is open to the public. For more information visit www.rhodora.org.

  • Saturday, March 26, 10:00 am – Celebrate Spring with the Friends of Clarendon Street Playground

    Join the Friends of Clarendon Street Playground at 10 am on Saturday, March 26 for an egg hunt, coffee and donuts, and a visit from the Easter bunny.  Volunteers needed to hide eggs at 8 am.  To help with this event, contact the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay at 617-247-3961, or email playground@nabbonline.com.  Image from www.chandoo.org.

  • Thursday, April 28 – Saturday, May 7 – Lombardy Garden Tour

    WhatsCookin’ Italian Tours announces its Spring 2016 Garden Tour of Lombardy. The tour includes a villa stay on Lake Como, and trips to Lake Maggiore, and to Milan, Bellagio, & Piacenza, among others. Gardens to be visited include the Borromeo islands, Villa Monastero, Sforzesco Castle, Royal Gardens at Monza, including the Roseto of the Italian Rose Society, Villa Melzi, Villa Carlotta, and the Grazzano Visconti Castle.

    In keeping with their background, chefs Marco Giusti and Claudio Bernardoni will conduct several cooking classes, as well.

    The price, based on today’s rate of exchange ($ 1.08 per euro) comes out to approximately $2800 per person, based on double occupancy, or to approximately $3240 for single occupancy. This includes essentially everything but airfare, i.e., accommodations, breakfast and either a large lunch or dinner daily, land transportation, cooking classes and garden admissions. The brochure looks fabulous – contact whatscookininfo@gmail.com, or Barbara DeRiso at barbaraderiso@gmail.com.

  • Tuesday, April 12 – Thursday, April 14, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Painting on Vellum

    Denise Walser-Kolar reveals her technique for painting on vellum during this three-day Wellesley Botanic Garden workshop, April 12 – 14 from 9:30 – 3:30. Begin by doing some exercises on small bits of vellum to learn her technique and get a feel for painting on this surface. Then choose a small fruit to draw and paint. This class combines demonstrations, discussion of materials and techniques, hands-on time for developing skills, and lots of individual attention. Wellesley Friends $395, nonmembers $495, includes cost of vellum used for class. Register at 781-283-3094, or email wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu.

  • Friday, March 25, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm – Assessing the Effects of Climate Change

    The Department of Environmental Conservation, as part of its Spring 2016 Seminar Series, will present Michael Frisk of Stony Brook University on the topic of Assessing the Effects of Climate Change: Exploitation and Predation as Drivers of the Collapse of Winter Flounder, on Friday, March 25, beginning at 12:20 pm in Holdsworth Hall, Room 105, at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

    Michael Frisk’s research focuses on the interaction of population dynamics, ecology and life history evolution in fishes in the general areas of applied ecosystem and population modeling, basic ecological questions and meta-analyses. He is developing a length-based statistical catch-at-age model for winter skate in the western Atlantic and a multi-species model of Delaware Bay using Ecopath and Ecosim. Knowledge of a species’ basic vital rates and ecology is essential for development of population models and management. For example, Frisk has estimated growth, age, fecundity and maturation for little skate and winter skate in the western Atlantic. Lastly, meta-analyses use previously published data to develop mathematical and statistical trends of related species to gain insight into the ecology, evolution and management of animal taxa. In this vein, Frisk’s current research focuses on developing meta-analyses for elasmobranchs and teleost species. In other words, he’s smart, and knowing about fish populations carries over to our general understanding of climate change.

  • Wednesday, April 13, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – An Evening with Chef Paul Wahlberg

    The Trustees of Reservations is delighted to welcome special guest Chef Paul Wahlberg for a memorable evening at The KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market this spring. On Wednesday, April 13 from 7PM-9PM, Wahlberg—owner and executive chef of Hingham-based Alma Nove and popular better burger restaurant Wahlburgers—will lead an interactive cooking demonstration on how to prepare a meal of fresh, seasonal, and locally-sourced foods from the natural bounty of New England straight from the Market floor. The hour-long demo will be followed by a seated dinner where event attendees can enjoy the fruits of their labors.

    A portion of the ticket sales from the event will help feed local families through the Wahlberg family charity, Alma Cares, which fed 1,500 families in need last year. Tickets are $68 for Trustees members and $85 for nonmembers, with prices inclusive of demo, appetizers, a three-course dinner, dessert and one complimentary beverage. Ticket price also includes the option to visit the Boston Public Market with The Trustees for pre-dinner bites from a selection of Market vendors. Small groups will leave from the KITCHEN at 6PM and 6:15PM. Opt in for this bonus experience when you register.

    Chef Paul Wahlberg was born in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, one of nine siblings, which include his famous younger brothers, Actor Mark Wahlberg and Musician/Actor Donnie Wahlberg. While Mark and Donnie spent their childhood daydreaming of their inevitable rise to fame, Paul spent his time in the family kitchen with his mother Alma and watching Julia Child on TV. At the age of 12, Paul fell in love with food over a simple eggplant parmesan sandwich at a friend’s house. According to Paul, his cooking was influenced by the Sunday suppers he shared at home with family and friends. A self taught chef, he began working as a caterer at the age of 16. After graduating high school, he spent time in several kitchens around Boston including The Charles Hotel, The Four Seasons and Bridgeman’s in Hull, MA where he served as Executive Chef for nine years. Following Bridgeman’s, Paul embarked on his first solo venture in 2010 with Alma Nove; an Italian, Mediterranean restaurant on the spectacular waterfront of Hingham, MA named after his mother, Alma, and the nine (nove in Italian) Wahlberg children. While Paul enjoys spending time in the Alma Nove kitchen creating elegant fine dining dishes, he has always dreamt of opening his own burger joint. In October 2011, Paul’s dream came true when he and brothers, Mark and Donnie, launched Wahlburgers. Offering fresh made-to-order burgers, fries and frappes, the menu reflects a mix of all American classics and Wahlberg childhood favorites such as the Thanksgiving Day burger where Thanksgiving dinner meets the burger. Today, not only will you find Paul bouncing around between the Alma Nove and Wahlburgers kitchens, you’ll see his vibrant presence in the front of the house as he takes time to greet and chat with guests who he treats as if they were family.

    For additional event details including menu and to register, visit http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/greater-boston/event-24639.html, email kitcheninfo@thetrustees.org, or call 978.578.5867 for more information. Become a Trustees member and receive discounts on many programs at The KITCHEN as well as at The Trustees’ 114 properties across Massachusetts.

    short rib paul 1.Nicoletta Amato Photography

  • Thursday and Friday, April 7 & 8, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm – NCG, Inc.’s Gardening Study School

    The National Garden Club, Inc.’s Gardening Study School for 2016, sponsored by the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc., will take place Thursday and Friday, April 7 and 8, at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston. This is Series 10, Course III. Recommended reading is Brian Capon’s Botany for Gardeners. Subjects covered will include Factors That Influence Plant Growth and Classifying Plants (both taught by Julie Shapiro), Techniques for Growing Outdoor Flowers (Paul Rogers), Pruning and a Teaching Tour of Tower Hill (Joann Vierra), and Creating Landscapes That Emphasize Native Plants (Claudia Thompson.) For further information contact Chairman Linda Jean Smith at 978-256-3101, or email lindajean.smith@comcast.net. $110 for Federated Garden Club members, $140 for nonmembers. Box lunches each day are available for $15 each with pre-registration – please specify choice of sandwich (turkey, roast beef or veggie) or salad (tuna) on a bed of greens. Send a check for registration fee and lunch(es) if applicable, payable to Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, no later than March 29 to Mary Nokes, 35 Woodpark Circle, Lexington, MA 02421, and include your name, address, phone, email, and Garden Club affiliation. No refunds.

  • Tuesday, March 15, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Suddenly it’s Spring: Starting Your Seedlings Indoors

    Join the Haskell Horticulture crew on Tuesday, March 15 from 11 – 1 at the Allen C. Haskell Public Gardens, 787 Shawmut Avenue in New Bedford to discuss spring clean-up in your garden. This is a hands-on workshop where we will get out into the gardens and learn new garden techniques by doing! Trustees of Reservations members $15, nonmembers $25. Wear appropriate clothing for outside work. Call 508-636-4693, x 5011 for directions and more information.

  • Wednesday, March 16, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – The Combat-Ready Kitchen

    Did you know that much of the science used in creating processed foods was developed courtesy of the U.S. military? Armies have sought better ways to preserve, store, and transport edibles since the days of Napoleon, and, as part of this quest, the U.S. army spearheaded the invention of energy bars, restructured meat, extended-life bread, cling wrap, cheese powder, TV dinners, active dry yeast, instant coffee, and much more. After World War II, as part of our national policy of preparedness, the Defense Department enlisted the help of huge corporations such as ADM, ConAgra, General Mills, Hershey, Hormel, Mars, Nabisco, Reynolds, Smithfield, Swift, Tyson, and Unilever. But the help came with a catch. Anastacia Marx de Salcedo, the author of Combat-Ready Kitchen: How the U.S. Military Shapes the Way You Eat, instructs on the ways those traits most prized in soldier sustenance—imperishability, durability, affordability, and appeal to a broad range of palates—have ended up dominating our grocery store shelves and refrigerator cases, often to the detriment of consumer health. Free lecture will be held Wednesday, March 16 beginning at 6 pm at the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 211. For more information visit www.bu.edu/foodandwine/