Boston Flora

Tag: pesto

  • Sunday, August 18, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Pesto and Beyond

    Summer is the high season for pestos, the time to gather savory fresh greens and turn them into flavorful sauces for winter enjoyment. A dish of fragrant, pesto-slathered pasta really warms up an icy winter day but, as a sauce, pesto has many other uses in the kitchen.

    Pesto alla Genovese, the classic sauce of Genoa, and pistou, the traditional herb sauce of Provence, are made with basil. However basil is only one of many flavorful greens that can become the heart of a rich, flavorful pesto or sauce.

    A wide variety of flavorful leafy greens—mints, kale, garlic mustard, parsley, spinach, sage, dandelion greens, cilantro, arugula—can be used to make pesto and savory herb sauces and pastes. Pesto and sauces can be with or without cheese, nuts and garlic. Pesto and herbal sauces freeze well and can be used all winter long to add delicious herbal flavor to soups, spreads, meats, salads and vegetables, as well as traditional pasta meals.

    Class members will taste a wide variety of pestos and herbal sauces and discuss the ingredients used. After demonstrating how to make pesto and herb paste, each person will make a pesto or herb paste to take home. Recipe sheets and all supplies are included. This class will take place at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston on August 18 from 1 – 3:30, and is $65 for THBG members, $79 for nonmembers. Register at www.towerhillbg.org.

    Betsy Williams teaches, lectures and writes about living with herbs and flowers. A gardener and herb grower since 1972, Betsy trained as a florist in Boston and England. She combines her floral and gardening skills with an extensive knowledge of history, plant lore and seasonal celebrations. Betsy is the author of several books on the uses and stories of herbs and flowers. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable stations as well as local and national radio talk shows. Betsy lectures and teaches locally and nationally.

  • Sunday, July 15, 10:30 am – 2:00 pm – The Savory Herbal Kitchen, with a Savory Herbal Lunch

    On Sunday, July 15, from 10:30 – 32at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston, Betsy Williams will teach a class she calls The Savory Herbal Kitchen. Learn how use just-picked fresh herbs, from your garden or the farm stand, to enhance the flavors of ordinary condiments. Herb-enhanced condiments add savory layers of flavor to everyday family meals and can also become special gifts to friends and family! It’s simple, fun, delicious and very satisfying.

    Betsy will demonstrate how to create savory herb butters, vinegar, mustard, herb salts, two types of pesto and rosemary walnuts. We’ll discuss sourcing and qualities of basic condiments and how to preserve and store herb-enhanced homemade ones. Students will sample each condiment and then make a pint of herb vinegar and a container of herb butter  to take home. After class, you are invited to take an optional walk through Tower Hill’s beautiful herb and vegetable garden, smelling and chatting as we go.

    Betsy Williams teaches, lectures and writes about living with herbs and flowers. A gardener and herb grower since 1972, Betsy trained as a florist in Boston and England. She combines her floral and gardening skills with an extensive knowledge of history, plant lore and seasonal celebrations. Betsy is the author of several books on the uses and stories of herbs and flowers. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable stations as well as local and national radio talk shows. Betsy lectures and teaches locally and nationally.

    The class is $75 for Tower Hill members, $90 for nonmembers, and you may register online at https://towerhillbg.thankyou4caring.org/pages/event-registration-form—the-savory-herbal-kitchen-with-a-savory-herbal-lunch-

    Image result for herbal lunch

  • Saturday, July 30, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Pesto, Pistou, Pound: Herbal Sauces and Pastes

    Betsy Williams will lead a Tower Hill Botanic Garden workshop on Saturday, July 30 from 10 – 12:30 on herbal sauces and pastes. Summer is pesto season. It’s time to gather fresh greens from gardens and farmer’s market and turn them into flavorful sauces to freeze for winter enjoyment. A dish of fragrant, pesto-slathered pasta really warms up an icy day.

    Pesto alla genovese, the classic sauce of Genoa, and Pistou, the traditional herb paste of Provence, are made with basil. However basil is only one of many flavorful greens that can become the heart of a rich, flavorful pesto or paste. A wide variety of flavorful leafy greens, such as mints, kale, garlic mustard, parsley, spinach, sage, dandelion greens, cilantro and arugula, can be used to make pesto and herb pastes. Pestos and pastes can be with or without cheese, nuts and garlic. We will taste a wide variety of pestos and discuss the ingredients used. After a demonstration of to how to make pestos and pastes, each person will make a pesto or herb paste to take home.

    Recipe sheets are included. Tower Hill member price $50, nonmembers $65. Register online at www.towerhillbg.org. Image of pea and arugula pesto from www.floatingkitchen.net.

  • Tuesday, July 19, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Powisett Pesto

    Pesto is traditional made with basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, but on Tuesday, July 19, beginning at 6:30 pm at Powisset Farm in Dover, learn how versatile pesto can actually be and how many different versions you can make. We will be using veggies and herbs from the farm and participants will get to leave with their creations and new ideas. Please note that most classes include options for vegetarians and vegans.

    Registration is required 2 days prior to a class or event. If it is within 2 days and you wish to register, please contact Nicole at nnacamuli@thetrustees.org to find out if there is space remaining. This Trustees of Reservations event is part of the Powisset Cooks! program. $36 for TTOR members, $45 for nonmembers. To register, call 508-785-0339, x 3003.  Image from www.paleonewbie.com. (This program will be repeated July 23 from 10 – 12)