Whenever my busy schedule allows, I always try to attend benefit gatherings that support good causes and important organizations.
Earlier this week, I attended one such event called "Stories to Savor" - a benefit for 826NYC, a nonprofit organization that provides writing workshops for more than 3600 young students in underserved New York City public schools throughout the year. It also provides curricular and classroom support to their mentors and educators. More than 115 attended the affair including chefs, writers, artists, teachers, and other influencers. I, along with a select group, was also invited to read excerpts from a collection of food-themed essays, short stories, and poems written by young 826NYC students. The evening was a lot of fun and a huge success.
Here are some photos.
The evening dinner party and fundraiser was well attended. Here I am with a group of 826NYC supporters, coordinators and readers – Kristen Naiman, Missy Robbins, Christine Muhlke, Annie Shi, Andrew Tarlow, Kate Huling, Naomi Fry, Liza Demby, Asmeret Berhe-Lumax, Rebecca Darugar, Alison Roman, Laura Ferrara, and Alex Tieghi-Walker. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Rebecca Darugar is the executive director of 826NYC. She addressed the audience and welcomed everyone to the event. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg).
New Yorker writer and cultural critic Naomi Fry co-hosted the event and lead the presentations. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Here is event co-host Kristen Naiman of The RealReal. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
And here is event co-host Liza Demby, creative strategy entrepreneur and writer. It was so nice to see such an enthusiastic group of individuals so passionate about encouraging young students to write. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
For part of the evening, various attendees read some of the food-themed essays written by young students in the program. This is food writer and chef, Alison Roman. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Asmeret Berhe-Lumax, the founder of One Love Community Fridge, read a passage from a 5th grader’s essay on shrimp. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Artist Laila Gohar shared excerpts from a piece entitled “An Ode to Eggs.” (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
And I read a passage written by a 5th grader on the flavors of her grandmother’s oxtail stew, which she says is “the greatest dish on the world. I love oxtail stew also. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
The event’s menu was inspired by the student pieces. Chef Woldy Reyes prepared a table of Filipino-influenced dishes including lugaw, a warm rice porridge topped with fried garlic and cilantro. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
The table of light dinner bites was full. Guests helped themselves to both savory and sweet choices. The event was held at TIWA Select, an art gallery in the Tribeca section of Manhattan.(Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
These are Shanghai Puff Pastries served with homemade banana ketchup. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Creamy whipped tofu topped with crisp coins of purple daikon and pink radicchio was also on the menu. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
For dessert there were platters of sweet cookies provided by The Rounds along with bibingka, a coconut rice cake made by Chef Woldy. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
And for fruit fanciers – white pineberries, a unique variety of white strawberries that have red seeds and a pineapple-like flavor. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Other guests included Karly Quadros and Shayna Friedman. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Here are stylist and event co-organizer, Laura Ferrara, entrepreneur Kate Huling, and Anne Mullen. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
Lucy Wallace Eustice and John Eustice (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
And this is culinary consultant, Christine Muhlke. (Photo by Kate Glicksberg)
On cold winter days when it’s more productive to work indoors, my head gardener Ryan McCallister keeps busy seed starting and tending to the many plant maintenance tasks inside the greenhouse.
Recently, I purchased four new orchid plants from White Plains Orchids, a family-operated nursery not far from my farm. Once home, they went straight to the head house for repotting. Caring for orchids can be daunting for many, but if one takes the time to understand their basic needs and get all the proper orchid care supplies, there’s no reason why they won’t continue to thrive and bloom.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This is one of my new specimens from White Plains Orchids. Optimum temperatures for orchids in winter are 45 to 55-degrees Fahrenheit at night and 65 to 75-degrees Fahrenheit during the day. When plants are in bud, temperatures must be as constant as possible. I am fortunate to have greenhouses, where temperatures and humidity levels can be closely monitored.
When potting orchids, choose a pot that can accommodate two years of growth, or about two inches larger than the one before. Specialized orchid containers have holes all around the surface to increase the air circulation in the roots – these are the best.
Ryan is able to use some of the orchid medium from the plant’s original pot. Orchids don’t grow like other houseplants. Instead, they exist in a container of loose materials such as bark, charcoal, and moss.
I also like to create my own mix, but there are pre-made orchid mixes available at garden supply stores. Ryan combines materials and mixes them all together in a gardening trug bucket.
Then he adds more mix to the pot. He uses a coarse orchid bark, which allows air to circulate naturally around the roots of the plant.
Next, Ryan places the orchid inside the pot to see if it is sitting properly – it should be at the same height as it was in the original container. If it is too high, he takes some of the medium out from underneath the plant.
Ryan moves the bark mix around the roots and firms the bark down, making sure the orchid rhizome or crown of the plant is flush with the top of the bark.
Then Ryan fills the rest of the pot with orchid bark and charcoal until it is well secured.
In this pot, Ryan fills about a third of the pot with orchid mix. Whenever potting any plant don’t forget to place a shard or stone over the hole at the bottom for good drainage.
It is not unusual to see orchid roots growing in so many directions. In the wild, epiphytes are able to extend their roots looking for moisture. Managing the roots and the repotting process will ensure your orchid is healthy and strong.
Ryan places this Cymbidium Patricia Kerwood ‘Paso Robles’ orchid into its new pot. Orchids can be pot-bound, which encourages the plant to produce more roots and blooms and become more self-sufficient.
Ryan gently presses the medium into the pot to ensure it is well packed, adding more potting mix if needed.
The potting mix should be about a half-inch below the top of the pot, so none of it overflows when watering.
Orchids are such gorgeous plants. These new ones will be added to my giant greenhouse collection of interesting plant specimens.
Here, Ryan carries the potted Brassolaeliocattleya Mahina Yahiro Ullii AM/AOS into the greenhouse. These cattleyas are loved for their large, showy blooms.
When placing potted plants near each other, make the best use of vertical space where possible. Turn an extra and empty pot upside down and raise the potted plants. This consolidates space while also giving the plants room.
When this Angraecum orchid started to bloom, Ryan brought it in to display in my servery. These orchids have unique large, star-shaped flowers.
Cut orchids are also displayed in my sitting room – one of the first rooms I walk through in the morning.
These long-lasting sprays are so beautiful. Depending on the variety, some cymbidium orchids can bloom for several weeks. Some are also quite fragrant.
I love to bring in as many of these gorgeous flowers indoors whenever possible, so they can be enjoyed by me and my guests. I hope this inspires you to bring some pretty flowers and plants into your home this weekend.
It's winter and bitterly cold here in the Northeast, but I'm already preparing for the next growing season here at my farm.
I start sowing seeds indoors soon after the New Year. Starting from seed is not difficult to do, but it does require careful attention and patience. And once the seedlings start to develop, it’s important to keep up with maintenance care - thin out seedlings that are weak, prick out those that are growing too big for their seed starting trays, and transplant them into larger pots and flats. This week, Ryan transplanted the artichokes.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Artichokes are in season late spring and early summer. The globe artichoke is an heirloom vegetable grown for its tender, edible flower buds. I love artichokes and grow many every year.
I like to pick them young and small, but always look for those that are plump, firm, and heavy for their size. Artichokes are among the finest sources of dietary fiber and antioxidants. They are also an excellent source of vitamins C, K and B6 as well as folic acid, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
Here at my farm, all my delicious artichokes start as seed. It’s important to start vegetable seeds early, so they are ready in time to plant outdoors once the weather is right.
I enjoy trying seeds from various vendors, but Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds are two of my go-to sources.
Artichoke seeds are small, so one must take time dropping them – one per cell. It’s a good idea to keep a record of when seeds are sown, when they germinate, and when they are transplanted. These observations will help organize a schedule for the following year.
After a few weeks, the tiny seeds have sprouted and grown enough to move into bigger containers.
These tools are great for transplanting seedlings. The tools include small cutters to remove any dead leaves, a pair of large tweezers, and a widger from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. It has a convex stainless steel blade that delicately separates the tiny plants.
Use a pre-made seed starting mix that contains the proper amounts of vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. Seed starting mixes are available at garden supply stores.
I use Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix.
Blackie sits nearby and watches Ryan working.
Ryan fills the pots to the top. A good quality mix designed for seedlings will be fast draining and light. These mixes are formulated to encourage strong, healthy growth in new plants.
Using the widger, Ryan carefully removes the seedling from the tray. All of these are in excellent condition.
Ryan is very careful so as not to break the small root ball.
Using his fingers, Ryan makes a small hole in the pot for the seedling.
Then he places the seedling in its new container.
Once the seedling is in its hole at the same depth it was in the seed tray, Ryan positions it so it is straight and secure.
And then gently firms up the surrounding soil. He avoids handling the seedling by its tender stems, which can bruise easily. The strong and healthy plants now have more room to grow.
The purpose of transplanting is to provide enough room – overcrowding can stress the young sprouts.
The pots are watered thoroughly and fed next door in the greenhouse.
They will sit on one of the long sliding tables where they can be checked every day. The plants will have good exposure to light and can continue to grow until they are ready to plant outdoors.
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