By Brad Evers, Executive Chef

Isaac and I have a great interest in horticulture and the home grown slow food concept. With our new 40’X20’ club garden we will be able to offer our members quality farm-to-table vegetables and herbs on our menus. With the garden in close proximity to the kitchen, we certainly qualify for the local foods concept!

We plan on planting green beans, eggplant, several varieties of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, corn, broccoli and several varieties of herbs and lettuces. Some vegetables will be planted from seed, others with transplants depending on the weather and growing times. In the fall we are looking forward to planting kale, turnips, cauliflower, radishes, potatoes, asparagus, and pumpkins.

Last year I grew a garden at Gaillardia country club in Oklahoma City. It turned out well with good production, but I am looking forward to not having to fight that Oklahoma red clay soil!

By early summer we should have some heirloom tomatoes, herbs and lettuces to incorporate into our menus. By late summer Isaac and I plan on hosting an all vegetarian menu using items from our garden only, no cheating!

Some of our ideas include zucchini Carpaccio, heirloom tomato gazpacho, squash blossom soup, tempura, eggplant, Caprese salad with Club made mozzarella.

We will be using local seeds and transplants for a true Texas garden. While there are many composting methods we plan on using Mark’s compost, horticultural cornmeal and Texas greensand tilled into our native soil.

A special thanks to Director of Agronomy Mark Semm and his crew. They worked hard constructing the garden and we have all of the fun!