9' x 12': Chapter 9 - The Enchanted Garden ?

"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all, it teaches entire trust." — Gertrude Jekyll, British Horticulturist.

I came across Gertrude Jekyll's quote and thought of my mother's words when she moved to Maui after the mudflows in Santa Barbara (see The Prologue): "Take a deep breath and trust that everything will be alright." I kept repeating this, almost mantra-like, during the last quarter of 2021. Life was a whirlwind of business meetings and events: managing and growing Two Baking Brits with my baking partner Sandra; restarting teaching in-person classes; developing a full roster of cooking class menus for the coming year; expanding the product line for Pascale's Kitchen online and launching PK Vintage. The latter felt like a natural extension of my product line, inspired by the vintage serving pieces I had used in photo shoots and items I had collected over the years.

Interspersed with the long hours in the kitchen and the juggling act of so many projects came some lengthy road trips that provided a very welcome change of scenery, a chance to meet new people, and inspiration from diverse farmers' markets, restaurants, and the new towns I visited. I drove up the winding 101 freeway to the Bay Area for several events in late 2021 to finally reconnect in person with my readers.

My view of the guests arriving for one of my first post-lockdown book signings and cooking demonstrations at the beautiful Ladera Garden and Gifts in Portola Valley.

To my surprise, I discovered that my books sold well in home and garden gift shops and many of them had programs inviting authors to give talks and demonstrations showcasing their specialties, be it growing orchids, redesigning one's home, or, in my case, cooking. I have an unusual fondness for garden centers and home design shops in particular, and when offered the chance to cook for their clients and talk about the books, I hit the road as soon as we deemed it safe to do so. The books Salade II, Les Légumes, and Les Fruits naturally complemented these types of shops, given the symbiotic relationship they shared with the products the stores sold: all the growing materials; the seeds and plants for myriad fruits and vegetables featured in the recipes.

The more I spoke with the store owners and the guests attending the events, the more I realized just how many people loved gardening and growing some of the food, even if it was just herbs that they ate. During the pandemic, the surge in budding gardeners blossomed. I came across a podcast on NPR entitled “Pandemic Gardens Satisfy A Hunger For More Than Just Good Tomatoes.” In essence, people started gardening to connect with nature, to have an element of control in their lives, and to feel grounded literally. With so much uncertainty at the time, there was something tangible and calming about nurturing and watching a plant grow. It was even better if it produced something you could then eat!