Sunday, June 13, 2010

Update: Le Cordon Bleu Chicago's Organic Garden

Where is the garden:  the Vegetable Garden is North of the Main Building on  Chestnut, downtown Chicago, just right along the property fence. The Butterfly Garden is just outseide Admission's windows, right alongside  the building wall.

What is the purpose of the garden:  to show students the connection with food, how it grows, how it is used and how it is used to nourish lives.

What grows in the garden;  the vegetable garden this year is much more mature than last year, its first year.  The mint as expected has prospered, the oregano is half my size, and the chives have so much bloom, I have lost track (I always know how many buds my plants have) The thyme, has not stopped, the lemon grass, the rosemary, the sage, are all spritely. The broccoli has dropped seed and is as healthy as can be, the rapini has sown anywhere and everywhere. the chard is colorful, the tomatoes look promising, the onions on its way to making everybody cry...The peppers seem a little slow, the squashes not quite happy with all the rain and clouds.  The green beans doing better than expected, the yard long beans, and the basil are  perhaps waiting for better weather.  The peapod is a surprise, perhaps due to the cold weather.  I was late spreading the coriander and the dill, but saw that it is better late than never.  There are eggplants, tomatillos, and a lone sunflower.
           The butterfly garden, offsprings of my own home garden, may be healthier than their brothers and sisters due to a sunnier and a more manageable location.

For the Love of RMHC

The Ronald McDonald House of Charities, CEC's partner charity, wants to build another "House" in the Chicago area and has enlisted the help of Cordon Bleu Chicago to help raise funds towards the effort. This special night saw the presence of Lovey Smith, Chicago Bear's Head Coach and his wife, together with Gary McCullough, CEC President at  our beloved restaurant, Chataigne. Also in attendance was Lloyd Kirsch, School President, while Chef Marshall, headed faculty and students in the kitchen...