Buttery Pound Cake with Harvest Apple Compote and Homemade Whipped Cream

Every weekend from May through October, Garden Chefs put on demonstrations in the Outdoor Kitchen, showing visitors some creative, simple ways to highlight the tastes of the season. With fall officially underway, the flavors are turning crisp and warm. 

This recent recipe from Chef Amanda Dew Manning takes advantage of the fresh, local apples that are at every farm stand at this time of year. Homemade whipped cream is always worth the little extra effort, and the addition of a dash of apple brandy here really kicks things up a notch.

Apple Compote

• 3 lb apples (use a variety of sweet and tart), cored and sliced

• 1/2 C sugar

• 1/2 C water

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

• 1/4 tsp cloves, ground

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

• 2 Tbs apple brandy

Wash, core, and slice the apples. Place apples, sugar, water, and spices in a large, heavy bottom sauce pan. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If apples appear dry, add a small amount of water. Taste for sweetness, and add an additional tablespoon or two of sugar as necessary. Add brandy, and simmer for 10 minutes more. If you desire a smoother consistency, break up any larger chunks of apples in the mixture.

Homemade Whipped Cream

• 1 C heavy whipping cream, chilled

• 1 Tbs powdered sugar

• 1 Tbs apple brandy

Using a stand or hand mixer or just a whisk and a strong arm, whip cream, powdered sugar, and brandy until soft peaks form. For best results, chill the (metal) bowl and whisk ahead of time.

Serve compote warm over sliced pound cake, and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Garden Chef demos run every Saturday and Sunday from May through October at 12 PM, 1 PM, and 2 PM in the Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen. Next time you're in the Garden on a weekend, be sure to stop by, try a nibble, and discover a new recipe!

Happy First Day of Fall!

Bok choi!

Raleigh (R) and other horticulturalists

One of the great things about gardening in the South is how long our growing season is! This week, Senior Horticulturalist Raleigh Saperstein, who oversees the Edible Garden, has been leading a veritable army of horticulturalists and volunteers in removing the summertime crops and planting the fall plants.

Excited at an opportunity to get away from my desk for a few hours, I lent my hand yesterday as one of the volunteers. The Garden hums along thanks in great part to our dedicated volunteers, and a number spent the morning planting all sorts of vegetables.

Volunteers hard at work

I spent most of my time planting all sorts of greens: leaf lettuce, two lovely varieties of Swiss chard, cauliflower, and bok choi. The young cauliflower was surprising to see. It's clearly a brassica, with a leaf that looks a little bit like baby kale, but without the distinctive head it doesn't look obviously like cauliflower to my novice eye.

Bok choi on the left, and cauliflower to the right

Yesterday may have been the last day of summer, but it sure didn't feel like summer was ready to let go just yet. Under a hot sun, we worked up quite a sweat. It drives home that the fruits and vegetables that we enjoy really are the fruits of someone's labor! I'm looking forward to watching the Edible Garden flourish over the next few weeks and months. Check back regularly to learn more about what exactly we've planted, and how we intend to eat it!

Look at all these little guys!

-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

Okra's Southern Charm

You wouldn't know it from the still-sultry weather, but September has arrived, which means that fall is right around the corner. The Edible Garden is still bursting with delicious offerings, though. This year, Garden horticulturalists planted a large-growing heirloom okra cultivar, Hill Country Red. The okra was planted in mid-summer, but in a short time have grown to great heights, with most individuals now towering well above my 5'7" head. I am completely enamored of these beautiful plants, with their red stalks and creamy white flowers with deep crimson centers. And I'm not the flowers' only fan. They're very popular with pollinators-- both bees and ants do a busy trade among the blossoms.

I am a fairly recent transplant to the South, so okra was not always in my culinary repertoire. Since moving to Atlanta a few years ago, I've enjoyed exploring this oft-maligned vegetable. Although fried okra is delicious, it's also messy, time consuming, and not exactly healthy. My favorite preparation is also the simplest I know. It works best with small okra, about a finger's length, but any size works well. Trim the stems short, but don't remove them. Those little leaf hairs can be prickly when uncooked, so be careful when handling the okra. Toss the okra with a little olive oil, some large flake sea or Himalayan salt, a few grinds of pepper, and an optional dash of whatever spices you're craving. I really enjoy a sprinkle of cayenne. Cajun or Mediterranean blends are good bets, and garam masala seems a natural given okra's place in Indian cuisine. Heat a cast iron pan until it's screaming hot, or turn your grill up high. Add the okra to your pre-heated pan, and cook until they're blistered, about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. When you're done, you'll have a pile of crisp yet tender okra with no hint of sliminess. It's a fabulous side dish, though honestly I happily eat okra cooked this way as a snack!

Check out your local farmer's market this weekend. If you're in the South, chances are you'll find okra waiting for you to take it home and make it delicious. One more garden gift before the summer's out.

'Red Hill Country' can grow well over ten feet tall!

-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

A Garden Visitor

I spotted this pretty little guy on the patrinia that's currently blooming in abundance in the Edible Garden's orchard. I didn't recognize him, and he looks a bit like a bug or a beetle here except that probiscus would be all wrong. Some research confirmed that he's actually a moth! Atteva aurea, or the ailanthus webworm, is native from southern Florida through Central America, but is now found all over the United States and even into Canada. The patrinia are thick with these moths as well as multiple species of bees, though none of the latter would pose nicely for my camera this morning. If you're visiting the Garden sometime soon, be sure to stop by and pay them a visit.


-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

Preserving with Marisa McClellan

At this time of year, we at the Edible Garden are practically overrun by the abundance of the summer harvest. Delicious, fresh food at every turn! But, how to stretch this bounty into the coming months? Canning and preserving are enjoying a renaissance, as more and more Americans discover the pleasures of enjoying the garden's gifts year-round.

Whether you're a canning newbie, curious about where to start, or an old hand, join us at the Garden to learn from food blogger, author, and canning connoisseur Marisa McClellan. The class fee includes a copy of Marisa's newest cookbook, Naturally Sweet Food in Jars, which features over 100 jams, spreads, dips, whole fruits, and sweet pickles. Rather than rely on traditional refined sugar, Marisa explores a variety of natural sweeteners, such as honey, maple, agave, coconut sugar, dried fruits, and fruit juice concentrate.


Marisa will demonstrate a recipe from Naturally Sweet Food in Jars, as well as discuss canning and blogging and personally sign your new book. This class is a perfect introduction to a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy your garden all year  long, and we hope you'll join us. To register, visit atlantabg.org and select "Learn."



Schedule          Saturday, September 3, 3--4:30 p.m.
Fee                   $44 (Members $39), Book Included
Deadline            August 15
Instructor          Marisa McClellan, Author, Food in Jars 

The Edible, Drinkable Landscape

The Atlanta Botanical Garden's annual Alston Lecture Series kicks off on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 p.m. with "The Edible, Drinkable Landscape," an evening with Nan Chase. Nan is the author of a number of books on home gardening, including most recently Drink the Harvest: Making and Preserving Juices, Wines, Meads, Teas, and Ciders. Join us for an enjoyable, informative event as Nan shares some of her favorite and most productive plants for spaces of all sizes. You'll look at your yard and its bounty with fresh eyes.

This event is free and open to the public; no reservation is required. The Philip and Elkin Alston Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of the Charles Loridans Foundation.

-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

From plant to plate and back again

A movement towards more sustainable food options is burgeoning throughout the United States, and here in Atlanta many farm-to-table eateries are thriving and serving locally grown, ecologically sound food. Just steps from the source, produce from our own Edible Garden enriches the plates of both our weekend chef demonstrations and the offerings a the Café at Linton's in the Garden.

While thoughtful ingredient sourcing gets a lot of attention, the less glamorous side of sustainable food systems is the management of waste generated in the culinary process. With an eye towards waste reduction in the Outdoor Kitchen, when using disposable dishware and utensils, we choose those made from paper, bamboo, and corn. These are then sent to be composted at the commercial facility where we send out kitchen scraps and garden clippings. An earth-friendlier alternative to plastics, these items help sustain the ecological cycle by keeping waste out of landfills, and instead turning it into a valuable resource for the next growing season.



-Heather Rice, Programs Assistant

Blueberries in the Garden!

'Premier' Blueberry
Vaccinium ashei

Nothing says summer quite like fresh blueberries, which can currently be seen ripening throughout the Edible Garden. These seasonal favorites thrive in well-drained, acid soils, and the Southeastern native rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) tolerates the Georgia heat especially well. We have planted varieties that bloom around the same time near each other, including two rabbiteye cultivars, which encourages cross-pollination and consequently produces bigger berries. If left long enough to fully ripen, tart berries soon turn a deep blue that signals that they are sweet and ready to harvest. Rich in antioxidants and other beneficials, blueberries make a healthy addition to your summer meals. Our Garden Chef campers have been taking full advantage of their bounty, adding them to refreshing smoothies, topping yogurt parfaits, and enjoying them as a straightforward snack.

-Heather Rice, Programs Assistant

Downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is a deciduous, small tree or shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae). It is also commonly known as Juneberry, Shadbush and Sarvistree. The "service" in the common name serviceberry refers to the plant usually being in flower around Easter. Serviceberries can be eaten raw, cooked in puddings, pies and muffins, or used in combination with other berries as an extender. The berries can also be dried and used to replace raisins in recipes.

Serviceberry Jam

4 cups serviceberries

2 oranges 1½ cups water

½ cup lemon juice

2 cups sugar

Prepare jar lids. Put serviceberries through food chopper with a medium-fine blade. Juice the two oranges and put the peel through the food chopper. Combine berries, orange peel and water in a large saucepan; boil gently until fruit is tender. Add juice from oranges, lemon juice and sugar. Boil 20 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.

– Moe Hemmings, Edible Garden Horitculturist

Currently, the Edible Garden is supporting The Café at Linton’s in the Garden by providing fresh winter crops such as cabbage & swiss chard that have appeared in salads and paired with delicious local meats.

One exciting plant added to the Edible Garden includes Musa ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ a strain of the cavendish banana that is stated to produce fruit at a manageable height of just 3’ or less often after one year. Another exciting addition is a pink blueberry... yes, you read that right! Vaccinium ‘Pink Lemonade’ is a mid to late season blueberry that has bright, showy pink fruit with a mild flavor. The fruit turns deep pink when ripe. This plant provides four seasons of interest, with leaves putting on a display of color in the fall, and winter twigs that turn a reddish-brown. 

With such diverse additions to the Edible Garden the overall look will be a feast for the stomach and for the eyes!

– Moe Hemmings, Edible Garden Horitculturist

It’s time to welcome winter veggies into our kitchens. Beet juice can be added as a natural pink food coloring for holiday punches and can enhance the deep flavor of chocolate cakes. Choose beets that feel firm and have a smooth skin. Tender tasting beets are usually smaller than a tennis ball with crisp and bright greens.

Try a bountiful beet recipe!

Roasted Beets and Avocado

4 beets, scrubbed, leaves trimmed

olive oil

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped

salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly coat beets in olive oil and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil. Roast beets in the oven until tender, approximately 30 minutes - 1 hour depending on the size. Remove beets from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Peel and cut the beets into bite-sized pieces. Toss beets with the avocado and season with salt. Serves 4 - 6.

Planting for Winter

This fall and winter season we wanted to add pops of color to a normally green winter palate in the Edible Garden. While still selecting some of the most commonly used winter vegetables, we picked out cultivars that had interesting colors and/or textures. Some of my favorites are Swiss Chard 'Peppermint' coupled with an old standby Beet 'Bulls Blood', currently planted in the rows. Another notable selection is Cabbage 'Ruby Ball' which is a red heading cabbage notable for its purple/blue leaves with a hint of glossiness, its tolerance of extreme cold temperatures and excellent taste. Finally, we have added more edible flowers such as Nasturtium and Violas that do the double duty of being delicious and beautiful.

– Moe Hemmings, Edible Garden Horticulturist

Try the latest Garden Chef Recipe!

Caramelized Fig and Onion Bruschetta

2 T extra virgin coconut oil

1 sweet onion, sliced into strips

1/8 tsp sea salt

1 T agave nectar

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 lb fresh figs, diced

1 baguette, sliced thin

4 oz creamy goat cheese

Fresh chopped rosemary to garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in sauté pan on medium high heat. 

Add sliced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add 

sea salt, agave nectar and balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. 

Reduce heat to medium and cook onions for another 10 minutes 

until slightly caramelized. Add chopped figs to onions and sauté on 

medium high for another 2-3 minutes until figs soften. Season with 

fresh cracked pepper to taste. 

Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet and place under broiler 

until lightly toasted; about 2 minutes. Spread a light coating of goat 

cheese on toasted baguette slices. Top baguette slices with fig and 

onion mixture and garnish with chopped rosemary to serve. 

Recipe by Garden Chef Megan McCarthy

It’s not Thanksgiving yet but our cranberries are ripening at the Garden! Stop by the pond in the Edible Garden to admire these native wetland fruits. Cranberries grow on low-lying vines and thrive only under special combinations of soils and water properties typically found in bogs. The health properties of this fruit were recognized by Native American Indians. Cranberries contain no cholesterol and virtually no fat and are low in sodium. Utilizing cranberries in recipes adds substantial levels of dietary fiber and certain vitamins that may be beneficial to health.

Try the latest Garden Chef Recipe! 

Black Japonica Rice Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette 

1 cup black japonica rice

2 cups water

1 lemon, freshly squeezed

2 T white balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp fresh rosemary

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup shelled edamame

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Place rinsed rice in a large saucepan and cover with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam for 10 minutes. In separate bowl, combine white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme and sea salt in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Slowly whisk in olive oil to blend. In large bowl, drizzle vinaigrette over cooked rice and gently toss. Add in edamame, tomatoes, scallions and crumbled cheese. Season with fresh cracked black pepper to taste. 

Recipe by Edible Garden Chef Megan McCarthy

Summer Edible Garden

The summer vegetable harvest is in full swing! So far, more than 500 pounds have been donated to the Atlanta Food Bank including okra, tomatoes, peppers, edamame and eggplant.

The Edible Garden includes an impressive row crop of ‘Carolina Gold’ rice (an heirloom, long grain variety). Grains are showing beautifully now, and harvest will begin in mid September.

There are also colorful zinnias alternating with the rice rows that help attract beneficial pollinators to the Garden. The flower petals make a pretty garnish and are edible, though they tend to be bitter. Look for the apple crop with varieties such as ‘Gala’, ‘Liberty’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ which are trained as espaliers in the ‘three tier cordon’ shape.  The ‘Celeste’ fig trees across from the Outdoor Kitchen are producing heavily now, and the ‘LSU Purple’ and ‘LSU Gold’ should be ripening soon. Lastly, don't miss the fuzzy kiwis!

Rustic Mediterranean Salad

Peppers are in season in Georgia.  The Edible Garden rows are bursting with five different varieties of peppers ranging from sweet to hot.  

Two bell peppers were used in the recipe below: ‘Tejas’ and ‘California Wonder.’  Bell peppers are rich in vitamins A and B and contain twice as much vitamin C as oranges.  Most green bell peppers are simply immature red bell peppers.  

Rustic Mediterranean Salad

15 oz can white butter beans, drained

1 cup canned artichokes hearts, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup kalamata olives, chopped

½ cup red onion, chopped

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 T white balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

sea salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

In a large bowl, combine beans, artichokes, peppers, black olives and diced onions and toss.  In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.  Drizzle vinaigrette over bean mixture and toss again.  Garnish with chopped basil.

Recipe by Garden Chef Megan McCarthy

Explore over 100 Garden Chef recipes here.

Walnut Pesto Caprese with French Bread

May was a busy month in the Outdoor Kitchen with Garden Chef cooking demonstrations on the weekends and during Cocktails in the Garden on Thursday nights.  In addition, the Outdoor Kitchen served up seven dinner classes in May alone.  It’s early in the season and we hope you can join us for a cooking demonstration or class soon!

Garden Chef Christina Curry served up a delicious seasonal pesto for happy visitors one weekend.  Her recipe features a basil, arugula and walnut pesto.  Arugula is a peppery lettuce that pairs well with walnuts to make a smooth and buttery pesto.  If pine nuts were used, as in traditional pesto, the peppery flavor of the arugula might be overwhelming.  Chef Christina recommends tasting the mozzarella and adding salt to bring out the flavor as needed. 

Walnut Pesto Caprese with French Bread

8 oz fresh basil leaves

4 oz arugula

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

2 T lemon juice

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1/4 c olive oil

tomato slices

fresh mozzarella

French bread, sliced & toasted

kosher salt & black pepper, to taste

lemon zest, to garnish

In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, arugula, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and olive oil.  Blend on high until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Spread the pesto on one side of French bread slices.  Top with a tomato slice and a slice of mozzarella.  Garnish with the lemon zest.

Discover more delicious Garden Chef recipes here.

What a Season!

2012 was a very busy season in the Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen. Over 10,000 visitors attended a Garden Chef cooking demonstration. The Outdoor Kitchen was also used for three glorious weeks of summer camp (ages 4–6 or 7–10). On top of demonstrations and camps, the Garden offers an assortment of classes ranging from Pickling & Preserving to Chocolate in Five Courses to The Well-Seasoned Chef Series. In fact, we held 44 cooking classes in the Outdoor Kitchen this season between April and November! Here’s a photo journey of this spectacular season of classes: 

Sautéed Shrimp and Kale over Grits (in the largest cast iron pan!) artfully created by Marie Nygren, The Farmhouse at Serenbe, The Well-Seasoned Chef Series

Chef Dan Latham, Farm Burger Buckhead, Fresh Plates Series

Farm Burgers with Sautéed Swiss Chard, Grilled Onions and Herbed Goat Cheese

Chef Eddie Hernandez, Taquería del Sol, Fresh Plates Series

Chef Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, The Well-Seasoned Chef Series

Chef Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, The Well-Seasoned Chef Series

Chef Gillespie’s Sweet and Sour Garden Cucumbers with Dill, Charred Fennel, Compressed Radish, and Whipped Chevre

Basics of Jam Making with Chef Jessica Ray

Chef Piero Premoli, Pricci, The Well-Seasoned Chef Series

Chef Doug Turbush, Seed Kitchen & Bar, Fresh Plates Series

Chef Turbush’s Pimento Cheese Crostini

Chef David Gross of MARKET Buckhead plates his Frisee and Goat Cheese Salad with Pickled Peach and Crystallized Wasabi for the Fresh Plates Series

Chef Duane Nutter, One Flew South, The Well-Seasoned Chef Series

Chef Anthony Gray and Chef Art Smith, Southern Art, The Well-Seasoned Chef Series

Chef Ron Eyester of Rosebud’s Breakfast Casserole, Brunch in the Garden

These wonderful classes and series are listed on the Atlanta Botanical Garden's website on the Classes page.  Registration for April 2013 classes will begin by the end of December.  Check back often and register early - seats are limited.  

Sweet Potato Season

Three varieties of sweet potatoes thrived in the Edible Garden this summer: ‘Georgia Jet,’ ‘Carolina Ruby,’ and ‘All Purple.’  By the middle of September, we had a bumper crop of beautiful, but not quite ready, sweet potatoes.  It takes time for the roots to sweeten and develop a moist texture.  We piled the sweet potatoes in crates and cured them inside for a few weeks before using them for cooking demonstrations and classes.  They lasted for many, many demos and classes!  Enjoy these simple and delicious Garden Chef recipes this fall.

Gingered Sweet Potatoes

4 organic sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked

2 T fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped

¾ cup coconut milk beverage

3 T maple syrup or agave nectar

1 T extra-virgin coconut oil

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

1 pinch sea salt

½ cup pecans, toasted

Cover sweet potatoes with salted water to boil.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain sweet potatoes.  In food processor, pulse ginger to mince.  Add cooked sweet potatoes, coconut milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, nutmeg and sea salt.  Pulse sweet potatoes in food processor until desired consistency.  Top with toasted pecans to serve.

Recipe by Garden Chef Megan McCarthy

Coconut Whipped Sweet Potato

1 lb sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/3 cup coconut cream

3 T honey

1 tsp cinnamon

toasted coconut, to garnish

Place the sweet potato in a pot, cover with water and simmer until fork tender.  Drain well and place into a food processor.  Add the coconut cream, honey and cinnamon.  Blend until smooth and serve with toasted coconut on top.

Recipe by Garden Chef Christina Curry

Grilled Sweet Potato and Thyme Hummus

2 sweet potatoes, peeled

3 T extra virgin olive oil, divided

½ tsp sea salt, divided

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 T sesame tahini

1 lemon, juiced

½ tsp cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1 T fresh thyme

Preheat grill or grill pan to high heat.  Slice sweet potatoes into ¾-inch thick wedges.  In large bowl, toss wedges with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until coated and season with ¼ teaspoon sea salt.  Place wedges on hot grill and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning once, or until potato is tender.  

In food processor, mince garlic.  Add grilled sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.  Pulse mixture until smooth.  Add fresh thyme and pulse until blended.  Serve with baby carrots or toasted pita bread.

Recipe by Garden Chef Megan McCarthy