Kitchen Gardens: They're not just for
tomatoes anymore
Closer to home is the spendid garden at Gramercy, the
renowned Bed and Breakfast/Conference Center in Baltimore County. The Pomykalas
established Gramercy 20 years ago. The elegant English Tudor mansion, with its
45 acres of gardens and woodland, has a national reputation both for its
hospitality and for the Pomykala's stewardship of the land.
"The
organic farm was here, the oldest organic farm in the state of Maryland, and we
were among the first fo be certified in the state," Anne Pomykala points
out.
From the early days, Pomykala began growing specialty vegetables
and culinary herbs unavailable in local markets. Many of the delicious
concoctions produced from the bounty of the garden wound up on the tables of
Gramercy, to the delight of its guests, who range from those looking for quiet
relaxation to those who come to Gramercy to be married or attend a
conference.
"For the past few years, we've concentrated on organic
herbs, which we use in the cuisine," says Anne Pomykala. "We grow specialty
vegetables that we use in our breakfasts, as well as edible flowers and herbs -
all sorts of mints, or course, including chocolate mint, and unusual herbs like
pineapple sage and lemon verbena.
"The farm has berry bushes.
Raspberry, blackberry, elderberry, and black raspberries and wineberries grow
wild on the property. We also have a herd of deer that fight me for the
berries; we had to fence them.
"We grow snow peas and we like to use
pear tomatoes, the small decorative tomatoes that are very flavorful; the
heirloom varieties, and Burpee's Better Girl and Better Boy, which have a
wonderful flavor.
"Our Gramercy House Omelet," she adds, "which is
something that everyone comments on, uses produce from the garden, but it's
difficult to give a recipe. It's always different depending on the season. For
instance, if I have some fresh peppers, they'll throw them in.
"What
you plant of course, should depend on the space you have the the time you have
to care for what you grow," she advises. "If it's a choice between growing red
basil or 20 or so flowers, you know what my choice would be!"
"Kitchen Gardens: They're not just for tomatoes anymore," Rosemary
Knower, The Baltimore Sun - Simply Home Section, March 14, 2004 |
