Summer 2008 Events and Classes

Lucia’s Garden 18th Annual Spring Open House and Faerie Festival!

* * * Sunday, May 4, 1:00-6:00 pm * * *

The time has come again for one of our favorite celebrations! Come and enjoy the magic of our shop, of our gardens, and of the Faerie world! There will be fairies and pirates, food and music, storytellers and face painters. Fun for kids and adults alike! Herbs plants to smell, books to peruse and treasures to discover! Admission $1 per person.

Cooking with Lucia

Little Dishes-Big Flavors ($55, $20 food fee included), May 14, August 6, 6:30-10:00 pm.

Meze, tapas, antipasti…no matter what you call them, small plates offer great flavor and are an exciting alternative to traditional one plate entrees. Our menu includes: Greek Bread Salad with thyme, chives, and oregano paired with Sauvignon Blanc; Ratatouille with basil and sage; Roasted Brussels Sprouts with pancetta and marjoram paired with Syrah, and Molasses-almond Shrimp on a spicy cabbage salad with crisp Riesling. To end the meal, we'll enjoy Mini Summer Squash cupcakes with Lemon Glaze.

Italian Country Cooking, $55 ($20 food fee included), May 28, August 14, 6:30-10:00 pm.

Lucia’s Sicilian roots have given her an appreciation for olive oil, garlic and herbs, and the wonderful flavors that they impart in simple dishes of fresh vegetables and pasta in the Italian country style. In this class learn to make a Mediterranean Salad with Lucia’s Olive Oil and Herb Dressing, Stuffed Mushroom Caps, Pasta Primavera with Roasted Red Peppers, and other delicacies. Come hungry.

Under the Tuscan Sun, $55 ($20 food fee included), June 4, July 17, August 12, 6:30-10:00 pm.

The beauty and simplicity of Tuscan countryside living beckons to us. Come to Lucia’s kitchen where only the freshest ingredients are allowed. Herbs are picked right from the garden and Italian opera provides the backdrop for an evening of cooking the “cuisine of the sun.” Spinach Pasta with Asparagus and Lemon Peel, Baked Yellow Peppers with Ricotta and Herbs, Basil and Lemon Chicken with Summer Squash and Mushrooms, Fresh Sliced Tomatoes with Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil with Balsamic Vinegar and Pine Nuts, and Buttermilk Lemon Cake with Fresh Berries and Lemon Verbena.

The Tuscan Table, $55 ($20 food fee included), June 12, July 15, 6:30-10:00 pm.

Each season in Tuscany brings particular pleasures. Summer is a time when fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant in the markets. Join Lucia for another delightful evening under the Tuscan sun!

Lose yourself in Red Peppers Melted with Balsamic Vinegar, Proscuitto and Ripe Melon, Cold Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic and Basil, Farfalle with Sausage, Peas and Mushrooms, Green Beans with Black Olives and Spring Onions, and Sliced Peaches with Sweetened Mascarpone and Amaretti Cookies.

New Orleans Seafood Feast, $55 ($20 food fee included), June 18, September 10, 6:30-10:00 pm.

It is summer and our thoughts turn to lazy evenings in a New Orleans eatery, enjoying the tantalizing smells and this wonderful cuisine of the Crescent City. Lucia’s father was born in New Orleans and she grew up in a kitchen that knew the spices, seafood, and music of this treasure on the Mississippi. Enjoy preparing and dining on Shrimp Etouffee over Pecan Rice, Mama’s Famous Crab Casserole, Baked Zucchini with Baby Swiss and Parmesan Cheese, French Bread with Garlic Herb Butter, Luscious Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce.

Fiesta for Frida Khalo, $55 ($20 food fee included), July 9, 6:30-10:00 pm.

Join Lucia and her friend Jano Nixon (graduate of the UH Hilton School of Hotel and Restaurant Management) as they teach you to prepare a delicious meal to celebrate the birthday of Frida Kahlo—the famous artist from Mexico. This colorful woman loved to create fabulous meals for her friends and family. In her honor we will prepare: Red Snapper Veracruz, Mexican Flag Rice, Shrimp Ceviche Escuinapa, Squash Salad, Jamaica Water with Limes, and Tres Leches Cake.

Culinary Mexico, $55 ($20 food fee included), July 23, 6:30-10:00 pm.

Join Lucia on a culinary adventure through the vibrant culture, history and cuisine of Mexico. It is time we abandon old notions of Mexican food and experience some distinct recipes that make a bold statement of what a true Mexican feast can be. The class will prepare the first three recipes and then eat: Queso Fundido (Warm Three Cheese Dip with Chorizo, Chilis, Epazote, and Mushrooms), Arroz Verde (Green Rice with Spinach, Roasted Poblano Peppers, and Cilantro), Tacos de Pescado (Baja-Style Fish Tacos with Chipotle Sour Cream Herb Sauce), and Mexican Chocolate Cake with Cinnamon.

A Taste of Spain: Paella & More, $55 ($20 food fee included), August 20, 6:30-10:00pm.

The color, freshness and delicious variety of Spanish cooking are captured in this class that begins with the sea’s bounty. Although simple to cook, the food embodies the diverse history of Spain, with culinary influences from the Moors, as well as the “New World.” Learn to make: Seafood Paella, Pelotas en Salsa Roja (tiny meatballs in red sherry sauce), Tomatoes Rellenos a la Alicantina (stuffed tomatoes with spinach and pine nuts), Ensalada de Naranjas Valencianas (Valencia orange and onion salad), and Valencia Chocolate Mousse.

Vegetarian Italian, $50 ($20 food fee included), August 27, 6:30-10:00pm.

You asked for it, a vegetarian class using fresh herbs and the bounty of the garden. Feast with Lucia as we prepare: Tuscan spinach and chard with garlic, raisins and pine nuts, Sicilian cauliflower with saffron, toasted bread crumbs and garden basil, Carrots with olive oil, marsala and Italian parsley, golden eggplant with tomatoes, capers and cloves...To top off this healthy meal, we'll have Panna Cotta (cooked cream) with fresh berries.

Mediterranean Supper $55,( $20 food fee included), September 3, 6:30-10:00 pm.

The texture, color and exotic flavors of this supper will have you imagining that you are floating on a yacht on the wine-dark Mediterranean Sea. It is said that we eat with our eyes first, and this meal will be no exception. Feast on Rosemary Shrimp with Mint Pesto, White Bean Puree with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Mediterranean Chicken with Wild Mushrooms, Plum Tomatoes and Olives, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Gratin, and Orange Almond Cream Cake.

Spice it up! $55 ($20 food fee included), September 18, 6:30-10:00 pm.

Enliven your senses and take the dull out of your cooking with the use of spices! Enjoy cooking with basil, thyme, rosemary, paprika and parsley, along with many other delicious seasonings. Prepare Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin, Leeks in Olive oil with Rice, Kofte, Italian Salad with Herbed Dressings, and Salmon Fillet with Creamy Dill and Mushroom Sauce.

Other Offerings

Eat, Pray, Love $35, ($5 food fee included), June 14, 1:00-3:30 pm.

The New York Times bestseller "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, is a brilliant book, rich in spiritual insight. It is the story of one woman's search for her life as she travels across Italy, where she eats; to India, where she prays; and to Indonesia, where she learns to love again. Join Lucia as we follow her enriching journey through conversation and reflection, over a plate of delicious pasta.

Aromatherapy and the Chakras, $40 + $5 materials, July 12, 1:00-3:30 pm.

Working with essential oils and the chakras can provide us with a nourishing foundation for growth and healing. Through journaling, guided mediation, and the application of essential oils, we will explore the significant role the chakras play in our daily health. By reconnecting with the body and stimulating the senses you can experience a new sense of wellbeing.

Monthly Gathering in the Moon Cottage at Lucia’s Garden!

Reconnection for Co-Creation, with Diane Bywaters Landon

A time of reconnecting with the Holy through silent meditation, movement, sharing, and the wisdom teachings from many world traditions and realizations. Through reconnecting we are inspired to more consciously co-create our life with the Holy. A gathering for those who view Life as their greatest spiritual teacher.

This group meets in the Moon Cottage at Lucia’s Garden on the first Sunday of every month, 10 am – 12:30 pm.

*Lucia Bettler is a past president of the International Herb Association, a certified aromatherapist, a member of the Herb Society of America and of the Houston Culinary Guild. Michael Bettler is a master gardener certified by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Lucia and Michael are the co-owners of Lucia’s Garden.