Looking for even more inspiration to make the most of the summer abundance (and to save some of it)? Direction Kamouraska, at the Société des Plantes, where Patrice Fortier now gives “From the garden to the table” workshops.
Seed producer for 22 years, subject of the magnificent documentary the sower (2013), by Julie Perron, this genius of delicious plants has a lot of information and tips to pass on. Although he has been spreading his precious seeds of alpine strawberries, Ida Gold tomatoes and yellow carrots from the Doubs to the four corners of Quebec (and further afield) for a long time, Patrice Fortier was slow to more formally distribute his knowledge of culture AND cooking. old varieties that he masters.
PHOTO JHA PHOTOGRAPHY, PROVIDED BY PLANT SOCIETY
The first part of the visit takes place in the garden, with explanations from Patrice Fortier.
The workshops for eight people are sessions of about three hours, divided between theory, guided tour of the garden, transformation of star products in the kitchen and tasting. “We walk in the garden and we approach the plants as they present themselves to us in a course”, explains the seed company.
PHOTO JHA PHOTOGRAPHY, PROVIDED BY PLANT SOCIETY
Edible greens are much more numerous than one would think.
Edible leaves
In June, for example, it is “the peak of edible foliage”. And we’re not talking about lettuce here, but orach, poppy, purslane, fat cabbage, amaranth, Caucasian spinach, catchfly, to name a few. “We eat a lot of weeding and thinning,” Patrice Fortier tells us. Young linden leaves are also eaten in salads. »
In August, the tomato is declined to who better better. Eggplants, peppers and other fruit vegetables are processed, mallow also has its heyday. “In September, I always make fermented chilli sauces, nothing that tears the taste buds away. We just had some this afternoon with a dish of rice and beans. I also like to make pepper powders. Each aromatic pepper has its particularity and its color – yellow, orange, red. I dehydrate them, then I grind them as needed to add sunshine to the plates! »
PHOTO JHA PHOTOGRAPHY, PROVIDED BY PLANT SOCIETY
The tasting takes place in this beautiful bright room.
In short, each month has its treasures and its original ways of showcasing them.
Many of the products that are covered during the workshops are exclusive to the Plant Society and the customers who purchased the seeds and grew them.
Memory is…
“For me, these workshops are also kind of memos that force me to do things that I might otherwise forget. June is the time to pick nettles, for example. And we can do it three times in the summer. Often, I go straight. »
PHOTO JHA PHOTOGRAPHY, PROVIDED BY PLANT SOCIETY
Patrice Fortier prepares the rhubarb which he will then use in an Iranian stew.
Between the garden and the kitchen, Patrice Fortier is not stingy with his tricks, even though he often has to hold himself back. “I teach people not to cut rhubarb with a knife. You simply have to pull towards the base of the petiole. The large fibrous branches, we do not pick them. Better to leave them there to do photosynthesis. These are tricks of the trade that aren’t always in the books. Grandma stuff. And it’s me, the grandmother! he says, laughing.
The “From the garden to the table” workshops are given four times a month, with a different theme each month, until October. It’s $75 for three hours, including a light meal (or a beefy tasting!).