T he Cu l i nary North Last Call
CHEERS TO THE GARDEN by STACEY BRUGEMAN
Snip a few sprigs for this herbaceous summer sipper.
photo by Dave Weidner// styling by Sarah Peschel
I
didn’t start my garden from seed this year. Back in March, I was consumed with a volunteer project. As the deadline to turn on the grow lamp that is permanently mounted in our family bathroom came and went, I decided that one of the many benefits of living in Leelanau County is that I’m surrounded by plenty of professional farmers already doing all the heavy lifting. Now, as our nighttime temperatures start to climb, I’m reminded that I made the right call. From my favorite roadside haunts to the hardware store parking lot, the vegetable starts being sold are far more robust than any seedling I’ve ever nurtured at home. And if there is a plant that I can’t find, all I need to do is lean harder into my farmers market rotation this summer, buying my fruits and veggies as finished masterpieces straight from farmers’ hands. But even in years when I lighten my own garden load, I still have boundaries. There has never been a growing season where I didn’t at least plant herbs—whether it was in a city rooftop garden, an apartment window box or in a reclaimed flowerbed. Typically, chives, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, you name it, end up in or on our food; less often do herbs shine as the star ingredient. But when I’ve grown them myself, and especially when they are the only thing I’ve grown myself, it can be fun to put them in the spotlight. This Gin Tonic—without the “and” and served in a big wine
goblet the way they are throughout Spain—accomplishes exactly that. Pair those garden-fresh herbs with a few edible flowers you might also have popped in the ground (think: marigolds, violets, nasturtiums) and you’ve got this Gardener’s Gin Tonic. Whether you are cultivating acres, inches or have your own little circuit of farmers markets, one thing we all share is spending the growing season in the best place on earth to spend it—Northern Michigan. Cheers to summer. Stacey Brugeman is a 20-year food and beverage journalist. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Saveur, Travel + Leisure, Eater and on Instagram @staceybrugeman. Dave Weidner is an editorial photographer and videographer based in Northern Michigan. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook @dzwphoto. Sarah Peschel, @22speschel, is a stylist and photographer with an appreciation for all things local agriculture, food and drink. JUNE 2023
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