- RECENTLY, I had the “. Juck to visit the Tuscany region of Italy _.on a bike trip with my ~ husband. [ve brought back a num- ~ ber of great recipes and idcas from various wineries, cook- ing schools and olive oil estates thar we discovered. I hope to share some of -! these recipes throughout the . summer... = While away, we visited the Coltibuono Olive Oil Estate wat-Gaiole in Chianti. Host -Lorenze di Medici. was extremely helpful. in explain- ‘ing the’ harvesting and_pro- cessing operations of the olive ou, ot : tour was most fasci- nating and was hampered only: once. by my husband’s -off-colar joke about Olive Oil and Popeye. Nevertheless, | know \I- learned a great deal about olive oil.” -The.olives are first picked by hand and. then pressed by large steel rollers. FOME & GARDEN NEWS photo Srad Ledwidge SOME olive oils are more equal than others: Extra Virgin olive oil is the product of the first press of olives after harvesting. Use it to make a delicious Bruscheita on crusty bread. first press, where regular olive oil is what is produced with the second press. Cooking with olive oil is wonderful. The flavor and texture it provides to pastas and other dishes is second to none. Next week FU share one of my favorite dinner recipes . from the Tuscany region of Iraly. Bruschetta crusty bread extra virgin olive oil (4-5 Tbsp.) Ssit and pepper 4+. farge cloves (chopped) 5 large tomatoes Kc. fresh basil garlic Toast the slices of bread on the grill until their surfaces are hard and crisp. Rub both sides of the bread with garlic, sprin- Kle with the salt and pepper and season with the oil. Lay pieces of tomato (marinated in advance with the oil), salt and basil, on top of the bread. Serves 10 people. — Barb Luuter lives in West Vancouver. She is the host For more simple ideas on how to recycle naturally call the 736: of Home Ideas o# Reger’s Cadle’s Plugged in! magasine program, Barb's floral prod- ucts are available at Valeriaune on Bellevue sve in West Vancouver. If you have any questions for Rarb, or any of your own Home Ideas, send there ro the North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave, NV. V7M 2H4. Or fax them te 985- 2104. North Shore Gardens Sunday, May 31, 1998 ~— Norih Shore News - 25 THE SECOND WED- NESDAY OF EACH MONTH: The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meets at 7:20 p.m. in the Cedar Reom at the Delbrook recreation centre once a month until June. The evenings — include workshops, — demonstra- tions, and = more. Call Danna Sims at 986-9360 for more information. EVERY WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY: Tours of the main garden at the UBC Boranical Garden will be given by the Friends of the Garden at 11 a.m. The tour is inchud- ed with the price of admission. To arrange group tours for the Main Garden and the Nitobe Garden, call 822-9666. The UBC Botanical Garden is located at 6804 Southwest Marine Dr., Vancouver. MAY AND JUNE: The West Vancouver Parks and Recreation Departinent is putting on instructional garden- ing classes in the coming weeks: West Vanconver in Bloom — Stroli through the streets and allevways of West Vancouver with master gardener Sheila Watkins, Wednesday, June 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pre-register at 925-7270. TUNE 5 to 7: The fifth annual VanDuserr Flower and Garden Show, North America’s largest outdoor garden show is cooking from planter to plate in ’98! This vear's theme is The Garden is Cooking — and celebrity guests include chefs trom Team BC as well as the Wareriront Centre Hotel's herbal cuisine team Daryle Nagata and Elaine Stevens. The show is produced by rhe VanDusen Botanical Gardens Association to support the garderi. Tickets are available at the gate: 8S for adults, $5 for seniors, children 12 and under get in free. For more information call 878-9274. . GREEN GUIDE isa weeklv Sunday column. [f your busi- ness or charity és planning a gardening event, send in your information as carly as possible to the North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdaie Ave., North Vancouver, B.C., V7M 2H4 Priority ts given to fundraising events and shows taking face on the Nort Shore. Contest ‘O98 for 1998. Entries are invited from all North Shore garden enthusiasts for sammer judging of their gardens. All entries to be submitted by July 26/98. Send completed © rms to: North Shore Gardens Contest '98 c/o Maria Magiieri 141 W. 14 St. City of North Vancouver North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 1H9 or drop off at your nearest Municipal Hall This cor:test is sponsored bj City af North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, District of West Vancouver, Avant Gardener, Carol's of West Vancouver, Capilano Nurseries, Dykhof Nurseries, Garden Works, Kerrisdale Cameras (North Vancouver}, Maple Leaf Garden Centres (Lynn Valley and West Vancouver), Mel Hudinger Moving, North Shore News, United Landscape Supplies, West Van Florist Ltd. NORTH SHORE GARDENS CONTEST '98 entry form _ Name: (print) ~~ Address: ~~ Date: ~~ Telephone: (Home) (2 District of N. Van. 3 City of N. Van. SI West Vancouver Postal Cade: meee" ENTRANT'S SIGNATURE: { wish to enter the North Shore Gardens Contest '98 in the category of. RESIDENTIAL GARDENS: [i City fot - frent and back (maximum $0's 150" ar 9000 sg i.) {| Large space (larger than a city lov) t { } Best use of patie } Vegetable garden {| Best use of balcony {| Residential complexes (townhouses, condominiums, apartmerits) COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING & GARDENS: {| Small commercial (e g steielronts, ete.) f COMMBENITY GARDFNS: { 1Church [ } School | ENQUIRIES MAY BE MADE AT THE FOLLOWING PHONE NUMBERS } Other ! Large commercial a, * +2 980-2275 or 922- ee