It’s time: Uncover beds, clean up the garden, thin the berry patches, pull the season’s first weeds, and plant seeds and starts. Gardening season has begun.

Although your mind might be reeling with the to-do lists that will get your garden up and running, give a little thought to where its bounty is going: table, fridge, freezer, pantry, and more. I’ve already loaded the blog with lots of information to help you enjoy what you’ve grown—now and later. But you’ll get an even bigger jump-start on the season with a Twice as Tasty Live workshop. You’ll learn more, faster, among friends, and with my personal help. This week’s post highlights some of the best workshops to get on your calendar this summer. As days grow longer, my schedule gets tighter, so pick your topics and contact me soon to set up your personalized workshop for the summer season.


The workshops that follow are best for summer months, when gardens and farmer’s markets are in full swing. Each workshop is customized to you, your needs, and your crew. Get the full scoop on learning with Twice as Tasty here. Click a workshop title for a full description and details. First up:

Planning the Garden—from the Kitchen

This is the workshop to get your season started and align what you grow with what you want to eat—now and later. Have a handful of friends who garden or a larger gardening club? Bring them together and I’ll teach you to choose what you will plant this season by looking at what you most enjoy eating and growing. This workshop can be organized for as few as 4 people to a dozen or more, with the per-person rate scaled according to length and group size.
My favorite foods to grow and eat: Arugula, mint, raspberries, rhubarb, tomatoes, tomatillos

Canning & Pickling

If you’re growing a large garden, have a full CSA, or just love to buy local produce in season, you should learn to can and pickle food. These workshops will set you on the right path:

A Little Sweetness: Low-Sugar Jams

Once you start making jam, you’ll never buy a jar at the store again. A simple jam is also the stepping stone to many other spreads, from butters to chutneys to jellies. Master the basic techniques, and the possibilities are endless. Twice as Tasty jam workshops also teach you the essentials of water-bath canning, getting you ready to jar up sauces, salsas, syrups, and more.
My favorite foods to jam: Gooseberries, onions, plums, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes

Pick a Pickle: Easy Pickling Processes

Did you know you can have pickles ready to eat in minutes? Ones you can make quickly and store in the fridge? Pickles that will keep all year in a cupboard? Ones that you have to wait for but will be the tastiest and crispest you’ve ever eaten? Twice as Tasty pickling workshops have converted people who never before liked pickles and made devotees of those who’ve never met a pickle they didn’t like. Join the club.
My favorite foods to pickle and ferment: Beets, cucumbers, ginger, nasturtium seeds, snap beans, zucchini

Grilled Goodness: Getting Fired Up about Vegetables

If you grill your harvest, you can have it both ways: fresh meals that head straight to the table and that gorgeous grilled flavor in your canned and frozen stash. If you’ve never grilled a vegetable or fruit, this workshop will blow your mind. You’ll soon be cooking most of your summer meals on the grill and asking yourself with each item you pull from the garden or spot at the farmer’s market, “Can I grill that”? The answer is almost always “Yes!”
My favorite foods to grill: Asparagus, corn, eggplant, garlic, peaches, peppers

Freezing & Dehydrating

Freezing and dehydrating are the low-key, small-batch siblings of canning and pickling. You generally need fewer tools and less effort at harvest time, but the results are just as versatile and delicious. These workshops will give you plenty of fresh ideas:

Dehydration for Everyone

If you think dried foods are just for people who put plenty of miles on their feet every summer, think again. This workshop will convince you that you can dry almost anything and eat it just about everywhere. Once you learn how to dry efficiently and effectively, you’ll never waste money on expensive, commercially dried snacks, herbs, and meals.
My favorite foods to dehydrate: Apples, apricots, chamomile, oregano, plums, rosemary

Playing with Pesto: Classic Basil and Variations

I know what you’re thinking: Do I really need to take a workshop to make pesto? Maybe not. But ask yourself these questions: Did I make pesto last season? Have I ever made pesto from cilantro, pea shoots, arugula, or other unexpected herbs or greens? Do I always have pesto at hand when I want it? If your answer to one or more of these questions is “no,” you’ll want to take this workshop.
My favorite foods to freeze for pesto: Basil, cilantro, garlic scapes, pea shoots, sorrel, squash blossoms

Super Smoothies: Starting Your Day Right

When I started offering this workshop, I was surprised by the number of people who told me they always have trouble making good smoothies. Balance, consistency, flavor—all of these issues cropped up. And because it’s a Twice as Tasty workshop, you’ll learn how to save some surprising ingredients to throw in your smoothie cup.
My favorite foods to freeze for smoothies: Beet greens, blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, kale, melon

Fresh Eating

While I’m all about saving what I can from the garden to enjoy all year, I also spend all summer filling my belly with fresh treats. These are some of my favorite pick-of-season workshops:

Creative Cocktails: Syrups and Shrubs

Nothing tastes better than a cool evening beverage at the end of a hot summer day—except that beverage made with sweet, tangy, or savory mixers and ingredients that came from your own garden and kitchen. Whether you pour in alcohol or not, you’ll impress everyone at your next gathering with what you learned at a Twice as Tasty cocktail party.
My favorite foods for drinks: Blueberries, mint, pear, rhubarb, tart cherries, tomatillos

Fine Dining: Front Country

Mushroom–Sweet Potato Salad. Grilled Fish Tacos. Thin-Crust Pizza. Vegetable Couscous with Homemade Feta. Blue Mule Ceviche. Thai Curry. Summer Rolls. These are just a few of my favorite front-country meals. Take this workshop, and you’ll upgrade your next outdoor adventure to first class.
My favorite foods for outdoor dining: Carrots, mushrooms, nasturtiums, potatoes, spinach, squash

Grilled Sourdough Pizza

Is there anything finer than a homemade sourdough pizza crust topped with fresh-from-the garden veg? Only one that’s been cooked on the grill. This is one the most popular Twice as Tasty workshops, teaching you not just how to care for and bake with a sourdough starter but also how to make a meal in minutes that’s sure to impress every guest at home or on the road.
My favorite foods on grilled pizza: Arugula, bell pepper, garlic, kale, onion, potatoes

Twice as Tasty

Twice as Tasty workshops go beyond the recipes and techniques on the blog and bring me into your kitchen for private classes with you and your friends. These workshops focus on making good food in your own home and learning and cooking together. Better than a book club or a night out where you simply talk about eating well, in these fun gatherings, you’ll learn how to prepare tasty treats from scratch with my personal help. Learn more about Twice as Tasty workshops here, and then contact me to set up your personalized workshop!