Entertaining with Heirloom Vegetables

Gardening is social - I'm trying to focus more on incorporating gardening, horticulture and even agriculture into my social life.  I love to cook, to host, to entertain and over the holidays I got a chance to bring the world of heirloom vegetables and farmers markets to the dinner parties I was hosting.

One of the biggest hits was a salad of mixed greens I grew at home, topped with thinly sliced raw chioggia beets (aka candy-stripe beets) and red onions, all drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.
Not only was I able to convince some of my guests to actually enjoy beets, but telling farmers market stories makes for wonderfully fulfilling dinner conversation.  This aren't just impersonal vegetables from the grocery store, my guests loved hearing about Brian and Alice's onions and beets, unusual heirlooms grown with love on their organic Veggie Patch Farm.