Garden classes bloom at Driftwood Beach

Classes are scheduled at the shop throughout March and April.

By Lesley Dwyer
| 6:00 p.m. February 21, 2023

Longboat Key
Neighbors

With the fine weather and snowbirds having returned to the island, classes at Driftwood Beach Home & Garden are back in session.

Resident Chef Tina Anderson is instructionally entertaining outside behind the store. Just through the back door is a patio tucked between tubs of u-pick flowers and a row of herbs. Picnic tables overlook the canal.

During the demonstration, owner Heather Rippy refreshes mimosas and waters. Anderson cuts nasturtiums straight from the plant to use as garnish. Once the boards are assembled, it’s time to eat.

From sweet to savory, there’s a class for every palate and occasion, and everything is easy to duplicate at home.

Three tips from Tina

Throughout class, Anderson offers up all sorts of tips from where to shop to what to buy.

1. Use a marble board.

“I like to use them a lot for cheese boards and fruit trays because you can chill them. They maintain their temperature for a much longer time.”

2. Employ a waffle maker at brunch.

"Put it there with the batter, and let people make their waffles or have a kid or someone standing there making waffles. Just having that one little interactive thing is a lot of fun and kind of gets the conversation going."

3. Use what you have.

"When entertaining, use things that are around your house like baskets. Gather up your arsenal of stuff and have it ready to go. With just a few baskets, a couple of boards and some pretty serving bowls and plates, that's all you need."

Attendees won’t leave with a laundry list of ingredients to buy or recipes that take hours in the kitchen to prepare. These classes are designed for easy entertaining.

“Fast and Fabulous focuses on embellishing precooked or ready-prepared grocery items into exciting and healthy, quick meals,” Anderson said. “Aperitivo (Italian happy hour) was designed to highlight easy, elegant cocktails with snacks for fabulous pre-dinner bites or even a light meal. This is how I love to entertain, and it’s perfect for Florida coastal living.”

Driftwood Beach Home & Garden hosts a class in the garden.

Owner Heather Rippy refreshes the mimosas.

Roksolana Tymiak-Lonchyna checks out the recycled yogurt containers used during class.

Roksolana Tymiak-Lonchyna and Mary Scheible

Chef Tina Anderson puts together a waffle board.

Chef Tina Anderson leads a class on brunch boards at Driftwood Beach Home & Garden.

A bagel board with pickled onions, herb cream cheese, tomatoes and capers.

Sliced strawberries and an easy fruit dip for on-the-spot snacking or entertaining.

Ellen Nelson, Sue Paulson, Karen O'Brien and Katy Dunn. Dunn says the Cortez Bait & Seafood Fish Market has the best smoked salmon, and Anderson agrees.

The finished product after the Brunch Board class.

Roksolana Tymiak-Lonchyna and Sharon Penn. Penn offers a great tip from her travels to Italy. Add eggs and cheese to leftover pasta and turn it into a frittata.

The class tastes the food and enjoy the garden.

author

Lesley Dwyer

Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.