On April 22, Talbot County Garden Club Symposium co-chairs Tracy Garrett and Paige Connelly created a distinctive event for an appreciative audience of flower and garden lovers.

 Floral Fête, Talbot County Garden Club’s April 22 Symposium, lived up to expectations. It was a glorious day filled with flowers galore, three insightful and inspirational speakers, luxe luncheon delicacies, a dozen quality vendors, and an exciting silent auction, all set in a welcoming environment at The Oaks Waterfront Hotel. Accolades continue to roll in to co-chairs Paige Connelly and Tracy Garrett and their committees from the event’s 250 attendees.

According to garden club president Maribeth Lane, “We are pleased to report that the event netted more than $40,000 that will return to the local community over the next 2 years via the club’s ‘green’ programs. The programs that benefit from these funds include plants and maintenance for four parks in Easton, annual Project Grants, complimentary public garden lectures, hands-on workshops for Young Gardeners and for Adults Living with Disabilities, holiday arrangements for Meals on Wheels participants, and regular floral donations to Talbot Hospice and Talbot Interfaith Shelter.”

Talbot County Garden Club’s recent Project Grants provided trees and vegetation for the town’s Rail Trail and for the US Post Office grounds. This fall, the garden club will hold a flower show that will be open to the public.

Further according to Lane, “We have so many people to thank for supporting this event, beginning with our local business sponsors and all those who purchased tickets to attend.” Tickets were offered online on the club’s website (Talbotcountygc.org) and were sold out within two weeks of their release in January.

The garden club’s Symposium is a biennial event. It will be offered again in April 2027. Next year on May 9, the garden club will present the biennial Talbot County Tour. As part of the Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage, the Tour showcases the inimitable style of Talbot County, with the talents of the club’s floral designers again in full view. Profits from the Tour are designated for historical restoration in the county; this being the case, the Symposium proceeds are vital to fund the club’s own ongoing programs. 2026 Tour proceeds are already targeted to support repointing the brick on the Talbot Historical Society’s Neall House in Easton.

Ciao Tutti!

This weekend at Piazza Italian Market, we will taste the Fiordiligi Grillo DOC ($15.99, ABV 12.5%) from the Assuli winery near Trapani, Sicily. The stylish label was inspired by the character Agramant, the king of Africa and Charlemagne’s opponent in “Orlando Furioso”, an epic poem by Ludivico Ariosto.  Antonio Vivaldi was inspired by the poem to create his opera “Orlando” and the Assuli labels illustrate the characters in the opera. 

Fiordiligi Grillo DOC ($15.99, ABV 12.5%) from the Assuli winery near Trapani, Sicily

Sicily is Italy’s largest region and its three primary winemaking areas vary from the slopes of Mt. Etna in the NE coast to Vittoria in the SE and the NW where Assuli is located near Trapani. In the Sicilian dialect, “Assuli” means “Al Sole (the Sun) which is an apt description of their unique terroir of blazing sunlight, soils with strong minerality and fragrant scents that are borne on the breezes from the Mediterranean Sea.  The results are wines with distinctive personality in the “Sicilia” DOC.

Assuli Winery is owned by the Caruso family.

Being an architect, I could not resist including the picture of the Assuli winery, owned by the Caruso family. The Assuli story began in 1948 with Giacomo Caruso, an entrepreneur who discovered a new marble variety, “Perlato di Sicilia.” The demand for the marble soared and Caruso purchased new quarries to keep up with orders. In 1972, Carrara, a global stone center, moved to new headquarters that were designed by Italian architects Bertelotti and Bertelli. This efficient and modern building is a reinterpretation of an ancient baglio on the site, dating from the 18th century. 

Their grillo grape is grown in the Carcitella vineyard near the coastal towns of Frapani and Marsala in NW Sicily.

By 1993, Assuli’s estate covered more than 130 hectares containing five distinct vineyards where seven indigenous grapes are grown. Their grillo grape is grown in the Carcitella vineyard near the coastal towns of Frapani and Marsala in NW Sicily. Since 2016, the third generation of the Caruso family, Nicoletta, Roberto and Michele have been leading the winery to new heights. Their current collaboration is with the Instituto Vite Vino di Marsala for management of an experimental field of 600 vine grafts of six grapes. The goal is to bring these ancient vines back to life that reflect the Caruso family’s strong link to its terroir.  

It has been a while since the Grillo grape has been in Piazza’s collection. I enjoyed its fruity nose of citrus and strong pineapple and fresh minerality-perfect pairing for spring, with tomato and watermelon or smoked trout salads; pasta dishes with seafood, grilled veggies, especially asparagus; seafood or white meat entrees and fresh goat cheese.  

Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 for a taste of this delectable wine!

Cin Cin!

Jenn

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectura

Ciao Tutti!

This weekend at Piazza Italian Market,  we will taste the Lugana Mandolara DOC ($20.99, 12.5% ABV) from the Le Morette winery near Verona in the Veneto. “Le Morette” translates as “blackberries”  for the blackberry bushes that are native to the region in general and to the shores of Lake Garda in particular. It is also the name of the famous diving duck found in the area.

Lugana is a small wine region along the southern banks of Lake Garda and is famous for this  white grape, Turbiana, which is grown for both sparkling and still wines. Several years ago, the region was threatened when tracks for a high speed bullet train were proposed from Kiev to Lisbon. For other regions, this would have been progress, but for Lugana, it would have been a disaster. Lugana is wedged between the southern shore of Lake Garda and another region, Lombardy, so there was no room for relocating vines and the vines would be lost forever.

The proposed new tracks would have covered an area only a quarter mile away from the existing tracks. Wine producers fought back by creating the Consorzio of Lugana. Their petition pointed out if the bullet train used part of the existing rail line, only four minutes of travel time would be lost. David slew Goliath and modifications were made to the train route. Then the project was abandoned and  this unique wine heritage area was preserved for future generations.

In the early 1960’, Gino Zenato,  founded a vine nursery company to produce vines for viticulture but he soon began to produce his own wine. Twenty-one years later, Gino’s son Valerio joined his father’s company and raised the bar for the wines that became known for their high quality, strong identity with their terroir, minerality, and structure. The third generation of Fabio and Paolo now work alongside their father.

Emily and I tasted this wine recently with our rep and we liked its fresh bouquet, fruity taste with hints of pear, citrus and white flowers that ends with a trace of bitter almond that is characteristic of this indigenous grape. Pair with seafood, pasta, salads or as an aperitivo.

Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 for a taste of this delicious white wine!

Cin Cin,

Jenn

Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center, 218 N. Washington St., in Easton, MD

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Bayshore Iris Society (BIS), an affiliate of the American Iris Society (AIS), will be holding the

Iris Show, “IRIS FIESTA” at the Talbot County Free Library at 100 West Dover Street, Easton, MD 21601 on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The Iris Show, which will be open to the public for viewing from 1pm to 3 pm, is an American Iris Society (AIS) Accredited Show. Visit our Iris Fiesta to view Iris exhibits and to enjoy the gorgeous Iris that grows well on the Eastern Shore.

The public and Bayshore Iris Society members will be allowed to enter their Iris flowering stalks, single blossoms, container grown flowering Iris, floral designs, educational exhibits, and new seedling blooms in this accredited show. There are thousands of different irises that are named and registered with the American Iris Society, with about 1,000 new introductions each year. Arrive promptly at 9am if you wish to enter your Iris into competition. Members of the Bayshore Iris Society will be on hand to help with public entries. 

Selecting a good specimen includes choosing a stalk that has well-balanced branching of flower buds with at least one open, fresh flower. Cut the stalk off at just above ground level with a sharp, clean knife; place the iris cutting in water and transport to the Talbot County Free Library. A container will be provided. 

Attendees may sign up to join the Bayshore Iris Society for $10 annual Membership. The BIS meets monthly, on the third Wednesday in the Easton area. Members can learn how to successfully grow and show irises, maintain Iris Display Gardens, and plan fun events.

For more information about this Iris Show and to obtain a Show Schedule and entry cards, contact Pat McNeal by email at thegoodlife4all@verizon.net / phone at 443-786-3668 OR Terry Holman, by email at thereseholman@gmail.com / phone at 908-963-9227. The Bayshore Iris Society is an affiliate of the American Iris Society, Region 4 and is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

Ciao Tutti!

This weekend we will kick-off the holiday celebration with tastings of my fave mini Prosecco, the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG from the Carpene-Malvolti winery, located in the city of Conegliano in the Veneto region.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG from the Carpene-Malvolti winery, available for purchase at Piazza Italian Market, located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center.

Grapes for wine have been grown in the region since ancient times. Fast forward to 1868 when Carpene-Malvolti, Italy’s oldest family-owned sparkling wine company, was founded by Antonio Carpene. He was also a distinguished Chemist, Researcher and Scientist who founded the first Oenological School in Italy in 1876. Carpene dreamed of creating sparkling wine from grapes harvested in the hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene area. He fulfilled his dream and more by  his winery being the first in Italy to perfect the sparkling winemaking method and to produce the first label with the name “Prosecco” from the Glera grape.  Today, the fifth generation of his family keeps his dream alive.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene District

The Conegliano Valdobbiadene District achieved DOCG status in 2009 in recognition of its having the highest expression of Italian sparkling wine production. Conegliano Valdobbiadene’s hills are often challenging to cultivate, due to their steep slopes and soil varieties. The unique rural landscape has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

If you missed last week’s trio of suggestions for your holiday feast, we are well stocked in the Calle delle Calle Rose’, the Trebbiano and the Il Sasso. We also have great gifts and goodies for Easter -I am halfway through my Peach and Chocolate Colomba and I heartily recommend it!

After my Easter celebration, I will sit back and savor a flute of Carpene-Malvoti’s mini-Prosecco as a coda to the holiday. The mini’s are also great for mixing single flutes of Bellini. Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 for a taste of the oldest, and to me, the best Prosecco!

Cin Cin  and Buona Pasqua! – Jenn

Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center, 218 N. Washington St., suite 23, in Easton, MD

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

CAIC is thrilled to announce our third annual “Producers Unveiled” event with Producers Unveiled 2025, Alpacas, Agriculture, and Outstanding Dreams. Celebrating the achievements of local farmers and producers in the Delmarva region. The event will take place on June 4th, 2025, at Outstanding Dreams Alpaca Farm, located at 24480 Pinetown Rd, Preston, MD 21655.

“Producers Unveiled” will feature presentations from participants in CAIC’s Value-added Producers Program and Producer’s Growth Program alumni, highlighting their remarkable journeys and innovative approaches to value-added agriculture. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with industry leaders, gain valuable insights into the future of agriculture, and discover a variety of local products in a vibrant farmers market-style showcase.

This event promises to be a dynamic day of inspiration and community connection, offering valuable networking opportunities for farmers, industry professionals, and local business owners. Sponsorship opportunities are available, allowing businesses to showcase their commitment to supporting local agriculture while reaching a targeted audience of key stakeholders.

Event Details:

• Date: June 4th, 2025

• Location: Outstanding Dreams Alpaca Farm, 24480 Pinetown Rd, Preston, MD 21655

• Time: 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM

• Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/producers-unveiled-2025-tickets-1302273748839?aff=oddtdtcreator