A walk through the garden at Brix gives you a good idea what you might find on the menu. These days in Napa, as the nights still get cold and the days are growing longer, expect beets and Swiss chard on the menu as these crops are thriving right now. Chef Anne Gingrass-Paik and property manager and purchasing agent Guillermo "Memo" Rodriguez collaborate on the two -acre garden that is surrounded by a vineyard for the restaurant's signature wine. Both worked together at Hawthorne Lane in San Francisco, and while they ordered local organic produce, now they are excited to go garden-to-table on their menu. When asked if it isn't just easier to have the produce delivered, Anne answered a declarative "No. When you order, you just don't know what you'll get. When you grow your own, you have total quality control."

They are just starting their second year and still figuring out what the gophers like--kale--if the Jerusalem artichokes can handle the frosts, and perfecting the salt water cures for their olives. Over the summer, zucchini thrived and found itself onto lunch and dinner menus and while the melons grew well, the local wildlife got to them first. They are starting to plot their spring garden and seedlings are sprouting in the greenhouse.

Memo handles the day-to-day operation of the garden, and likes collaborating with a chef. "She makes me look good," he said. "We use whatever we grow. And I'm in charge of ordering, so I know what we don't need. I never buy herbs in the summer."

Not only is the produce seasonal, but Anne is finding that proteins have their seasons as well. In the fall, pheasant was excellent and she's looking forward to local lamb in the springtime. Right now, she's serving local rabbit. While many gardeners may fantasize about pairing leafy greens with the critters that eat them, she promises the rabbit is not from their garden.

Recipe: Beet Salad with Dried Cherries and Walnuts by Brix Executive Chef Anne Gingrass-Paik

Serves 8 people

Ingredients
2 pounds Beets - green tops reserved
2 tablespoons Olive oil (for roasting)
3 tablespoons Olive oil (for sautéing beet greens)
2 ¼ ounces Dried cherries
To taste Kosher salt and black pepper

Red Wine Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Whole grain mustard
¼ cup Shallots - small diced
3 cups Olive oil
1 cup Red wine vinegar
to taste Kosher salt and black pepper

1. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, shallots, and red wine vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Additional Ingredients
16 cups Mixed greens
½ cup Walnuts - toasted and chopped
6 ounce Your favorite blue cheese
To taste Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Wash beets and remove the stems. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a baking pan, cover with foil, and roast at 350 for about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the skin while still warm. Slice beets to ¼" thick and set aside. Sauté reserved beet greens in ½ ounce of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook until tender, let cool, and roughly chop.
2. Toss beets, dried cherries, and beet greens with 3 ½ cups vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let marinate.

Assembly
Combine the marinated beet mixture with the mixed greens, walnuts, and blue cheese. Toss with remaining vinaigrette if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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