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As you drive along Southeast 46th Lane near downtown in Cape Coral, you may feel a bit lost. You are definitely on a road less traveled. With that pleasure, you may come upon two hidden gems, Maria's Pizzeria and Restaurant and the Giovanni Giordano Garden at the pizzeria's front door.
Thirty-one years ago, Daniel Herrera, a self-proclaimed starving artist and vegetable stand owner, met Giovanni Giordano, the original founder of Maria's Pizzeria. At that time, Giovanni's pizzeria was a take-out only res-taurant with a makeshift table in the rear courtyard. From this table, Giovanni fed the hungry, including Daniel, extending a personal invitation to sit and break bread.
Giovanni's invitation was Daniel's introduction to a life-long partnership and friendship.
"He fed my hunger with opportunity and humanity!" recalls Daniel.
One day while Giovanni visited Daniel's vegetable stand, they discussed the best tomatoes for home-made Italian gravy. A handshake later, Daniel became the grower for the specific tomatoes required for Giovanni's simmering Sunday sauce.
Today Daniel, an independent chef, works at An Artist & A Kitchen and Maria's. He continues growing the tomatoes for the restaurant now operated by Giovanni's children. What Giovanni could not have imagined is how he inspired Daniel to cultivate a "living pantry" right outside the door of his restaurant.
Daniel describes his living pantry as a sanctuary, a labor of love and a work in progress which he shares with the community. He wants his market to be inviting, interesting and an example of sustainable living dedicated to the "Garden to Table" philosophy. If you go, you will find a variety of seasonally fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, herbs, spices, honey, home-made sauces and baked goods. His market also offers an eclectic collection of donations and trash to treasures bringing his artistic talents to the garden.
For the home gardener, Daniel provides starter plants and a wealth of knowledge to support his customers. He thrives on "talking shop" with other passionate gardeners and sees his market and garden as a learning laboratory where he and others discover and learn together, driven by mutual curiosity. His goal is to "be able to hand all of my loyal customers and on-lookers a pair of scissors instead of a recycled grocery bag" enabling them "to truly snip at the vine for fresh picking."
He envisions his garden becoming a community garden which inspires every household to cultivate a backyard garden and collectively work it from the ground up, "sharing the passion together along with its slow ripening fruits."
Daniel's creativity and passion constantly drive him to new undertakings. In 2007, Daniel founded Razza Films, a production company dedicated to documentaries about "hard-working, everyday people." (Florida Weekly) Two of the films, “Cracker Crazy” and “Immokalee, USA,” focused on Florida history and the struggles facing Immokalee field workers, respectively.
In addition to his endeavors as an organic gardener, chef, artist and documentary filmmaker, Daniel is also a beekeeper and rescuer.
"Bees are as important as the seed going into the ground. In fact, we should really consider them to be equally the same."
He sees bees as a "genius species, biologically designed by nature to work harmonically with the planet." He has a profound understanding for the importance of bees as significant to the "sustainability of the entire world."
His mantra is, "Leave them BEE!" If that is not possible, he advocates rescue and relocation through education and information.
One woman called Daniel about bees swarming in her palm at her front entryway. Daniel spoke with her and they planned an "educational rescue" to teach her son about beekeeping. They bought beekeeping gear and assembled their first bee box together to the delight of the young boy.
Daniel's greatest joy comes from "literally playing in the dirt" and the "deep conversations" he has with his market guests and beekeeping families. "It always seems to revert back to nature regardless of the topic." He is very thankful for the companionship and shared experiences these conversations cultivate.
"The ultimate gratitude for me is to be able to witness, from those arriving for the experience ... watching them interact with nature, smiling in companionship with someone while letting their kitchen passions dress their next family meal together."
You can visit Daniel at his market at 1224 S.E. 46th Lane, Cape Coral, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or contact him at 239-362-4302.
For additional information, please visit his website at https://an-artist-and-a-kitchen.business.site.
Deborah Haggett is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. Visit us at www.gardenclubofcapecoral.com
References
Krol, P.V. (2009, Dec. 3). Documen-tary filmmaker has always watched out for the underdog. Naples Florida Weekly: https://naples.floridaweekly.com/articles/documentary-filmmaker-has-always-watched-out-for-the-underdog/