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This Sunday, with the help of my business partner Christine and several members of my Toqué! brigade, I will prepare and serve appetizers for an annual fundraising event for the International Garden Festival at the Reford Gardens in Grand-Métis, Que.

The festival, now in its eighth year, is organized by La Fondation des Jardins de Métis, a registered charity with the mission of stimulating artistic creation, research and experimentation in the art of the garden. At Toqué!, we share similar values and objectives - creativity and the promotion and use of local produce are at the heart of the food we serve. An alliance with the foundation was only natural.

The festival features contemporary gardens created by innovative designers and landscape architects from Quebec, Canada and around the world who combine the natural beauty of the gardens with the visual arts. So, for the fundraising event, we will make food that reflects this philosophy. We will serve many appetizers made with edible flowers from the gardens - caramelized foie gras with flowers, begonia with wasabi foam, a flower spoon - as well as using local meat and produce such as guinea fowl and mushrooms.

I love going to Grand-Métis. I spent much of my childhood on a farm in Kamouraska. The Reford Gardens are close by, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, midway between Rimouski and Matane.

After closing up the restaurant on Saturday night, we'll do some preparatory work - the potato chips for the salmon, the cream for our fake smoked salmon sandwich. Then we'll hit the road in the middle of the night.

I enjoy this privileged time with my team. Even if it is a long drive after a busy week, they are always loud, funny and enthusiastic. Eventually, they will fall asleep in the truck, which will then become incredibly quiet. This gives me the time and opportunity to appreciate their generosity (everyone volunteers) and their desire to do more then what they are paid for.

Of course, it will not only be work, work, work. I'm a strong advocate of a "work hard, play hard" attitude. Once the fundraising event is over, we will gather around a big campfire along the St Lawrence; then, my chef de cuisine Charles-Antoine will be who he is (which is indescribable) and my sous-chef Cheryl will try to keep him under control. Everyone will laugh, relax, drink wine, drink beer and eat leftovers - if there are any.

You have until Sept. 30 if you want to see this year's festival. But even if you can't join us on Sunday or get to Grand-Métis this year, you can still enjoy a little garden of your own on your plate by following this Toqué! recipe I made especially for the event.

Edible-flower salad

Take a nice variety of edible flowers from your garden such as nasturtium, bee balm, marigold, lavender and pansies (making sure, of course, that they are pesticide- and chemical-free).

Pick the petals gently and set aside. (Flowers such as pansies are edible whole.) The petals can be used simply by tossing them in salads or as a garnish.

Begonia amuse-bouche

At Toqué!, we serve a begonia as an amuse-bouche. First, spray the begonia with a bit of water (just like Mom does when she waters the plants). Then, add a variety of dry elements that will naturally stick to it such as salt, sugar and spices. At the restaurant, we top it off with a light foam of wasabi to bring all the flavours together and make it fun to eat.

Served on a spoon, it is a wonderful palate opener and a nice way to start a meal.

Chef Normand Laprise is head chef and co-owner of Toqué

Beppi's wine matches

The important thing here is to keep things light in the beverage department. You don't want to overpower the precious subtlety of this floral centrepiece.

Think of lean, fresh whites from northern Italy, such as soave or pinot grigio, or even a minerally dry riesling, such as Quails' Gate Dry Riesling from British Columbia ($17).

Better still, try a champagne or good sparkling wine, such as Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Brut from Niagara ($30).

Or you could have fun and put an exclamation mark on the theme with the playfully named Kim Crawford Pansy! Rose, a dry, zesty, pink wine from New Zealand ($18.15).