iEat Green - 06.02.22 - Jaclyn Rutigliano

iEat Green with Bhavani

Jaclyn Rutigliano
Hometown Flower Company

Jaclyn Rutigliano is the founder and CEO of Hometown Flower Collective,
a Long Island-based sustainable floral design studio and pop-up flower
truck. After 15+ years working as a publicist and branding/marketing expert,
working with start-ups, non-profits, travel companies, and more, she started
designing flowers as a form of stress relief, giving her a way to reconnect
with nature and have a method of creative expression. It was then that she
realized she had inherited the “floral gene, following in the footsteps of her
parents and grandparents as a third generation florist. Having previously
worked with the slow fashion movement, she applied her learnings about
ethical and sustainable sourcing and responsible business and became
committed to launching a sustainable floral design studio, exclusively
working with locally-grown flowers. She launched Hometown Flower Co.
alongside her husband, Marc Iervolino, on Mother’s Day 2019, the biggest
day of the year for flowers, with a commitment to changing the status quo of
our expectations for and relationship with flowers.

Watermelon, Mint, and Cashew Chevre Salad
1 medium seedless watermelon, cut into 1” cubes
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
2 packages of Miyoko’s Creamery Herbs de Provence Cashew Cheese, cut into
small cubes
½ red onion, chopped
1 medium bunch of mint, chopped

Directions
1. Cut up the watermelon into 1” cubes. Drain in colander for ½ hour with
a bowl underneath (this way, you can drink the juice!)
2. Whisk together the white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice in a
bowl.
3. Mix the watermelon, cashew cheese, onion, and mint in a large bowl. Chill
in refrigerator.
4. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and toss
right before serving.