Editor’s Mixing Bowl

It’s hard to miss what’s been happening in the local housing market as space is valued at an ever-growing premium. It seems to be the same here at Edible East Bay, where we keep learning about more and more exciting stories we want to include. Try as we might, we simply can’t wedge it all into our quarterly issues, so we are expanding further into the digital sphere through our e-newsletter and blog.

Here’s a taste of what’s cooking at edibleeastbay.com:

 

SEASONAL PAIRINGS
Which wine complements a holiday turkey or vegetarian feast? What’s best to sip with a spicy dessert? Some of our local winemakers and bottleshop owners share their wisdom so you won’t be caught wondering. We’ll be adding other holiday entertaining ideas throughout the season.

 

NEW TWIST ON THE WALDORF SALAD
Click here and you’ll learn about community-minded Hayward cooks Marcy Timberman and Armand Harris. Check out their inventive recipe for a Fuyu Persimmon Waldorf Salad.

 

 

 

SHORT RIBS WITH FLAIR
Artist, choreographer, dancer, and filmmaker Cynthia Pepper somehow finds the time to cook. See her gorgeous artwork on our cover and learn more about her: here.  Here is the link to her recipe for Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cumin and Pomegranate Sauce.

 

IN THE MINDFUL KITCHEN WITH DANA VELDEN
Photographer and filmmaker Scott Peterson shot this short video in the humble kitchen of Dana Velden, a Zen priest and author of Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook. In the film, Velden shows how she prepares a simple salad and gives viewers a taste of her philosophy on cooking and life. Her book, which appears to be a runaway hit, is reviewed by Kristina Sepetys here.

 

 

THE CURE
Swati Mhaiskar saw her first olive tree when she moved from India to California, but at first, she didn’t understand why the fresh olives tasted so terrible. Among our online offerings is “The Cure,” Mhaiskar’s illustrated story on how she cures olives and how you can, too!

 

 

CAN LOVE CONQUER A TERROR OF FOOD?
A woman in recovery from an eating disorder meets a man who loves to cook and dine. Find out what happens next in Heather Johnson’s moving essay “The Foodie and the Food Phobe.”

 

 

 

#EDIBLEEASTBAY
Way back in the spring of 2013, before I was ready to acknowledge the existence of Instagram, a reader posted her appreciation of our avocado article and tagged it #edibleeastbay. However, it was not until late October 2015 that I first typed that hashtag, discovered the posts collected there, and joined the fun.

Now that Edible East Bay is onboard with Instagram (and getting more active on Facebook and Twitter), we want to invite more readers to join us in those spaces. We hope you’ll share your fabulous food, farm, and garden images with us. The best post of 2015 wins a gift certificate for a scrumptious Niles Pie.

Here’s to a joyously wet winter season,
Cheryl Angelina Koehler
Editor