Summer 2010

Story By Andrea Pflaumer photos by travis smith Commenting on what he perceived as a decline in political activism, satirist Mort Sahl once said, “These days, the bravest thing people do is go to a restaurant that hasn’t yet been reviewed.” These days one of the most political things we do involves where and how…

Bon Appétit Management By Tim Kingston Herb Polenta topped with Pesto and Mushrooms, Ginger Glazed Tilapia, Potato Cakes, Jasmine Rice (tasty in every grain), followed by Lemon Curd Pastry Squares—all made “from scratch”—are not the kind of mouthwatering vittles this scribe remembers snarfing down in his college cafeteria some decades back.  But such was the…

CSA and the Value of Meaningful Work By Sage Dilts There’s no doubt that we’re seeing renewed interest in the arts of homemaking these days, with many people rediscovering the benefits of working in the kitchen and garden. That trend has come as people awaken to the reality that the industrial food system, with its…

Jessica Prentice, Maggie Gosselin, and Sarah Klein created the Local Foods Wheel to help us all enjoy the freshest, tastiest, and most ecologically sound food choices month by month. Here are Jessica’s seven best bets for the summer season. You can learn more about the Local Foods Wheel and the group’s other ventures at localfoodswheel.com…

By Barbara Kobsar, Illustrations by Wendy Yoshimura Once the signs go up at the farmers markets, I’m on high alert, since some of our local berries appear for only a few short weeks.   Strawberries   California accounts for an astounding threequarters of our national strawberry production, and this popular berry now seems to be…

East Bay cookie lovers reach for more than chocolate chips story and photos* By Anita Chu Looking for a local cookie of quality? The East Bay has plenty to offer, from virtuosic versions of international classics to inspired originals. Memorable Madeleines   With their distinctive fluted seashell shape and famous role as memory-jogger for Marcel…

Saul’s Deli asks Itself Some Picklish Questions story By Matthew Green illustrations by margo rivera-weiss In New York City, where I was born and bred, the Jewish deli has long been an institution as inviolate as any formal religious sanctuary; a place of solace, familiarity, and tradition in a town well known for its furious…

As some readers know and others don’t, Edible East Bay is a member of Edible Communities, a large family of magazines sharing a commitment to reporting on the local, sustainable food movement. As of August, when our Harvest 2010 issue comes out, Edible East Bay will have been publishing under that mission for five full…

CONTENTS SUMMER 2010 6 EDITOR’S MIXING BOWL 8 EDIBLE EVENTS 18 LESSONS IN CORNED BEEF SUSTAINABILITY By Matthew Green 20 O COOKIE BELOVED By Anita Chu 22 BUGS IN THE BALANCE By Helen Krayenhoff 26 WHAT’S IN SEASON: Berries By Barbara Kobsar SEVEN STARS OF THE SEASON By Jessica Prentice with Maggie Gosselin and Sarah…