March Update | #8
It’s been a year, hasn’t it?
This week I started production on the next issue of Edible Santa Barbara. It’s due to hit the streets in early May. Right now, I’m gathering articles and beginning the editing process. It’s the most fluid time during the production—still deciding how much I can squeeze into the magazine and what it’s going to look like. Later there will be fact-checking, recipe testing, proofreading and tons of other detail-oriented tasks. But right now, it’s still the big picture. There’s still time to think about the tone the issue should set and what it will convey to readers.
I can’t help thinking about what was happening this week a year ago. On March 19, 2020, the governor announced a state-wide lockdown and the full realization of the pandemic hit. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and worrying about everything from pantry provisions to the very real health risks to my family and close friends. I also worried quite a bit about Edible Santa Barbara. Many of our advertisers and distribution points were shut down, and we had to put our Spring issue on hold. We started posting online content and brainstorming ideas with other Edible publishers. We all started baking.
This week things are beginning to open back up. People are getting vaccinated. There is a sense of optimism. I am trying to channel that feeling as I work on the content for the magazine that you will be reading in the spring and summer when things will likely be even better. I’m starting to think about road trips and day trips, eating out and dinner parties with friends. You know, stuff that used to be normal. And now we will never take those for granted again.
With the start of daylight savings, it feels like we have more time to cook dinner and perhaps enjoy it outdoors. I’m the kind of home cook who makes simple things and doesn’t try to recreate restaurant dishes. Still, I find myself making more Asian-inspired dishes these days. I’ve taken to making mushroom tempura to add to a bowl of sushi rice piled with avocado and grated spicy carrots. I’ve been adding freshly chopped ginger and garlic to meatballs and serving them with sautéed greens. Ponzu sauce now has a prominent place in my refrigerator. And I’ve rediscovered this old favorite.
Get creative with garnishing this soup. Sprinkling on some toasted nori flakes and a dash of sesame oil with have your mouth watering before you take your first bite.
More Bits and Bites
Thinking about raised beds for your vegetable garden? Edible San Diego on raised beds vs. in-ground beds.
What do you do with celeriac? Edible Michiana has a recipe for Shepherd’s Pie with a celeriac mash.
How do you end global hunger? It starts with a meal, according to this article from Edible San Francisco.
Can a virtual travel experience deliver? Edible San Luis Obispo’s Brigit Binns explores.
Latest Tweets
Two ideas for St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow:
Thanks for reading. I hope you are enjoying the new format of our newsletter. If you missed last week’s newsletter about backyard chickens and a few good egg recipes, you can find it here.