When DH and I were married four years ago, we spent our honeymoon at Black Star Farms just north of Traverse City in Suttons Bay. Even then, before I started learning about the local food movement, I loved learning about different foods and wines and the people who grew and made them. And I was lucky enough to marry a man who shared these same passions. We spent a week touring the wineries of Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. One of our most interesting encounters was at Boskydel Vineyards.
We were there on the off season, so we pulled up to a long dirt driveway. The smells sort of reminded me of being on my Dad’s farm as a child, the smell of tractors and dirt. There was no one around. We decided to wait a bit and spent our time looking at the various clippings and artwork on the walls of the tasting room. This, too, is very common at many farm offices. Before too long, we heard a tractor pull up and none other than Bernie Rink himself. He asked if we were lost. And then proceeded to let us taste the best wine we had had all week. We asked if we could get it at our local wine shop. He just said harrump! I sell most of my wine right here. Little did we know we were speaking with a local legend.
So imagine my surprise when, upon receiving a copy of Edible Communities, Mr. Rink was featured! You can read an extended version story on the Boskydel website.
Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods is full of such characters. The first two thirds of the book is divided into regions: northeast, southeast, southwest, California and the west, Pacific northwest, and Midwest. Each region is represented by essays that pay tribute to farmers, chefs, and organizations that are dedicated to producing local foods and making them accessible to their communities. The last third of the book is recipes, which are intriguing (examples include Brew-Braised Lamb Shanks with Apple Butter and Sauerkraut; Creamy Pumpkin Grits with Brown Butter; Grilled Apricots with Blue Cheese and Hazelnuts; and Herb-Roasted Duck Breast with Carrot-Potato Mash and Chive Butter). However, the real gems are in the essays.
Each is very well written, as they are culled from Edible magazines from across the country. There are sixty-five according to their website. The closest one to me is Edible Grand Traverse. This book was very enjoyable to read, and the photos and essays helped me get a better picture of the local food communities across the United States.
If you are at all interested in the people behind our food, I highly recommend this book. Even if I hadn’t received the review copy for free from the publisher, I was going to buy this and would buy it again! Oh, and if the Edible Publications people are reading this, PLEASE think about making one for West Michigan.
Greg was the winner of the giveaway! Congrats!
I’m glad you made this one “complicated”! It’s a good excercise 🙂 I have the “Edible Louisville” open in another tab and waiting for me to finish this comment.
Brooklyn and I can read a digital version, too!
South Florida
Edible Dallas & Fort Worth! And they recently featured the CSA I’m working with as well. Love it.
Edible San Francisco!
Edible Sacramento is closest – just across the causeway!
Edible Seattle!
Edible Orlando. We’re only 1 hr away from Orlando
Thanks for the chance to win! The closest one to me is Edible Twin Cities (2.5 hours away).
I’m in Milwaukee, so the closest to me is Madison. Looks like a great book!
Whew, that was a toughy!! Grande Traverse 🙂
Allegheny or Ohio valley, we go back and forth. ah the vagabond life!
Edible Twin Cities! Yum!
It looks like Edible Chicago’s the closest to me.
fdible boston
mverno@roadrunner.com
edible austin
Edible Aspen is nearest me.
I didn’t have to visit the website (but I did), because I have the latest edition of Edible Toronto
neat! So you’ve already had a taste of the book. 🙂
My nearest is Edible Chicago!
The one nearest me is Dallas and Fort Worth.
Edible Dallas and Ft. Worth is closest to me.
Edible Portland is near me!
smchester at gmail dot com
My nearest is Edible Columbus
Edible Los Angeles for me
Edible Jersey is the one closest to me and the one I read all the time. I have wanted this book since I heard about it so hope I win.
Me too! And it doesn’t disappoint. At least I wasn’t disappointed 🙂
I live in the Edible Finger Lakes region. I pick up the magazine when I’m at the Farmers’ Market, and always fall in love with the photos!
Brooklyn
edible allegheny!
Edible Los Angeles!
oh, so want this book!
Edible Seattle
Edible Memphis!
Edible WOW is the one closest to me. It is a great magazine and I have wanted this book since I heard about it. Thanks for the giveaway!
Edible Los Angeles
I am in Traverse City (crazy to see you talking about Black Star Farms!) and the closest to me is http://www.ediblecommunities.com/grandetraverse/
edible twin cities is my local publication. i would love to have a copy of this book!
Edible Austin is closest to me. Thank you so much for this great giveaway.
God Bless You
Edible Iowa for me! Love your site.
Edible Allegheny! I am just south of Pittsburgh!
Right now I’m in Spokane, so the http://www.ediblecommunities.com/missoula/ book would be for me!
edible sacramento
Toronto is the onluy Canadian one I saw but I think that Seattle would actually be closer to me.
I think Edible Iowa river valley would be the closest
Edible Grand Traverse is the closest to me
Chicago location is closest to me.
Edible Dallas and Fort Worth.
Edible Chicago!
edible orlando
Edible Chicago
The nearest one is Austin.
The closest one is portland