Edible Delmarva: Holiday Winter 2022
As the seasons take another turn, our thoughts move ahead to celebrating the winter holidays and the fresh start the new year brings. This means not just honoring cherished family traditions but also making new ones. And if you’re like us, many of those traditions are centered around food!
The coming of shorter days and longer nights means more time for gathering indoors, more time for friends and family, and more time for our favorite food and drink. Thanks to our generous chefs, this issue includes 10 recipes for the holiday season and the winter ahead, and we hope you’ll find time to try them all!
Here in Delmarva, food traditions are deeply connected to the seasons, and what’s on our plates reflects what’s on the farms, in the markets, and from the waters that surround us. There are traditions steeped in local flavors and years of recipe-tweaking, like Snapping Turtle Soup, on the menu at Easton’s Tidewater Inn for more than 50 years. And the Christmas Eve traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes that Mrs. Robino’s Restaurant in Wilmington has served since the 1940’s.
For foodways historian Kara Mae Harris, at the holidays it’s all about keeping local traditions alive. And tweaking is allowed! Contributor Kate Livie takes us for a visit with Harris and learns all about hard jelly cake, cherry bounce and the apple toddy.
And then there are the new traditions, anchored in the past but very much looking forward. Like Chef Gregory James’ vision for the culinary program at the Inn at Perry Cabin, which has already earned him Maryland Chef of the Year honors. Under the innovative leadership of Michael Hoffmann, this world-class resort has seen a revitalization over the last several years, celebrating its long history on the Eastern Shore and elevating every aspect of the luxury experience.
Starting a new venture – whether a shop or a farm – is not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneur Mickie Meinhardt had the brilliant idea to bring together her favorite things: wine, books, and a welcoming space. Her new shop in Ocean City, The Buzzed Word, has already become a weekly tradition to shop, eat and drink, relax and catch up with friends. Seeking a peaceful retreat from their busy lives, Andrea and Michael Haritos started a small farm as a hobby. Today, they’ve turned it into a thriving agri-business that includes both farming and serving as a destination for guests.
As we begin a new year, we are grateful for our readers, our advertisers, and our contributors who inspire us every day and bring joy to our work. We wish you a joyful winter season, with time to reflect, to celebrate, and to savor all the gifts in your life.
