Edible Delmarva: Summer 2020
Oh, where to even begin.
I imagine you are all feeling exhausted, as I am, from the impact the pandemic has had on our lives. From curtailing visits with family and friends, to watching the struggles of our local small business navigating the ever-changing waters, to the outright uncertainty about what lies ahead – it has all taken such a toll on our hearts and minds. Add to that the unrest and protests sweeping across our nation, and the increasing calls for action and change–the word “unprecedented” cannot be understated.
As we pause and reflect, individually and collectively, there are some things we might be able to put in the “silver lining” category. There is time for gardening, and for cooking, and for reading. There is lots of quality time with those who are in our stay-at- home circle. There is time to consider and talk openly about racism and what Black Lives Matter means to us personally and in our community. There is time for introspection, for musing, for imagining, for charting new territory. For storytellers like us at Edible, this is a time of abundance.
The resilience of our community and its people has never been more apparent. Today, thinking and acting locally has never been more important. The connections that have always been just below the surface are front and center, and taking care of each other, in whatever way we can, has become our collective mission.
For the Perveen-Khan family of Easton, food and community are indelibly intertwined. The family’s 4 Sisters food truck is a welcome sight in this Eastern Shore community, serving up dishes from their native Pakistan is a true labor of love. Every Thursday, they offer a free meal to anyone who needs it as their way of supporting their neighbors.
Rehoboth’s Bob Yesbek is no stranger to resilience, figuring out that the secret to successful reinvention is holding on tight to the things you love most while allowing new chapters to unfold in uncharted territory. While he may be best known these days as the Rehoboth Foodie, it’s a love of music that has fed his soul since the earliest years. That passion keeps him grounded, especially in these uncertain times.
Our hearts are with the farmers, like Natalie and Stewart at Perennial Roots, who have had to develop creative new ways to get their harvest from the farm to the kitchens and tables of their customers. Yet they remain both amazed and humbled by the connection to their animal family, to the cycle of the seasons, to the magic of the land.
Many of us have found refuge in the kitchen, either turning to tried-and-true comfort foods to sustain us or venturing beyond our recipe box to explore new tastes and cuisines. Writer Estelle Tracy shares with us her own experience honoring a beloved aunt by baking roska, a centuries-old traditional bread, and the solace and healing that can be found in the rituals of preparing food.
Few places in the Chesapeake Bay convey the term resilience more deeply than Smith Island, Maryland and Tangier Island, Virginia. These sentinels of the lower Chesapeake, straddling the state line, are home to families who have harvested the waters for over 200 years and who value their independence and distinctly local culture. Iconic Chesapeake photographer Jay Fleming has spent years getting to know the Islands’ people and places, and shares a sneak peek as he gathers photos and stories for his new book, Island Life.
So many stories to share, and we look forward to having the time to tell them.
Gratitude and thanks to all of you–our readers, subscribers, advertisers, contributors, champions, and friends–for your support of us and our community as we navigate this together.
