Edible Capital District Late Fall Issue 2020 Editor's Letter

This pandemic has led to the rediscovery our kitchens, the excitement of takeout and the gift of kindness.

In this issue we have included some recipes to add new culinaryadventures to your weekly repertoire.

Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, are a funny-looking tuber with a delicate, artichoke-like flavor, and they have been growing in popularity in recent years, popping up at farmers’ markets and on restaurant menus around the country. The Creamy Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Maple Smoked Cheddar Cheese will be the perfect addition for the cold nights ahead.

Culinary superstar Katie Webster shares with us three weeknight recipes so you will not have to suffer from the “What’s for dinner” dilemma again.

Regular contributor Kathleen Willcox introduces us to Catherine Hover, owner of Palette Café, whose well-designed welcoming co-working spaces are aimed to inspire and build community, and shows how Hover has adapted and built her business in this pandemic.

Looking for fresh local seafood? Check out the husband-and-wife team Luke and Katie Haskins, owners of Hooked on Seafood, and their take on the Feast of Seven Fishes.

Despite stories of survival and success, COVID-19 has adversely affected many in our community. Feed Albany is a NYS-registered charity that provides at-risk and in-need individuals in Albany, New York, and the greater Capital Region with access to prepared and packaged meal solutions by utilizing commercial kitchens, unemployed restaurant workers, volunteers and the use of donated vehicles to produce, package and distribute prepared meal solutions. Please help, no one should go hungry.

As the COVID crisis continues, I find myself thinking a lot about fear and understanding. What I’ve found is that this crisis has given me the gift of understanding, or more accurately, the opportunity to find understanding over and over and over again.

As we get ready to ring in 2021, here’s to less fear and more understanding for all of us.

New Year’s resolution? Let’s make kindness the new cool.

Mary Blair | Editor