In Issue #36 Nov/Dec 2020

Honey Balsamic Roasted Pears with Buttermilk Ice Cream

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR:
The pandemic may have interrupted traditions and travel and gathering, but the spirit of baking is alive and well (perhaps even stronger) as we yearn to connect to our pasts and that which is comfy and safe. For many of us, this is the time of year we reach for old cookbooks and dog-eared index cards with cursive writing and stains to make recipes we know and love.

Speaking of writing, I get lots of comments, emails, and (yes) letters from folks telling me how Edible has enhanced their lives in and out of the kitchen. One that touched me was a handwritten letter from Bill Geiger, a retired missionary and chaplain now living in Green Hills. He sent along the 3 cookbooks that he and his late wife had put together for their son and 3 daughters, prompted by the children’s frequent requests for recipes. Each chapter is adorned with a sketch of the house they lived in during their kids’ childhood from Jacksonville to Chile. I can only imagine the comfort they take in these books that will be passed down to their kids and theirs. Thanks, Bill for sharing your story.

Speaking of captivating stories, Riyad Alkasem, or Chef Rakka, tells his in the new book The Road to Raqqa. He shares his cuisine every day in his café in Hendersonville and now, the burgul recipe of his childhood in our pages.

Speaking of traditions, Eloise Foley shares the Caribbean Curry of her youth that has sustained many a high school girl in Nashville. Our daughters were “besties” and the girls, along with their “pack”, shuffled to Alana’s house for “Auntie Eloise’s” curry many a day after school.  Hopefully, it will sustain your pack too as we end this crazy year.

If you’re yearning for some new recipes, the cheesecake from Flour Your Dreams Bakery and the butter pecan banana cake will not disappoint.

Happy, healthy holidays.

-- Jill