Letter from the Publisher: Issue 6, Spring 2014
It’s spring! Idahoans are turning on their water spigots, coddling seedlings, raking garden beds and beginning to plant. We at Edible Idaho South are also eager to stock our totes with the spring produce soon to be available at dozens of Idaho farmers markets.
In this our spring 2014 issue, Chef Abby Carlson creates the taste of the new season in her “Seasonal Plate” column, with asparagus, parsley, and fresh eggs. Our contributor from the Tetons, Annie Fenn, explores the maligned vegetable rhubarb as a spunky partner to tequila while our neighbor to the north, S. Michal Bennett, shows us that creating a coffee culture is about more than just serving a solid cup of Joe.
Decades ago, Idaho’s grocery stores displayed strawberries from local growers, but with the coming of distant, industrialized agriculture, many of these small-scale farmers went out of business. Along came Jo Ann Smith, affectionately know as The Strawberry Lady. In the early 90’s, this California transplant relocated to Idaho and put in a patch that restores our faith in the future of local fruit—and fills our tummies with sweet, just-ripe berries.
I would be remiss not to mention State & Lemp, a culinary jewel box in Boise created by Jay Henry and Remi McManus. Don’t let the tweezers intimidate; they are a symbol for the precision and care this playful team takes in not only producing an exquisite meal, but fostering a casual elegance to the whole dining experience.
Lastly, a personal nod to Lisa Peterson of a‘Tavola, who with her dad Robert Rodriguez, has been a huge supporter of Edible Idaho South since the beginning, from running magazines to McCall for us to providing me a cozy, unofficial office. Thank you.
Happy spring!
