In Our Spring 2016 Issue

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

I look forward to spring cleaning. The busier I am, the more I crave order and simplicity. I love when spring arrives and I can open the windows, let a breeze flow through the house and watch the garden come alive—chives are first, then little leaves of mint sprout up, and by the time the tulips and daffodils arrive the party has begun. I start to serve salty butter and Easter egg radishes on toast points and my homemade ricotta and pea pasta appears. I want to gather friends and enjoy the sunshine.

At culinary school I learned how to mise-enplace,which literally means, “put in place.” We were taught to carefully prep our ingredients for the day in an orderly way—by measuring out everything we needed and lining it up on our sheet trays before we would begin to cook. I teach this same technique to home cooks at our cooking school. I think the idea of slowing down and concentrating on one thing at a time is a process that can be carried into other parts of our lives. How can we best get everything in its place, so our mind can be freed up to think, and our time can be freed up to concentrate on what is important?

We learn in this issue of Edible Columbusfrom the former editor of Edible Michiana, Maya Parson, about Ben Hartman, a small-scale farmer who also believed there had to be a better way to make his farm more lean, profitable and efficient, and reduce waste. He sought advice from a local manufacturing company, who was utilizing the Lean Model developed by a Toyota production system founder, Taiichi Ohno. The Lean Model has two goals: “eliminating waste, which can take the form of wasted time, materials or energy, and increasing value, by better identifying and prioritizing customers’ wants and needs.” Ben began applying this model on his small farm and the results were just what he hoped—a more profitable farm and more time to spend with family. We share his journey on page 47.

This spring we can all take a closer look at how we are spending our time. Can we be more efficient, plan ahead, organize differently in order to be more productive during our working our hours, in the hopes that our leisure hours increase? I hope you enjoy this issue of Edible Columbus,and you learn a tip or two that helps make your spring even more enjoyable!

-Tricia Wheeler, Publisher

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Spring is beautiful. Undeniable. All the colors that emerge from the blank canvas of winter. All the birdsong that saturates the blossom-scented air. All the vegetables at the market for spring salads and gatherings with friends. It’s just bliss. And I like to think that all of the beauty arriving in the forests, rivers and backyards is really evidence of all the beauty inside of us. That the little fuchsia radishes could mirror some color and form deep within our spirit. That we are made of rainbows and clouds just like the Earth. We are springtime. I like to imagine this, yes, I do.

So in this issue of Edible Columbus, as we enter our seventh year of publishing, we bring you what is beautiful and true. Vegetables. Columbus’ Cara Mangini of Little Eater celebrates the arrival of her first book, The Vegetable Butcher. We share Cara’s story and her recipe for Braised Radishes on page 52. And in Milan, Ohio, at The Chef’s Garden there is a special place called The Culinary Vegetable Institute. Executive Chef Jamie Simpson is making eating your vegetables fun again, and you must visit (page 32). We offer other destinations in that part of Ohio to make a weekend trip of it (page 28).

The flavors of spring come forth in so many ways, so dig in. Kate Hodges of Foraged & Sown does exactly that year round, hunting for native plants and berries (page 44). Being able to forage for native plants is due, in part, to our pollinators, and our article on page 40 tells you how you can help preserve more plant life for the bees and the butterflies. If you’re looking to spend more time in the kitchen, recipe editor Sarah Lagrotteria gives us her recipe for Shallot Tarte Tartin (page 8) and The Seasoned Farmhouse Chef Joshua Wickham shows us how to make Lemon and Garlic Roasted Lamb (page 25). We’re also excited to share author Anna Thomas’ new cookbook, Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore: Dinner for Everyone at the Table as she looks at how to make meals inclusive of all eaters (page 23) and her recipe for Lemon Risotto with Sautéed Fresh Fava Beans. And we love Bryn Bird’s stories of what farm life is like for kids and how it changes their expectations about the world (page 18).

This year we’re asking harder questions about how local restaurants and institutions bring true farm-to-table food to you and how we, as eaters, hold them accountable to a higher standard of local fare. Read the first of our two-part article on this issue (page 57) and learn how you can take action to help strengthen the farmer to chef connection in Columbus. We’re also dedicating more page space to the relationship between health and food in our “Edible Wellness” section. We talk to Portia Yiamouyiannis of Portia’s Café about being a vegan (page 12) and Katie McKivergin of Organic GreenFix about the natural healing power of their smoothies (page 14). We also look at self-care for chefs and how they navigate wellness in the restaurant industry (page 16). And Warren Taylor of Snowville Creamery has been on the front lines in Washington demanding transparency in the new food labeling laws (page 20). Read what Warren calls “the biggest single and most contentious issue in American agriculture,” and learn how you can take action.

Our seventh year also marks a commitment to aesthetics and art, for the culinary arts is an art form like any other. We come to the table for what is pleasing to the eye, not just the belly. Our cover photo is the first in a year of still lifes guided by the season and history of the still-life tradition in painting (see page 10 for story). We had so much fun making something beautiful and full of presence for you to hold in your heart. Yes!

-Colleen Leonardi, Editor