Food for Thought: Spr Summ 2021
Spring has sprung in Southeast Michigan. This time of year is exciting for everyone, particularly those of us who grow and prepare food. After a long winter of anticipation, pea shoots begin to break through the ground as flowering fruit trees start to bloom.
The spirit of growth and renewal is in the air, even at edibleWOW. For 13 years, edibleWOW has covered stories about food in our namesake counties—Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw—as well as in Genesee, Jackson and Monroe. Now we’re thrilled to announce we’re stretching our coverage to include Macomb, St. Clair and Lapeer Counties.
With these changes, we couldn’t help but consider our name. We wondered about creating a new acronym to represent the nine counties, but quickly realized, after talking to sponsors and readers, that the “WOW” doesn’t so much represent the counties as it does the word.
We work hard to tell these stories, to foster the success of others through education and experience, while celebrating the character and culture of our area’s food and agriculture. We find ourselves inspired by local farmers, producers, chefs and restaurants. “Wow” is a defining characteristic and mission, driving us to wow readers through informative storytelling and compelling photography, the way we were wowed discovering these stories that support our strong local food economy and sustainable food systems.
In this spring/summer issue, we invite you to explore the changing seasons from Detroit to Ypsilanti, Flint to St. Clair Shores. Go fishing in the Detroit River or take a stroll in historic Depot Town or through Farmington’s farmers market. Learn about kombucha through the eyes of two local companies and check in with some spice makers to get a few helpful hints about how to add fresh zip to your meals. Take a look at the rise of vertical farming through a business in Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood and hear how cooperative farms and online ordering are helping to connect growers with consumers across the state.
As chefs, we love this time of year in Michigan. Local markets spring back to life. After the dormant winter, the Midwest soil holds the promise of a bountiful summer. We hope you enjoy this issue and we welcome your feedback and ideas for future stories about the people, places and tastes that intrigue you. Thank you for supporting edibleWOW as we continue to tell the story of food in Southeast Michigan.
