GRIST FOR THE MILL

Just before the start of each season—when the new issue of Edible Monterey Bay arrives hot off the presses—our small but mighty staff gathers to load cases into our vehicles and we fan out in every direction to supply 375 distributions points. After working hard to put the issue together, we love to see the excitement it generates when we drop them off and load up our wooden display crates. Each of us has our normal route, but there’s one route we rotate and everyone wants to do it. That’s the Big Sur run. We only have 12 distribution points in Big Sur and it’s not quick to get there, but oh what a glorious trip! When it’s my turn, my husband and I usually make a day of it, adding a couple of photo stops, some hiking and lunch with a breathtaking view. While each part of the Monterey Bay area has its distinct charms, nothing compares to Big Sur.

We are excited to share a little of our love for Big Sur with two beautiful stories in this edition: the new Matsa Lelima (Earth Ceremony) that members of the Esselen Tribe put together as part of the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival to showcase the foods and traditions of their ancestors; and an introduction to four high-caliber chefs who brought their expertise to Big Sur’s fabled restaurants over the past few months, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Winter is one of the very best times for locals to visit Big Sur. The hills have already turned green and there are fewer tourists, especially mid-week. Maybe these stories will inspire you to go.

We also take you to another remote corner of our tri-county area on a tasting tour of the wineries along Cienega Road outside of Hollister, with reporter Mark C. Anderson, who says it’s still a relatively undiscovered gem of a wine trail.

And for those who prefer to stay cozy at home, Amber Turpin and Jessica Tunis have come up with enough cookie recipes to fill a whole platter and keep your kitchen filled with delicious aromas all winter long.

As we enter the holiday season and look back on the past year, it’s clear that the pandemic has underscored how important it is to be part of a resilient community. Edible has always advocated for the value of eating locally, choosing food in season and knowing your farmers, ranchers, fishermen (and women) and food artisans. It’s a way to get clean, healthy food, contribute to the local economy and take care of the planet by shortening the distance between field and plate.

This year more than ever—with supply chain disruptions and shipping delays—we’re happy that Edible readers believe in eating locally and shopping locally. A good place to start is with our advertising partners who make this publication possible. We are so grateful to them and to our dear readers.

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season and a spectacular new year!

Deborah Luhrman Publisher

edible

MONTEREY BAY

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Deborah Luhrman deborah@ediblemontereybay.com 831.600.8281

FOUNDERS Sarah Wood and Rob Fisher

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Mark C. Anderson

COPY EDITOR Doresa Banning LAYOUT & DESIGN Matthew Freeman and Tina Bossy-Freeman

AD DESIGNERS Bigfish Smallpond Design Savanna Leigh • tracysmithstudio • Zephyr Pfotenhauer

CONTRIBUTORS Crystal Birns • Jamie Collins Liz Birnbaum and Gabby Rokeach/The Curated Feast • Magali Brecke • Maria Gaura Kodiak Greenwood • Alexandra Hudson Michelle Magdalena • Kathryn McKenzie Laura Ness • Zephyr Pfotenhauer • Geneva Rico Michael Troutman/DMT Imaging Jessica Tunis • Amber Turpin

ADVERTISING SALES ads@ediblemontereybay.com • 831.600.8281 Shelby Lambert shelby@ediblemontereybay.com Kate Robbins kate@ediblemontereybay.com Aga Simpson aga@ediblemontereybay.com

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Mick Freeman • 831.419.2975

CONTACT US: Edible Monterey Bay P.O. Box 487 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 ediblemontereybay.com 831.600.8281 info@ediblemontereybay.com

Edible Monterey Bay is published quarterly. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. Subscriptions are $28 per year at ediblemontereybay.com. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us. We also welcome letters to the above address. Thank you.