Edible Michiana Holiday 2022

from our table to yours

Publishers’ Letter

By the time this issue of Edible Michiana hits newsstands, our trees will have changed colors and the midterm elections will be over. Another season of change has swept through our region. Now, the holidays are at the front of our minds. There will be stress, and there will be laughter, drinks and yummy treats for our children and the young at heart. We’ll gather around the turkey and tree with our families, whether family in the traditional sense or with the friends we’ve made along the way. For the two of us, this issue marks the conclusion of our second year as owners of Edible Michiana . Over the last eight issues, we’ve seen a consistent motion of change throughout the region as our towns and cities have navigated peculiar times. As we look ahead to a new year, we’re reminded that this rhythm of life and change will not cease.

In a time when much of the world around us seems uncertain, we take great joy and comfort in those things that remain consistent in our lives. The grocery store that always has our favorite treats. That Saturday cup of coffee from the corner shop. The sounds of holiday classics radiating from any of our beautifully restored theaters across the region. Within the constant winds of change, we take solace in the traditions of our beloved community. Whether you’re in Bridgman or Elkhart, St. Joseph or Michigan City, we hope this holiday season brings the familiarity of beloved traditions and the comfort of those things that stay the same. Happy holidays. —Trevor and Breanna Daugherty our history: immigration, adaptation, environment, economics, politics, religion—it’s all on our plates. In this issue, we want to share some of the stories of our local food heritage. We focus on Black food traditions with a lively conversation in which panelists share their memories of food and family—what they ate and why, and what it means to them today. We also trace the roots of a family, originally from the Netherlands, that has been farming the same land since 1870. Known today under the banner of Jake’s Country Meats, they continue to work together and evolve, adapting to the market and the times. Many of the dishes that make up our daily bread as Americans were once considered exotic. In the middle of the last century, “pizza pie” swept the U.S. as a new food craze, worthy of coverage in

Photo by Sherry Earley

Editor’s Letter

the national press. Flamingo Pizza in Gary, Indiana, was part of the story then and is using many of the same recipes today. Tracing foodways through time, we can learn about ourselves, and also about the wisdom that has been lost, as healthier, more sustainable and more equitable practices have fallen away. In her essay on the subject, Anne Magnan-Park explores her complicated relationship to food heritage and what she would like to pass on to the next generation. The holidays are naturally a time for nostalgia and celebrating with cherished food traditions. Whether you are cooking from Grandma’s recipes or creating new traditions, may your tables be laden with goodness and surrounded by love! —Lisa Barnett de Froberville

“When someone cooks for you, they are saying something. They are telling you about themselves: where they come from, who they are, what makes them happy.” This quote from Anthony Bourdain seems especially suited to our heritage theme. What we eat carries the traces of

Photo by Peter Ringenberg

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| HOL IDAY 2022