The Gather Issue

The holiday season provides an opportunity to be grateful for those who grow and prepare our food.

One of my favorite activities during the holiday season, besides hanging the palm tree branch decorated to look like Rudolph on my front door, is to pull out my recipe folder, sort through the collection of dishes I have prepared over the years and plan menus for seasonal get-togethers. There’s the roasted cauliflower with gnocchi and tomato sauce we made for Christmas spent in a tiny Parisian apartment, improvising when the requisite kitchen tools weren’t available. And the typed instructions from my mother for her stuffing recipe, complete with her hand-written tips and tricks, her long-distance help for one of my first Thanksgivings on my own. The recipe for sweet potato crunchy passed along by my mother-in-law provides a loving connection to my husband’s traditions. And one recipe I don’t really need to read anymore, but I refer to it as a sentimental reminder of all the times I have baked it, the bûche de Noël. I first made this cake years ago for a photo shoot at a previous job. Now, whenever I go through each step of the recipe, I reminisce about all those gatherings with friends and family, partaking in a slice of this decadent holiday dessert.

During all those holiday meals, my focus may have been on the food, but that was never really the most essential part of the season. It was always the people I call my family, whether related by blood or by friendship, who held the critical place at the table. And this year will be no different. Well, okay, slightly different, since travel will not be on the menu and many of us are hesitant to have too large a group in our homes. But gather we will, as we (yet again) pivot and adjust to different circumstances.

As we take stock of this unprecedented year, we have an opportunity to reset our expectations for the holidays. The Gather issue is here to help, with suggestions on ways to create new traditions for your celebrations. Want to take advantage of our mild winter climate and host an outdoor yet intimate potluck/happy hour/dessert table/movie night? We have some great ideas, with recipes to add to the menu, no serving utensils required. Read about a renewed interest in cider and a modern approach to this traditional beverage. And if you need some inspiration for undertaking a backyard vegetable patch to grow your own veggies for a holiday meal, find out how one local chef plotted a course from dirt to table in just one season. All this plus a guide to local holiday gifts can be found in this issue.

However you may gather this year, we hope your celebrations include local ingredients and a deep appreciation for those who provide the bounty on our tables. Being thankful for the farmers and food makers whose work enriches our community is one tradition that never goes out of style.

Lauren Titus, Editor

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STORIES FROM THE GATHER ISSUE