A month ago or so I picked up the boys from my uncle’s place, it’d been Ralph’s Day.
See, one day a week the boys get to spend the majority of the day with my uncle doing everything they’re not supposed to. Candy, ice cream, sodas, pop corn, top ramen, canned soup and toys in huge quantities, all afternoon long, with no restriction.
While I was attempting to round up the boys (akin to bathing a wild salmon), Ralph mentioned that a close long-time friend of his Cheryl Koehler, is the editor of a new local publication, Edible East Bay.
I know, I know. I mentioned my complete and total lack for food magazines a few weeks ago, so why am I interested in this one? Edible East Bay isn’t about New York, it isn’t about Sidney, it isn’t about Portugal, it’s about my neighborhood. And as everyone knows, I’m all about me.

At first glance it draws you in with its wintery green palette and large image of an olive and leaf. Obvious is the complete lack of ads and scrivinings leading us to the interior’s articles. Thank you Cheryl.
The ads that are inside are from local businesses and dairy owners that I recognize and enjoy on a regular basis. I quickly thumbed through the first few pages to see what there was and stumbled in to Derrick’s article, “East Bay Charcuterie.” My legs tingled and I let out a little yahoo as I noticed he’d covered Eccolo and Fatted Calf. I found it refreshing to read something substantial about someone local instead of either just a mention or some rambling blather that goes on for 35 minutes about nothing. Flip, flip & flip. OoOOo, a recipe that Meggin shared, “Ginger-Sage Lentils and Barley with Kale”. Man, if that ain’t a winter rolled in to one recipe, hooboy. Seems funny for me to be writing about this with Spring just around the corner, but I’m late and you’ll have to deal with it.
Back on page 21 there’s an article by Romney Steele, “Backyard to Bountiful.” It’s a nice story about an Oakland neighborhood that was originally an orchard and still has an abundance of producing fruit trees. Some of these trees have been looked after over the years and some just drop fruit to the ground and are mostly left to their own devices. Well, back in the late 1990’s a few concerned and ambitious people who had recently moved to the area began collecting the fruit from these overlooked trees. Their new collaboration is called Temescal Amity Works and “describes itself as a community art project that “”facilitates and documents the exchange of backyard produce.”” This is basically a crop-sharing project and guess what? Money ain’t got no roll in it. As hippy dippy as this may seem to some, I think it’s fricken cool. How many times have you moved and lived in a community and don’t get to know your neighbors, at all. While living in Richmond this is usually a good thing, I think it’s a pretty sad way to spend your days.
The Temescal Amity Works shares the love through crop-sharing and I do mine through grilled meat sharing, get to know your neighbors any way you feel comfortable with. Just so you know, my neighbors really enjoy a knock on the door from me.
Edible East Bay is just one of a gaggle of like magazines from Edible Communities. The target audience of these publications is quite small compared to say, Gourmet Magazine. And one might wonder if this was such a bright idea, we don’t know yet.
I personally love the idea of getting closer in to my neighborhood and surrounding areas. This San Francisco Bay Area has grown so much over the last 20 years, I think it’s a great idea to climb inside to see what the group across the street is up to.
Cheers to you Cheryl and cheers to everyone over at Edible Communities. I just paid for my years subscription, I hope your future goes well.
Biggles