Summer 2022
We all do it. Let’s call it human nature. Our parents did it too. Stop blushing! We’re talking about unfounded first impressions.
We live by our senses. What we taste, see, feel, hear, or say—all inform us about our immediate surroundings and experiences. We act and react based on instinct whether it be an unfamiliar dog, an odd recipe ingredient, or swirling spinning lights. There are times when we need to act on that instinct. Yet if given the time to step back and discern the situation, we just might challenge our first impressions. In fact, it’s those deep dives that make us realize there is more to a lot of things than meets the eye.
In this issue, we draw back the curtain and illustrate how first impressions don’t necessarily hold true. We learn that Arizona has a booming wine industry offering a delicious and expansive array of varietals. (Who knew?) If you rue the day you first ate eggplant, we’ll turn that aversion into a yen for a tasty, oft-requested dinner entrée. And if you wonder whether using fresh-milled spent grain versus flour improves the flavor in your baking—Eureka, it can!
We also discover that certain backyard herbs we use in cooking also have medicinal qualities that could prove useful to our health. Seeing how a seafood market’s expanded operation brings more local fish to local mouths is an eye-opening revelation. Local farmer Rui Santos shares his thoughts about being proven wrong by first impressions on his trip to a local feed store. We also learn that the Marshfield Fair is more than a traveling carnival, but a historic tradition founded in 1862, rooted in support for local and state agriculture. (It’s true!) And we explore a little hamlet in Plymouth where a general store in business for 194 years still serves lobster, ice cream, and more—another nice surprise from the state’s geographically largest town.
We hope these stories help you uncover other hidden joys of rediscovering something that at first blush may seem entirely different than it truly is, and in a good way. Sometimes first impressions are all you’ve got to go on, but when they are not, take the time and invigorate your senses with the wonders of a second look.
Breaking News… we are rebranding ourselves to become edible Southeastern Massachusetts. The new name offers an improved first impression (see what we did there) of the community we cover and support. Watch for details to unfold over the next few months…
Eat thoughtfully
Terry Vandewater, Assistant Editor
Laurie Hepworth & Michael Hart
