In the Autumn Harvest 2019 Issue

“Well the whole food world is a family in a way,” says Jacque. “There is no political implication in what we do, there’s no racial implications, no gender implication, no religion implication,. You’re in the kitchen and everyone is the same.” —Jacques Pépin

MISE EN PLACE ...
 

We love everything about seasonal changes. It's why we name each issue of the magazine after the season rather than the month.

We love every season for the distinct flavors, colors, sounds, and activities they bring us. Yet autumn and spring do stand out. They are the bridges, the transition periods from one extreme to the other. Spring drips with excited anticipation while autumn lingers in nurturing and preparation. Autumn demands that everything be in its place before the tough, unforgiving winter comes upon us. Firewood cut, dried, and stacked, jams made, pickled summer goodies canned, and root vegetables in dry, cool storage.

Our dear friend Sharon Johnson, the creator of our seasonal playlists, shared this perfect quote from author Shauna Niequest:

“Fall: bright flame before winter’s deadness; harvest; orange, gold, amber; cool nights and the smell of fire. Our tree-lined streets are set ablaze, our kitchens filled with the smells of nostalgia: apples bubbling into sauce, roasting squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, cider, warmth itself. The leaves as they spark into wild color just before they die are the world’s oldest performance art, and everything we see is celebrating one last violently hued hurrah before the black and white and silence of winter. Fall is begging for us to dance and sing and write with just the same drama and blaze.”

While we certainly try to write with drama and blaze, we start this issue with a simple, joyous tone - Celebrating the big heartedness of Chef Jacques Pépin along with the wonderful work of non-profit Forge City Works in Hartford. After seeing Chef on television when I was young, following his career, and watching countless videos on his technique, it was indeed somewhat surreal to be sharing a glass of wine with him. He was funny, he was generous, and we sincerely enjoyed meeting him. It will stick with us forever.

Importantly, the message Jacques shared will stay with us as well. At 83 he’s still giving his all to teach those who yearn to know more, to provide opportunities to the underprivileged, and to personally put himself in the mix to train others in the techniques he’s honed over the decades. “Cooking is what I know the best and what I’m the best at. I’m happy to bring a certain amount of knowledge to people who don’t have access to this.”

What are we all doing to help those around us? We’re doing a lot I’m sure, but can we do more? We have it in us. We love the shared feeling that all of us in the food world may be just a touch off-kilter, a touch more likely to embrace literally everyone who seeks support, seeks an opportunity to learn and better themselves.

Just as autumn is a season of bridges, of transitions from one extreme to the other, let’s take a moment in this self-reflective season to move towards someone, some group, some area, where we can help them transition from one extreme to another as well. Enjoy the season, and don’t forget to dance and sing!

R. Shane Kennedy 
Publisher/Editor