In Our Spring 2020 Issue

Seedlings await watering at Brewster's Allard Farm

“This too shall pass.” It’s a phrase with which I’m quite familiar. Mother Egan would utter it whenever I did something monumentally, um, misguided. I’m sure it was as much of a reassuring mantra to herself as a comforting sentiment for me to hear. Currently, we all find ourselves expressing the same affirmation. And, do you know what? This will pass. We will be able to laugh and cry together. We’ll raise a glass and break bread, and we’ll be able to do it all without the necessity of an internet connection.

As we all attempt to get our feet back under us after being knocked off of them, Cori and I realize that we must power through with our first official issue as publishers of this magazine and continue to share the compelling stories of our fellow Cape Codders and all the hard work they do in bringing us the finest and freshest local fare. It’s more important now than ever. We must support each other in these dark times in order to be able to celebrate together when the sunny days return. There have been an incredible number of local businesses that have done just that. They’ve jumped in and gotten to work helping others with the support of this tight-knit community. In Business as Unusual, we caught up with just a few of them.

With the hope of conveying some small sense of normality, we moved forward with all the other features as originally planned for this spring issue of Edible Cape Cod. One is a story about Allard Farm in Brewster, now into its second generation of Allard family stewardship, where Michelle Koch introduces us to John Allard and his partner, Marjorie McGinnis. Becca Miller gives us some great ideas on what to do with beach roses in her recurring Eating Wild series. I, for one, won’t look at a beach rose again without thinking of “octopus legs.” Elise Hugus tells of efforts by the Chatham Harvesters Cooperative to bring dogfish to local tables, and in her Farmgirl Confidential column, Veronica Worthington does a deep dive into dewberries. Also inside, Vanessa Stewart sits down with two women who are transforming the old Brewster Coffee Shop into a truly “must taste” destination with Apt Cape Cod.

It’s never a good time for the entire world to come to a grinding halt. There’s hardly a local business unaffected by this pandemic, particularly those that were primed to throw open their doors for the first time, debut a new executive chef or reveal their new look after a major renovation. And, within these pages, you’ll see our remarkable and respected advertising partners, without whom we would be unable to publish the stories and photos we bring you four times a year. They, along with the other affected businesses in our community, look to all of us especially now, and we need to respond with unwavering support.

On the bright side, the seasons continue to change. Warmer and sunnier days are ahead. Farmers are tending their fields in preparation for CSAs, menus and farmers’ markets throughout Cape Cod. Fishermen continue to pull up dockside each day with the freshest catch available anywhere for us. Shell fishers are working their grants to meet our demand. Chefs and all the food and beverage producers and purveyors will have it all laid out for us to enjoy, and you better believe we will. After all, this too shall pass.

Larry and Cori Egan, Publishers