In Our Summer 2024 Issue

Grist for the Mill

“We hope to enhance the local food community.”
- Edible Cape Cod Co-Founder Dianne Langeland from her “Letter from the Editor” introducing the first issue of Edible Communities: CAPE COD.

I just love a good origin story. In this 20th anniversary issue of Edible Cape Cod, we have a few of them, starting with our own. What were you doing twenty years ago? For Doug and Dianne Langeland, they were busy launching this wonderful magazine in the summer of 2004 with the guidance of Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian, founders of Edible Communities. Little did they know what a vital resource Edible would become both on Cape Cod and around the country. Bill O’Neill caught up with founders Doug and Dianne, along with Ryder from Edible Communities, to learn the interesting tale of how it all came about.

O’Neill also visited with the subject of one of the first feature articles in that debut issue: Bay End Farm in Bournedale. Still going strong two decades later, Kofi Ingersoll and his wife Erin Koh continue to work the fields, with perhaps another generation soon to follow.

Ryan Premdas has followed the passion for cooking he’s had since high school in Florida all the way to the kitchen of Casa del Cabo. The Eastham eatery Premdas and his wife Anastasia Sotnic opened in June of 2021 has been serving Spanish- and Latin-inspired dishes that have gained a local following from across the lower and outer Cape. As we found, an evening spent with them, and their talented staff, is both nourishing and charming.

In the first issue, Dianne Langeland related a charming story of blueberry picking as a youngster. Our resident forager, Becca Miller, returns with her own tips for tracking down those little sapphire blue beauties. She also includes a simple pancake recipe which is a perfect use for your harvest, whether you hunted them down in the wilds of Cape Cod or picked them up at your nearest farmers’ market.

There is a multi-threaded through-line of connectivity between that first twenty-page issue and this anniversary issue 20 years later. The contributors who’ve tracked down and documented all the amazing work being done within the Cape Cod food community over the years are the backbone of this publication making it the interesting, informative, and fun read it is. You, our readers, enjoying this issue in your hands right now. The loyalty and support you’ve kindly shown through the years is truly humbling. It fuels us to continue to shine a light on our local food, and our fellow Cape Codders who provide it. The ad partners who make it possible to produce this complimentary magazine, a few of which have been in these pages since day one. Finally, Doug and Dianne Langeland, the dearest of friends who continue to be a source of wisdom and understanding for us. It was their vision and passion which made all this possible.

Twenty years on, and there are far more stories to tell as we endeavor to further enhance the evolving Cape Cod food community. With all your continued support, we’ll do just that.

Words simply cannot express the amount of gratitude we feel towards you, but I can start with two: Thank You.

Larry