In Our Holiday Issue, Winter 2020

Jacquelyn McHugh, founder + Editor of Edible Charleston and Edible Columbia.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

I don’t know about you, but the holidays have snuck up on me—AGAIN! Being from a big family and having two young children of my own, the season is always fast and frenetic; my Christmas kitchen is a scene from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" mixed with pretty much every episode of "Everyone Loves Raymond." Family is constantly in and out, and neighbors are always dropping by to catch up. My refrigerator should have a revolving door, and the stove basically stays on 24/7, since I’m cooking from November straight through January. 

Every year I promise myself I’ll start getting ready sooner, so the holidays will live up to the grand dreams of my merry imagination. You know—throwing lavish dinner parties for my neighbors, baking batch after batch of cookies with my kids, and spending late nights gathered around the piano in my living room with my friends crooning our best renditions of “Piano Man.” So far, none of this has happened—yet. Surely some of it will. But no matter how grand or how low-key my holidays may be, I know I’ll be surrounded by family and good food.

So, it’s with the best intentions and the most festive of aspirations that we’ve put together our Holiday Issue for you. Sharing time with family and friends is really what the holiday season is about, and we’ve got a recipe-packed issue to help you make your holiday dreams a reality. You can host a full house and keep them fed with our make-ahead menu starting on page 6, without even breaking a sweat. You can bake cookies by the dozen, thanks to my mom’s treasure trove of cherished cookie recipes, starting on page 19. And yes, you can croon tunes all night long with the liquid confidence provided by the area’s best bartenders, starting on page 27.

In the spirit of giving, we’re so glad to bring you the story of FoodShare, a local nonprofit whose mission is “Good Healthy Food for All.” You can read more about them and their fundraiser for the holidays, the giftable Good Box. Filled with local delights from Lowcountry Creamery, Woodland Valley Farms and Anson Mills (to name a few), it’s the perfect gift for any foodie on your list. It not only supports local artisans and retailers but is also a charitable contribution to FoodShare, as they improve fresh food access for those most in need in South Carolina. It’s truly a gift that keeps on giving. 

Need another gift idea? How about a gift subscription to Edible Charleston + Columbia, or any of the 70 Edible magazines across the United States and Canada. At ediblesubscriptions.com, you can subscribe to multiple titles and send the gift of local food to those who love local. They’ll be thankful you did.

Speaking of thankful, I want to thank our advertising partners throughout the region who share our commitment to local. Without them, we couldn’t create this beautiful magazine and offer it free of charge. While shopping this gift-giving season, please show them some love and let them know their friends at Edible sent you.

Cheers, 
Jacquelyn McHugh, Editor in Chief