No 61 • Party
Here’s a little bit of personal detail that perhaps you don’t need: I’m a classic introvert. I work at home, garden at home, we cook and eat dinner at home. Social situations are not my natural habitat. I have a small circle of a few good friends. And yet, I am thoroughly inspired by Polly Campbell’s call to action in this issue.
Just do it, she says: Get off the sofa and send a few emails and make some tasty things and have people over for a party. I can’t recall the last time Rob and I did that. But we have done it, in the past, and we were good at it, and it was fun.
So why not? Tis the season, after all—end-of-year holidays, of course, but also those cold, long-night winter weekends where the inclination is just to hole up with a blanket and a splash of bourbon to warm up. Instead of retreating into ourselves, what if we all decided to invite a few friends over once or twice before the crocuses start peeking out? And then, with those gatherings under our belts, maybe we’ll have flexed our hosting muscles enough to go all-in on party-giving once the weather warms. Front-porch cocktails, charcuterie on the patio, burgers in the backyard.
For all my introvert tendencies, I sometimes get a longing to throw together a massive dish of baked pasta, light some candles, ask Rob to cue up some records, and have some people into our home. That sounds nice. This holiday season and through the winter, maybe we could all make those connections.
From our small and mighty Edible team to you and yours, cheers to fun and festivity!
Winter 2025
Winter has arrived! Find the latest issue at supporters in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton before they’re gone, buy a copy, or subscribe so you don’t miss another issue.
Bryn’s long career in publishing took a left turn sometime around 2010, when she discovered the joy of food writing. Since then, she’s found professional nirvana as the editor of Edible Ohio Valley, author of The Findlay Market Cookbook, and occasional instructor at The Cooking School at Jungle Jim’s. Find her seasonal recipes at writes4food.com.
