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| About Us |
 | EDIBLE COMMUNITIES, INC. is a publishing and information services company that creates editorially rich, community-based, local-foods publications in distinct culinary regions throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Through our publications, supporting websites, and events, we connect consumers with family farmers, growers, chefs, and food artisans of all kinds. We believe that every person has the right to affordable, fresh, healthful food on a daily basis and that knowing where our f...
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| Meet Our Staff |
 | Tracey Ryder, Co-Founder and President
In
2002, with more than twenty years of marketing, writing and graphic design
experience under her belt, Tracey Ryder co-founded Edible Communities, Inc. as
a way to combine these professional skills and enhance her personal values.
Growing up in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Tracey spent her
childhood paddling a canoe and canning vegetables from her family garden. This
pure environment, rich with seasonal flavors, taught her that the best way to
look at the world was from...
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 | Carole Topalian, Co-Founder and Vice-President
Carole Topalian, co-founder and vice president of Edible
Communities, Inc., travels the world with a gifted and finely tuned
photographer's eye. Carole's photographs bring the Edible Communities' mission
to life, telling visual narratives about what local food networks look like
today. Capturing the essence and purity of a single vegetable at the peak of
ripeness or a pair of weathered farmer's hands, readers immediately connect
with the compelling images that fill all Edible magazines. To...
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 | Stephen Munshin, East Coast Support Team Leader
An adolescence spent sailing the Caribbean eating a steady diet of fresh seafood and tropical produce gave Stephen Munshin his first taste of eating local and an early appreciation for the indigenous. A decade working in the blood and guts of the New York City restaurant scene gave Stephen additional respect for what it takes to make good food. But his first business experience would actually come running an artisanal clothing line with wife, Lindsay Morris. While Lindsay designed, Stephen handl...
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 | Kimball Worcester, Director of Operations
Kimball
Worcester became Director of Operations for Edible Communities, Inc. (ECI) in
2007, when she decided she needed a change of pace and a new adventure. A
native San Franciscan, she moved to Santa Fe and reinvigorated her interest in
the sustainable food movement. At ECI, she helps connect aspiring publishers
with the organization, talking them through the discovery phase, gauging their
interest and commitment to the Edible mission and helping them make an informed
decision about bec...
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 | Mary Ogle, Webmistress
After attending the Rhode Island School of Design and Art Center College of Design, Mary Ogle emerged with a solid grounding in the traditional techniques of oil painting. Not satisfied with the inherent limitations of brush and canvas, she soon began to explore the fascinating nascent world of computer graphics. Working in the digital medium for over 10 years, Mary has created everything from limited edition prints to illustrations and logos to websites with a true artistic flair. Firmly believ...
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| Meet Our Members |
 | Edible Austin - Marla Camp, Publisher
Edible Austin owner/publisher MARLA CAMP is a passionate cook, artist and food enthusiast who believes in the power of print to build community and effect change. She was born and raised in Texas, left to go to college "up north" where she worked for over 20 years in publishing. There she met her future husband who convinced her to relocate to Austin, which she considers one of her best decisions. Today Marla and husband Jeff Kessel cook together—and for friends and family, garden year-rou...
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 | Edible Boston - Ilene Bezahler, Publisher
ILENE BEZAHLER grew up in the greater New York City area, in a family that enjoyed good food, wine, and cooking. She has a B.A. in Psychology, and has traveled the world extensively. Ilene's travels lead to an increased interest in the foods and markets of other countries. Early on she developed a successful philosophy around different foods: "Try, then Ask." Upon leaving the corporate world, Ilene worked at Boston's last working farm. In the position of Marketing and Wholesale Manager, she lear...
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 | Edible Brooklyn and Edible East End - Stephen Munshin, Publisher and Brian Halweil, Editor
BRIAN HALWEIL has been at the forefront of the growing "buy local" campaign. As a student at Stanford University, Brian worked with California farmers interested in reducing their pesticide use, and set up a two-acre student-run organic farm on the Stanford campus. In 1997, he joined Worldwatch Institute as a Senior Researcher and John Gardner Public Service Fellow. At the Institute, Brian writes on the social and ecological impacts of how we grow food, focusing recently on organic farming, biot...
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 | Edible Cape Cod - Doug Langeland, Publisher and Dianne Langeland, Editor
A graduate of Cornell's Johnson School of Business Management, DOUG LANGELAND spent 15 years as a pharmaceutical executive and management consultant, helping large and small companies develop successful business strategies. Always a passionate home cook, he recently took a sabbatical to attend the "La Technique" culinary skills course at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. While his experiences at the FCI did not sway him to become a professional chef, they did inspire him to follow his ...
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 | Edible Chicago - Rebecca J. Liscum, Publisher and Ann Flood, Editor
Born
and raised a Midwesterner, Rebecca holds a deep respect for the farm community
and her ancestry. Both parents were raised on farms in southwestern Wisconsin, as were their
parents for generations. When her folks moved to Madison to raise a family, they carried with
them their love of the land and cultivated a bountiful garden, sharing with
their two children a devotion for planting, harvesting and cooking vegetables,
including the rituals of late summer canning and freezing. The famil...
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 | Edible Chesapeake - Renee Brooks Catacalos, Publisher
RENEE BROOKS CATACALOS has been writing about food, restaurants, and other topics since 2001 for a variety of local and national publications. In 2006, she launched a bi-weekly e-newsletter about local food, called Local Mix, with a friend and fellow local food enthusiast. That grew into a web site, www.realpeopleeatlocal.com. She is excited to take her commitment to the wonderful local foods of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to another level as publisher and editor of Edible Chesapeake.
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 | Edible East Bay - Cheryl Koehler, Publisher
CHERYL KOEHLER was born a foodie, emerging as a food writer after a 30-year career in dance and design. Her writing has been published in the East Bay Express, the San Francisco Chronicle, Lonely Plant Publications, and on KQED radio. Her travel guide, Touring the Sierra Nevada, will be published by the University of Nevada Press in March 2007.
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 | Edible Grande Traverse - Barb Tholin and Charlie Wunsch, Co-Publishers
When Barb and Charlie met 15 years ago it was in the produce
section, although neither one was shopping. Barb was a Produce Manager at a St. Paul natural foods coop and Charlie was selling apples
from his Minnesota
farm. “Barb worked hard to find a wide choice of fresh foods for her shoppers
and relied a lot on local growers.” To this day he appreciates her ceaseless
pursuit of freshness and quality. “We each have an unrelenting curiosity about
how to find and then rustle...
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 | Edible Finger Lakes - Zoe Becker, Editor and Michael Welch, Publisher
A native of the Finger Lakes region, Zoe grew up picking strawberries, making
fresh maple syrup, and eating copious amounts of Concord grapes. As a child, she cooked and baked with her
mother and grandmother, learning to make a wide variety of specialities ranging
from mandelbrot to tamales. She baked pies in Colorado and waited tables at
fine dining restaurants in Boulder and New York City. Having lived and traveled all over the world,
Zoe continues to follow her passion for great tastin...
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 | Edible Hawaiian Islands - Gloria Cohen, Publisher
Formerly, owner of Islander on the Beach Hotel in Kauai, 200 rooms on the ocean, GLORIA COHEN and her husband Steven have been a part of the Hawaiian Islands for over 25 years. Originally from New York City and the film business, their love of these islands, the people and the many traditions are what inspire them. Gloria is also currently an award winning Fine Jewelry Designer; she and her husband as well are the owners of the Southern California Wholesale Cut Flower Market in San Diego.Her pas...
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 | Edible Iowa River Valley - Wendy Wasserman, Publisher and Kurt Michael Friese, Editor
A recent arrival to Iowa City, WENDY WASSERMAN brings her culinary curiosity, her background in food marketing and public policy, and her enthusiasm for all things tasty with her. She most immediately moved to Iowa from Tokyo, Japan, where she was a senior consultant for www.myfood.jp, a new website venture showcasing American food culture to Japanese consumers and media. Before living in Japan, Wendy was on the marketing team for Whole Foods Market in Washington, DC, and was the Marketing Assoc...
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 | Edible Memphis - Melissa and Kjeld Petersen
Motivated by the house rule that whoever cooked dinner did not have to wash the dishes, MELISSA PETERSEN became interested in food and cooking at an early age. Melissa grew up with a family that encouraged trying new foods, and even as a young tot she never ordered from the children's menu. After college and 12 years of running marketing departments for software companies, Melissa left the corporate world for culinary school. She has cooked at several top southern California restaurants and the ...
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 | Edible Nutmeg - Robert Lockhart and Mary Adams, Co-Publishers
MARY ADAMS is Co-Publisher of Edible Nutmeg. She is a painter and sculptor who enjoys writing, cooking and gathering friends around her dining room table. Her work in various media, including bronze sculpture, is in many private collections. She has divided her time between Savannah and Washington Depot since 1989. A Florida native, Editor and Co-Publisher ROBERT LOCKHART believes if you have to take something seriously it might as well be the enjoyment of food. This philosophy was honed over 16...
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 | Edible Ojai - Jane Handel
When she's not tending her garden or editing articles for Edible Ojai, JANE HANDEL works as a writer, artist, art dealer, photo editor, publisher and archivist. Her literary fiction, essays, poetry and art criticism have appeared in many publications including Persimmon: Asian Literature, Art & Culture Magazine, the Plume/Penguin Herotica anthologies, Showtime Network's online magazine, myredshoediaries.com, and Bark Magazine. Her artwork has been exhibited in numerous gallery and museum exh...
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 | Edible Phoenix - Pamela Hamilton, Publisher
PAMELA HAMILTON has enjoyed living, food shopping and dining around the world. Currently a resident of Arizona, she will publish the Phoenix Food Fanatic Handbook in the summer of 2006. The handbook uncovers local sources for Southwest and ethnic ingredients, and provides a comprehensive guide to food organizations and events. Pamela is a co-leader of Slow Food Phoenix, and a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and Arizona Women in Foo...
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 | Edible Portland - Deborah Kane, Publisher and Ericka Carlson, Editor
A tireless advocate for sustainable agriculture and food-related industries, DEBORAH KANE currently serves as vice president of Food & Farms at Ecotrust. In 2003 Deborah was named one of '50 great leaders' in the state of Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine and appointed by Oregon Governor Kulongoski to serve on the Oregon Sustainability Board. Deborah is a board member of the Portland Public Market, a public-private partnership devoted to building a year-round public market in Portland, Ore....
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 | Edible Rhody and Edible Seattle - Alex Corcoran, Publisher
When he first saw Edible Portland ALEX CORCORAN was just weeks away from moving to Rhode Island, and on learning that there was no Edible community yet in his soon-to-be home state, he knew that fate had thrown Edible in his path. His formal studies had been theater, music, architecture, sculpture, painting and photography, and yet he'd come to realize that good food, prepared well, and in good company, was perhaps the highest form of art. As a student, he put himself through school as a waiter ...
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 | Edible Sacramento - Daren Cliff, Publisher and Jennifer Cliff, Editor
JENNIFER CLIFF's deep appreciation for food and wine began at home. Growing up in Camarillo with parents who appreciated good food, she also learned about the Central Coast wine country at an early age when the family bought a ranch in Paso Robles. After college, Jennifer studied with the International Sommelier Guild. She sharpened her knowledge of wines while working for Suzanne's Cuisine and the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, California, and by working the entire season from harvest to barreling fo...
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 | Edible San Diego - Mary Willis and Jeff Willis
A New
Englander, raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, Mary Willis, is a third-generation Italian-American. Her food
experiences were nurtured as part of an extended family where making and
breaking bread and having a garden were integral parts of family life. On
completing her B.A. she successfully pursued the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor of
the United States Marine Corps where she served for 20 years. As a Marine,
exercise and healthy living were professional expectations which became life
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 | Edible San Francisco - Bruce Cole, Publisher
BRUCE COLE's food writing career began when he launched Saute Wednesday, one of the first food blogs, in 2001. He was a regular contributor to 7x7 Magazine in San Francisco from 2003 to 2005, and also worked as a freelance copy writer for Williams-Sonoma. Bruce now publishes Edible San Francisco and edits Edible Nation, the official blog for Edible Communities.
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 | Edible Santa Fe - Kate Manchester, Publisher
Born and raised on the bays and beaches of southern Rhode Island, KATE MANCHESTER came from a commercial fishing family that fed itself from the land and sea. The link between the earth and its seasons and what foods were available and eaten was ingrained at an early age. Fall and winter meant codfish, smoked bluefish, oysters, Indian pudding, roasted duck, and maple syrup. Late summer and early fall meant surf-casting for stripers, the first bay scallops, and tender blowfish. Summers were a bou...
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 | Edible Shasta Butte - Earl Bloor and Candace Byrne
EARL BLOOR and CANDACE BYRNE were introduced to Edible Communities when Candace googled "sustainability Cape Cod" and the search revealed Edible Cape Cod. After Candace wrote for both Edible Cape Cod and Edible Sacramento and the couple saw first hand how the publications encouraged sustainability in two very different locales, they embarked on their own publication, Edible Shasta - Butte. This new venture, grounded in Edible Communities' goal to "connect consumers with family farmers, growers, ...
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 | Edible Toronto - Gail Gordon Oliver, Publisher and Editor
GAIL GORDON OLIVER is a native of Montreal and a graduate of McGill University who feels that her lifelong passion for food and cooking was nourished by the gastronomic riches of her hometown. Following her move to Toronto with her family in 1996, the local foods and culinary heritage of her new home province were, and continue to be, hers to discover and savour.
After earning her Culinary Management Diploma from The George Brown Chef School in 1999, Gail joined the test kitchen staff at Can...
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 | Edible Twin Cities - Carol Banks, Publisher and Michelle Hueser, Editor
MICHELLE HUESER found her way back to the Twin Cities after spending part of her childhood in Oklahoma, and putting her degree in theater arts to use working behind the scenes at the Santa Fe Opera and other theaters in Florida, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Upon returning to Minnesota, she has gotten involved in both her wildlife and fellow-human communities. She has been a volunteer since 1994 on the "flight crew" of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota where she helps rehabilitate inju...
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 | Edible Vancouver - Debbra Mikaelsen, Editor and Philip Solman, Publisher
A native of the Okanagan
Valley, DEBBRA MIKAELSEN is
a freelance writer who grew up surrounded by orchards and agricultural land.
From a lineage of cattle ranchers and professional bakers, she has a
fascination for all things yummy. Childhood was about milk delivered in glass
bottles, tender peas from the garden, apricots pulled fresh from the backyard
tree, and homemade oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies after school. She believes that
farmers are unsung heroes, that cheese is mankind's grea...
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