In Our Fall 2014 Issue

Dear Reader,

The bumper sticker on my car should read, "Caution: Will brake for food." I love hunting down delicious eats wherever I go, be it down the street from my house, en route to the beach or the like, and whenever I travel outside Li'l Rhody.

Last year my son and I were heading to North Carolina to look at colleges (I wish I could say I'm not that old!) and just before we left his dad said to me, "Please don't go and get yourselves lost looking for some food shack." He knows me well.

Of course we had done our research about schools and I had also done mine about food. I emailed my friend Fred Thompson, publisher of Edible Piedmont, to get the skinny on where to find the best barbecue–to which he replied "at my house," before suggesting his top nonbackyard options. I grabbed a clipped article on Southern foodways, stuffed it into my bag and we set course.

On one of the campus tours I got to talking with a local parent who gave me the "usual" corner of a favorite food truck where we could get "the best" pulled pork sandwiches. I tried not to let my mind wander to the prospect as we continued on towards the library and then the dorms. Finally in the car after the tour was done, my son Jack pulled up on his phone what I thought was the address, and off we went.

The further around in circles we drove, the more determined I was to find "the best" sandwich. Before we knew it, we were deep in what I'd call a forlorn quasi-industrial neighborhood in Durham. I pulled over for the third time to check Google maps when we both started to laugh as I finally confessed my husband's forewarning.

It wasn't the first time I led my son (or daughter–just ask her) on a wild food chase.

The two of us, by then in hysterics with tears streaming down due to the comic irony of the situation, decided it was time to give up the hunt. We found another barbecue spot–maybe not the best, but by then we were so famished it didn't matter much anyway.

As life would have it, my son decided to go to college in North Carolina so it looks like we'll have more opportunities to seek out the good food there. One thing for sure: I'll be tucking the local Edible magazine under my arm as my guide. I know that way we'll get the best scoop on local eats–and hopefully next time I won't get lost on the hunt. With over 80 Edible magazines around the country and in Canada, its great to know I've got an Edible guide there, and almost everywhere I want to eat.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue of Edible Rhody and all the Rhode Island bounty you discover on your local food adventures throughout this high harvest season. And be sure to take a moment to vote on your local food heroes this season! Just look for the banner at EdibleRhody.com and choose your heroes before December 12.

Dig in!

Genie McPherson Trevor