My son was born on Thanksgiving of 2011, and I’ll never forget family streaming into our hospital room carrying delicious packages of roasted turkey legs, cheese burek, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry jelly, the list goes on. Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite holiday, and while I appreciate the history, it’s all about the pure gluttony shared with loved ones for me. On that day, it was such an honor to know our family wouldn’t want us to miss out on that communal experience.
As my career is centered around food, my new focus in life was to make sure our son ate the best food we could provide. Nutrition became a predominant topic for our family and at many times, anxiety inducing. For his first few years of life we stressed about what he ate; my wife would prepare batch after batch of roasted sweet potato, blueberry and chicken mush. It would all be organic and mostly local. Processed sugar was evil! I can’t count the times I had heated fights with grandparents about meals and sugar to the point of not speaking, even though they were just there to help. If you are reading this, I’m sorry and I love you. I had temporarily lost my mind trying to do what I thought was best for our child.
Just like Thanksgiving, I came to realize, it’s more about the people you are with rather than the food you are eating. While I love the holiday, I don’t particularly love turkey, but it tastes so much better when everyone is together telling stories and arguing about politics.
As for our son, Ilija, he’s been very fortunate to grow up around some of the best people in Wisconsin’s culinary and agricultural worlds. If you ask him what his favorite food is, he would most likely respond: Ian’s mac n’ cheese pizza with a side of Haribo gummy bears. We preach everything in moderation and that it’s okay to indulge, as long as he shares his gummy bears with Dad. If you are there to teach, they will never forget what you’ve taught them… I hope.
Our fall issue is all about kids and families and their personal journeys with food. What we teach our children at an early age will stay with them forever, even if they might not realize it at first. And what better lesson than sitting around a table with the ones you love, making memories over a meal.
Best,
Arthur Irçink
Editor in Chief
Reach out to me: arthur@ediblemilwaukee.com
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