Anyone who has ever worked back of house at a restaurant during a dinner rush knows how hectic the shift can be — an open flame on the grill, plates whipping down the line, “CORNER!” reverberating off the kitchen walls. A nicer word for the commotion is “dynamic.”

That single word has so many meanings and applications. I’m not usually one to cite the dictionary, but if you consult Merriam-Webster, there are four main definitions: 1) characterized by constant change, activity or progress, 2) positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas, 3) a force that stimulates change or progress within a system or process and 4) a musical reference for building sound. I’d argue that all of these apply to the creation and consumption of food and drink.

Being dynamic isn’t reserved for the controlled chaos. Partnerships that blossom between creators and purveyors; the harmony of different vendors working to produce a big event; magical flavors that grace the plate and even styles of cooking — these elements are all dynamic in their own right. This issue explores the surprising ways food and drink thrill, tantalize, inspire and challenge us.

Summer is such a perfect time for the dynamic issue because it’s also a season for family trips, late nights on the patio sharing wine with friends, outdoor concerts and festivals, and funnel cakes at the fair. I remember childhood trips with my sisters to the Dairy Barn (my hometown ice cream spot), where we’d lap up toffee crunch ice cream as the summer heat sent drops racing down the sides of our sugar cones. Free from the restraints of our school schedule, the sun lingering longer in the sky, it felt like the days were endless and life’s possibilities were, too.

I hope you enjoy this issue and the different dynamics we share in these pages. Try a new cooking method, stoke some creative ideas and listen to the melody of Mother Nature — food is fun and frenetic. And speaking of dynamic mid-year food fun, we hope to see you at Edible Magazine Summer House!