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Inside Yankee: November/December 2009

by Mel Allen

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I was wandering the aisles of the Made in New Hampshire Expo in Manchester last March when I stopped in front of a tidy booth where Nancy Brown and her husband, Billy, were giving out small sample cups of salad dressed with Nancy's award-winning, homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I took a bite. Really delicious. I asked Nancy how she got started. Over the years I've found that people who strike out on their own with something they create at home have stories; there are so many ups and downs. Nancy and Billy told me about how their Three Acre Kitchen line of dressings and marinades began. It was a story of stunning heartbreak and equally stunning resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to endure. And I knew I wanted to bring their story to our readers ("Hard Work").

As I looked at the hundreds of crafts and edibles at the expo, I was again reminded that one of the greatest gifts New Englanders enjoy is our region's wealth of artisans, craftspeople, and creative home cooks. We're hoping that the items you'll see in our special "Made in New England" section will inspire you to support locally created products. I have no doubt that there's a story to tell about each one.

It's so easy during the holidays to forget about the gift of time and relaxation. I hope you'll give yourself a gift and take a day or two to visit Newport, Rhode Island, where a month-long celebration ("The Thirty Days of Christmas,") shows what one community can do to replace pure commercialism with quiet beauty and rituals that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Newport is a small city, but the tiny hamlet of Orange, New Hampshire, can teach us all a thing or two about how village-rooted traditions can evoke memories that no gaudy bauble from a mall box store can ever hope to match ("The Town Party").

Yankee's food editor, Annie B. Copps, offers the gift of her favorite meal--the one that comes later, when the refrigerator groans with leftovers ("Friday Feasting,"). Take a look at her wonderful recipes and you'll gain new appreciation for the food you wrap up when the company leaves.

Finally, all of Yankee's editors join me in hoping that this issue gives the gift of a pleasure-filled hour or two. May these next two months bring you peace, happiness, and appreciation for this quirky, unique region we call home--the best gift of all.

The November/December 2009 issue will be on newsstands Tuesday, October 27. Where to Buy Yankee