This is the 27th issue of Edible Boston(!) and I feel I should confess something to you, my dear readers. The very last thing I do when putting an issue together is write my Letter From the Editor. This is partially procrastination on my part, but really, the theme of each issue needs to simmer a while in my mind before I’m able to put pen to paper. The ingredients in this simmering pot are all the delicious stories, the beautiful photographs, and the backdrop of current events in the environment outside my office. Today is the first snow—winter really is here. It is so much easier to finish a winter issue when the weather has helped to provide an appropriate backdrop! To further set the wintery stage, I spent the morning planning the big pot of soup I’ll make later in the day, another first of the season. As I sit down to write, the first thing that comes to my mind is that finally the elections are behind us. It was a long, drawn-out process. Aside from the bickering and animosity, there was one particularly partisan issue that resonated with me—the attention paid to small businesses throughout the country. This hits home as Edible Boston is a small business. Our world revolves around small businesses: the food producer working out of a community kitchen in Jamaica Plain or baking in her home; the Massachusetts farmers who on average cultivate about 85 acres, miniscule in contrast to the thousands of acres of industrial farms in the Midwest; the craft brewers that still call themselves “nanobrewers” because their production is so small.

It is exciting to know we are on the radar screen of the business and political communities, but that is not enough. How can we continue to help one another to insure we are all able to grow and prosper?

I want to say thank you and raise a toast to all the small businesses that advertise with us, who chose to join us in the support of each other in the food community.

This holiday season, I’ve decided to bring the celebrations full circle. I plan on purchasing all my gifts from our local community in an effort to support them, thank them, and also to show off what riches we have right here in our area. I urge you all to do the same!

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Ilene Bezahler Publisher/Editor