Most country fairs feature competitions for the best in local food preparation. When I put out the call for prizewinning recipes for the (fictional) Finger Lakes Autumn Fete, my friends and family responded with wonderful things. My special thanks to Rebecca Monroe, Julie Schwartz, and Whit Hairston.
I’d also like to thank the skilled professionals at the New York State Wine and Culinary Institute in Canandaigua, New York, for inspiring the creation of La Bonne Goute Academy of the Culinary Arts.