Before we even started building the website, we did an e-mail test among our friends and family. Merrill’s mother, Veronica, dominated the field at a time when nepotism was still acceptable (two of the three winning recipes are hers). It turns out these early winners have stood the test of time—even after 52 weeks of official contests, we thought all three winners deserved to be included in the book.
Your Best Salad Using Beets and Citrus
Your Best Ragù/Bolognese
Your Best Holiday Cookies
Photography by Sarah Shatz