Yankee Magazine's Heather Atwell called Debra Stark at Debra's Natural Gourmet in West Concord to tell her that their readers selected her take-out kitchen with its wonderful chefs as a favorite establishment and attraction as "Best of New England - Readers' Choice" winners for 2010. The store's deli was a winner along with only two other delis -- one in ME and one in NY.Wow. This hometown little deli made a big impression. And they didn't even know it. In their cheerful way, the deli has made converts over the years. Using as many organic ingredients as possible, as much local as possible, the kitchen at Debra's Natural Gourmet prepares foods with heart and soul. The aromas wafting out across the store as people come through the doors make people feel happy and make them go "Yum!"
This honor coincides with the release of Debra's third cookbook, Blue Ribbon Edition: From Our Kitchen to Yours (Lightning Source, 2010). This book, she says, is for everyone who feels that food, like life, is an adventure to be shared. Debra writes, "May your kitchen be full of those you love. May your kitchen be a place of light and laughter."
"For 75 years, Yankee Magazine has served as the authority on New England travel. Our readers are passionate about exploring this region, and we asked them what places they'd nominate as 'Best of New England,'" says Heather Atwell, communications manager for Yankee Magazine. "They answered enthusiastically, and we're happy to share their top choices."This is the first "Best of New England - Readers Choice" list in Yankee's 75-year history. Yankee Magazine is the only magazine devoted to New England through its coverage of travel, home, food, and features. It has a paid circulation of more than 350,000 and a total audience of over 2 million. For 33 years, Yankee Magazine's Travel Guide to New England, published every May, has been the most widely distributed and best-selling guide to the six-state region, providing readers with a comprehensive vacation-planning tool and daily reference. A hallmark of that issue is Yankee's "Editors' Choice" picks, in which their editors and contributors share their favorite travel establishments with readers. For the "Best of New England - Readers Choice" list, it's Yankee's readers who, for the first time, get to share their favorite picks.
