Over the course of this year as Food and Wine Feature Editor, I’ve been honored to work with writers, home cooks, and chefs—all of whom are fans of food, just like me. It has been humbling to read submissions and learn even more recipes and new food facts. What I’ve come to appreciate more than anything, though, is how food brings together people of all races, demographics, and backgrounds. Food is never just food; it’s a common language. Food creates connections, revives memories, and is a medium for dialogue.

As an editor, it’s been my goal to provide readers with a diversity of food topics, be it recipes, personal narratives, or political discussions. Every month I hope that readers carry their laptops into the kitchen to try a new dish created by one of our contributors, such as Carrie Hribar’s Cinnamon Apple Semifreddo with Maple Walnut sauce, Melissa Edgehouse’s Seared Scallops with Jalapeno Vinaigrette, or Carly Sachs’ Sunrise Cocktail. Or I hope they submit a piece of their own that continues food-related conversations, much like Arielle Greenberg’s thoughtful pieces about farmer’s markets or back-to-the-land projects.

Without such committed contributors and devoted readers, I know From Plate to Palate wouldn’t be the success it is. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, all, for your food writing and your food reading.

I was blessed to count on some very good friends to carry the beginning issues, particularly the second issue which pays tribute to offal. It was a stroke of fate to have met Sarah Lenz and eat Rocky Mountain Oysters with her a day before the October issue deadline. And Sarah Pazur’s Great Grandma Piwowarski’s Crispy Chicken Livers are not only extremely delicious and an accessible variety of offal, but also they prove that food traditions are vital to family traditions.

From Plate to Palate gained real momentum, though, when season four winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Competition Stephanie Izard contributed a video and blog post to the November issue. Stephanie’s accessibility as a chef, her kindness as a person, and her love of goats hooked quite a few readers and, I’m sure, inspired numerous home cooks.

I continued (and plan to continue) to feature established chefs, such as in the January issue, which is probably one of my favorite issues in which I interview Chef Michael Bulkowski and review his fine cooking. Michael is instrumental to my interest in food and food writing. He’s taught me limitless lessons about flavor combinations and preparation methods. But above all, Michael has shown me—through his example—that food is a culinary and spiritual adventure. I’m thankful to call him a friend.

While I’m proud of every issue and every contributor’s work, there is one issue that will probably always be my favorite. While I love reading about community gardens as in Krista Elvey’s piece, learning how to appreciate kale in Lynn Gregor’s essay or tomatoes in Karen Babine’s tribute to soup, and getting a first-hand account of what it means to be a farmer, as Brian Schlatter and the Luginbills so graciously shared, the one topic that makes me as happy as food is pets. As much as I love to eat animals, I also love to live with them.

The March issue was one of my dreams come true—to honor pets and their palates. I had so much fun soliciting for this issue, reading the submissions, writing an editorial, and collecting photographs. For me, the pet issue showed just how diverse food topics can be and how food affects literally everyone, even domestic animals. I had a blast writing about our “counter-sharking” dog Bleu and my parents’ egg-eating cat Ike, reading in Arlan Hess’ and Kathryn Miles’ pieces how we can home make treats for our dogs, and learning about the garbage-disposal-like traits of Sarah Lenz’s backyard chickens. Cal Freeman’s “Bandito Benny: A Horatio Alger Tale” and F. Daniel Rzicznek’s “Canis Familiaris: An Inquiry into Appetite” me laugh, tear up, and get excited to cook something special for the little (actually quite big) buddy in my life. I only hope readers enjoyed it as much as I did and as much as the contributors enjoyed writing for it.

As Connotation Press enters its second year, I’ve planned for many more fun, interesting, and thought-provoking issues. More chef profiles are lined up and definitely more theme issues full of contributions from chefs, home cooks, food writers, and food enthusiasts.

Cheers to Connotation Press’ first year and to you, our dear readers and contributors, who have made our success possible!