“They” say that winter weather is character building. They also say there’s no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothing. As someone who loves the seasons, that sounds about right to me, although I’ll probably be rolling my eyes at these old saws come March (or mud season as we call it here in the Berkshires). But as I write this, I’m looking forward to that magical first snow, sitting in front of the fire with a cocktail, snowshoeing around our meadow, watching Henry (lab mix, perpetually goofy) play with ice balls, and building snowmen with the grandkiddos.

In winter, when we’re not braving the elements, we’re hunkering down and getting cozy. And I hope you’ll do some of your own hunkering down with this winter issue of Edible Berkshires. I’m particularly thrilled with our selection of recipes: a warming ribollita from Mezze chef Nick Moulton; kid-friendly meatballs from Robin Tesoro; Marion Attal’s biscotti; Terry Walters’s ginger almond fig bark; and from regular contributors Miriam Rubin and Lee Buttala, a delicious Tuscan pork roast and appetizers so flavorful that you’ll be tempted to skip dinner (you have our permission). They’re all created for comfort and ease, and we hope you’ll try them and report back.

With this issue, we introduce a new feature—Maker Profile. Going forward, in each issue, we’ll give you an inside look at a business whose products you’re accustomed to seeing at your local market or specialty retailer, but we’re guessing you know very little about what makes that business tick. Hannah Van Sickle gives us the first installment of this feature with Michael Tesoro’s Secret Sauce‚ a profile of North Adams–based Ooma Tesoro’s, a maker of outstanding marinara based on a family recipe. Her story will give you some insight into what it takes to grow a business while remaining true to your values.

That’s a familiar challenge to Mary Berle, who is in her fourth year as the new steward of her mother’s sheep farm. Like many Berkshire residents, I had been drawn to Lila’s Mountain Farm long before it was Lila’s. There’s something about those rolling pastures, filled with peacefully grazing sheep, that’s a bit magical. If you take a look at Mary’s Instagram (@lilasmountainwool), you’ll get a little taste of the vibe. But what you won’t see is the endless hard work and constant innovation it takes to be a farmer in the Berkshires. Let us enlighten—and delight—you with a glimpse into Mary’s plan for making the farm sustainable for future generations.

Our regular columnists, Philippe Jeanjean and Lee Buttala, give us some great starting points for holiday celebrations. Philippe provides a primer on sparkling wines that will not only guide you as you shop for festive gatherings but will give you an impressive history lesson on bubbles so that you can regale guests with a little wine trivia. Lee gives us three hors d’oeuvres recipes that, when served together, could easily pass as a balanced dinner. Careful, though! Your guests are unlikely to rush home for a “real” meal and you may be entertaining into the wee hours.

Lastly, I hope you will use our local gift guide as a jumping-off point for your holiday and year-round shopping. Money spent at neighborhood businesses tends to stay in the local economy, giving these business owners the funds to hire more help, and provide us with a richer array of products and services. And please also support our ad partners. The stories, recipes, and photographs that you love would not be even remotely possible without them.

We’re wishing you and yours the sweetest of the holiday and winter season. Bundle up and get outside, and then come hunker down in front of the fire with us. We’ll get through it—even mud season—together!

Donna