Keep Your Pies on the Prize

Nicci Micco, 31, a senior editor at EatingWell magazine, is modest about being nominated for a James Beard award [1], one of the food industry's most prestigious honors. "I feel almost relieved that I'm upholding the standards of the publication," she says, "like I'm not dropping the ball and ruining our strong tradition."

Micco authored the article "These Supplements May Save Your Life . . . or Not," which was published in the magazine's December 2006 edition. Her competition in the "newspaper, newsletter or magazine reporting on nutrition or food-related consumer issues" category includes another EatingWell article, this one by Rachael Moeller Gorman. Entitled "Miracle Up North: How the People of Finland Took a Healthy Message to Heart," Gorman's piece also received a nomination in the "magazine" category of the International Association of Culinary Professionals [2] (IACP) awards.

More incoming accolades for the Charlotte-based mag: The cookbook EatingWell Serves Two, by the publication's editor at large, Jim Romanoff, is nominated in the "healthy focus" category. The book was published by The Countryman Press of Woodstock. Countryman also put out King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, written by the bakers at King Arthur Flour [3] in Norwich. The book is up for a James Beard in the "baking and dessert" category.

Vermont resident Rux Martin, cookbook editor for Houghton Mifflin, had a hand in three books nominated for awards. Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, is nominated by the Beard Foundation and the IACP. Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Everyday, by Roy Finamore, is up for a Beard. And 150 Best American Recipes: Indispensable Dishes from Legendary Chefs and Undiscovered Cooks, by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens, got a nod from the IACP. Recognize that name? Stevens lives in Williston and snagged a James Beard Award in 2005 for All About Braising.

Part-time resident Christopher Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine, received Vermont's only multimedia nomination as the host of the "America's Test Kitchen" TV show.

At Countryman Press, which only publishes one or two cookbooks a year, getting two nominations is a big deal. "We're hoping that maybe both of those will win in their categories," says managing editor Jennifer Thompson.

Allison Furbish, media-relations coordinator at King Arthur Flour, is hoping for the company's second win. In 2004, they picked up a Beard award for The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. Furbish describes the highly regarded tome as "friendly, very all-purpose." Perfect for a book on baking, eh?