Thank you so much for notifying me that you will be breaking your autumn tradition of harvesting dried cornstalks and checking on your old-fashioned maple taps to visit our like-minded small-town neighbors in Chevy Chase, Md., to talk about your new cookbook on Thursday.

I imagine that it must be very important for you to come here, leaving Aunt Sissy and Neighbor Clara to bale the hay and make the grapevine wreaths without you. From what I read each month in your column in Cook’s Illustrated, you are a very folksy person and it’s clear to me that even a magazine mogul, newspaper columnist, and public television star can and must find time to milk his own cows and churn his own butter. I just want you to know that even though you seem to be mining old material every month and came off in the Post as a crotchety middle-aged man in a bowtie, I believe you. I believe you are a real life Bostonian and Vermonter (since I know you own homes in both places) and appreciate you leaving all of your many homespun chores there to try and shill your book. God bless you and God bless the perfect apple pies only you know how to make.

Love from your No. 1 fan,
Jule

(photo by Tim Somero)