October is my favorite time of the year. Its beautiful sunny days with just a hint of crispness in the air; the morning chill that wakes me and accompanies me into work; and the knowledge it brings that the days are getting shorter and that winter is just around the corner — October speaks to me.

Fall is a great time to get out in the yard and tackle those projects you've been putting off to avoid the deadening heat of summer, and to pick the last of the garden’s vegetables, preserving what you are able, and to dream about what the garden should look like next year.

My fall projects include building a compost area. As a result of my spring project, which involved raising 13 baby chicks, I now have, shall we say, a new motivation to go organic. The "girls" should be laying by November and I can't wait for the first farm eggs. As a professional chef I can assure you that nothing is better than a fresh egg, or produce right out of your own garden. I am sure you all feel the same way about your own gardens: fresh-picked herbs and vegetables simply taste better. Perhaps that’s partly due to the fact that you toiled the soil, planted the seed and nurtured its growth all summer. Growing your own food connects you to nature and to the land in a way that’s sadly unknown to large segments of our population.

I get such a kick out of preparing sourdough pancakes for my friends and family with farm eggs. The color, richness, and flavor are unbelievable and the smile on their faces is the reason that being a chef is such a great profession. You get to make people happy.

We at the Deli hope we’re make you happy as well. The same passion and spirit that makes growing and using fresh ingredients so special is the same passion that we’ve used to grow our business. In April of 2010 we will be 20 years old: the competition has surely doubled since then. We are so grateful for your support and hope to earn your business for another twenty years.

Mark Stevens

We're #1

Thanks to you!

On behalf of the entrire Stevens & Stevens Deli staff, thank you for making us Louisville's Best Deli in the LEO Reader's Choice Awards. We'll do our best to live up to this honor and hopefully earn your vote again in 2010.