Food & Spirits Magazine #17 | Page 5

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER W “This issue of FSM is the ‘Cocktail Issue’, and as you might suspect, includes a great deal of information on cocktails and where you can find some of the best in town.” Speaking of the pizza event, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of those that have helped put it together over the last six years. The event has become a much-anticipated showcase for local pizza and it couldn’t happen without the help of many, many people; Jim Johnson and Marc Leibowitz, co-owners of The Waiting Room, have provided a home for the event and excellent event advice for me. Those two are truly the ‘event experts’ in town and it’s been very helpful to be able to bend their ear. Brian O’Malley, and all of the other fine instructors and students at the culinary institute, have also lent their expertise to me over the years and the event has been way better for it. I can’t tell you how many times they have bailed me out when I forget to bring tablecloths. Oh, wait – yeah, I can. That would be six times and counting. Of course, without a bunch of solid pizza places in town it wouldn’t even possible to do something like this one year, let alone six. Many of the places have participated every year, but we add new ones every year as well. If you weren’t there, I encourage taking a look at the article and going to those restaurants. Not only do they have some great food, but they are also tremendous supporters of our community. And finally, last, and certainly not least, are those that get excited to attend every year. I would have quit doing it years ago but it’s at a minimum, interesting and fun to watch you all devour over 350 pizzas in less than two hours year after year. So thank you everyone and if you weren’t there, I’ll see you at next year’s event. Erik Totten – Publisher Food & Spirits Magazine fsmomaha.com elcome to the latest issue of Food & Spirits Magazine. This issue of FSM is the ‘Cocktail Issue’, and as you might suspect, includes a great deal of information on cockta