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"I drove out to a depopulated mill town called Freedom for dinner in an old gristmill that now feels like a culinary pilgrimage: Erin French's hardship-turned-success story has made the place a national phenomenon (about 20,000 postcard applicants a year for roughly 4,600 covers). We were seated at a water's-edge table, served by mostly local staff while Michael Dutton lit braziers on the lawn, and the meal felt intensely local and seasonal—French talked about finding a patch of Jerusalem artichokes that afternoon, literally walking to the farm where our lettuce was grown, and waiting on last-of-the-season raspberries for a caramel-custard dessert. Lobster on a biscuit arrived as a starter, and the overall experience was intimate, artfully informal, and rooted in foraging and local farms; the tasting menu is listed at $175." - Kevin West Kevin West Kevin West is a writer, food consultant, and “canning evangelist” (according to NPR). He’s the author of the cookbook “Saving the Season,” and his work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Martha Stewart Living, Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines