When Conde Nast announced on Monday that it would ~ 30 ~ (or let's see, would that be ~ 86 ~?) Gourmet Magazine, 'The Magazine of Good Living' first published in 1941, food bloggers were among the first to mourn its passing. On Twitter, the word spread like melted butter; within a few minutes of the announcement, 'gourmet' was a trending topic. Even six days later, this morning a thoughtful piece from the Buffalo News is being TWed and RTed.
Ever since, sadness -- there's no other word -- has poured out as food bloggers mourn the magazine's passing.
"I am beyond devastated that this magazine will no longer be delivered to my home - it has always been considered one of my "main resources" for cuisine, cooking styles and methods, restaurant guides, and inspiration. I felt a lump in my throat as I read the news articles about the magazine's ending, trying to fight back tears - yes, the magazine was that important to me. I certainly hope that they do not take down their website at least!"
~ read more at Veggie Girl, Gratitude for Gourmet
"I feel like the world of food writing has been pillaged and robbed by this decision. We aren’t just losing a magazine, we are saying goodbye to an old, reliable friend … a best friend. We are losing our grasp on elegant food writing, and replacing it with accessible, easy, fast … how sad."
~ read more from Sarah Caron at Sarah's Cucina Bella, Goodbye, Gourmet
The Kitchen Sink Recipes ~ Bucatini Carbonara
"Inspired by this Gourmet (sniff) recipe."
Pinch ~ Gasp! Gourmet Bites the Big One
"Oh Gourmet! You were nearly 70 and I was just starting to love you!"
Is Conde Nast surprised at the reaction? "Please be advised that Gourmet magazine will cease publication after the November issue," reads the stark notice on Gourmet.com. Did Conde Nast think, you know, that we wouldn't notice?
In contrast, Ruth Reichl, Gourmet's editor since 1999 (and former New York Times restaurant critic, author and winner of four James Beard awards), who learned the news herself only the morning of the announcement, expresses herself warmly and openly. Two days after the news, she wrote on Twitter: "At Newark airport. Stopped to buy sandwich (no time to eat today), and the woman behind the counter said, 'I'm so sorry; this one's on me.'"
Other bloggers, especially those whose blogs are but one dimension in their writing careers, became thoughtfully assessed Gourmet's place in the food world.
"So what does the food world lose with the closing of Gourmet? I hesitate to use the word 'institution' here, but that's what it does feel like to some extent. but really, what it comes down to is this: If Saveur makes me want to explore the exotic, and Gastronomica makes me approach food with an intellectual perspective, Gourmet made me comfortable. It wasn't always engaging (although it could be) and it wasn't always exciting (but again, it could be). What it was was dependable. Challenging without being overly so, an issue of Gourmet could cover several topics without seeming either patronizing or trend-setting. At times, it was what I wished the food world could be."
~ read more from Kate Hopkins at Accidental Hedonist, The Loss of Gourmet Magazine
"Back in the day I thought Gourmet was about exactly that: food snobs and recipes that can’t be made without importing ostrich eggs from Africa. Only after getting hooked on the website (and not having to leaf through all those awful advertisements that seem to clutter up 90% of magazines theses days) did I see what Gourmet was really about: living frugally. Treating animals and farmers well. Eating locally. Bringing the impact of eating (political, social, and environmental) to an audience that usually doesn’t like to think about the results of their actions. "
~ read more at MadSilence, RIP: Gourmet Magazine
"It seems that most of [Gourmet's] critics stopped reading Gourmet in the 1980s. Or they ignored the 90% of magazine that doesn't have to do France or fine dinnerware. What's so "elitist" about street food in Thailand or a mom-and-pop Chinese barbecue stand? Or a first-person account, not just some fluffy service piece, about living frugally? Or for that matter, in-depth coverage of sustainable food issues? If elitism is defined by reaching beyond the scope of soccer moms and trend-seekers or calling olive oil by its rightful name, then I must be elitist too."
~
