food friday: Gourmet

I realized calling this foodie Friday was a bit silly, mostly because I'm not so fond of the word foodie. Hate is too strong a word, but in reality it is not my favorite word to associate with myself.

Last week the food world receive the news that Gourmet magazine was ending, news that I am still heartbroken about. I obviously never thought I would see this day, as my subscription was renewed days before and I threw out a collection of magazines before moving because magazines are just too heavy and there will be future issues of Gourmet. I am always right about magazines being heavy, but I was not right about the fate of Gourmet. I haven't gotten the last November issue yet, hopefully after several months of moving around it will find the right address. Either way I can't imagine a holiday season without the December issue and the inevitable cookie recipes. Now, many people have said the downfall of Gourmet is because of our access to recipes on TV and the internet. But Gourmet was much more than that, it was writing about the world of food and our interactions with it. It was travel and culture through food traditions and it was an endlessly inspiring magazine.

I realized that it is the magazine I had subscribed to the longest and I have a spotty memory of being a poor student in New York and buying the November 2002 issue just because it made me feel less homesick.

The other ironic twist to this news is that Ruth Reichl, Gourmet's Editor in Chief, is doing publicity for a new Gourmet cookbook and show on PBS. She was on Fresh Air on Wednesday taking about her new book, fall foods and the close of Gourmet magazine.