I always loved finding Gourmet mingling with letters and bills in the mailbox. I'd grab it out of the stack, leaving bills and such to be dealt with later. I'd page through it immediately, poring over the pictures. I'd flag recipes I wanted to make and peruse articles that interested me. I had dreams of someday being Ruth Reichl, of being editor in chief of a food magazine I found so inspiring -- dreams that were probably unattainable before and are certainly impossible now.
A few months ago I heard Ruth Reichl speak and read from her newest book, Not Becoming My Mother: and Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Mass. Afterward I had the opportunity to attend a reception with her at Upstairs on the Square. I was completely elated. I never thought I would meet her in person and have the chance to sit down and chat with one of my role models.
I'm sad about Gourmet. I really didn't see this coming. I thought the magazine was doing well with moving to online, etc. I did find myself skipping over more of the articles lately, but I've always known that Gourmet focused on an older audience (but still appealed to the younger set) and Bon Appetit was more targeted to me. I thought others were reading the articles I was passing up. And they probably were because the closure is most likely more about the economy and advertising (or lack thereof) than any sort of content issue.
1941 to 2009 is a pretty good run for a magazine that started at the tail end of the Great Depression. While it's not easy to say goodbye, luckily, Julie from A Mingling of Tastes is making it a little easier by looking on the bright side: She's asked food bloggers to post their favorite Gourmet recipes by October 15 to celebrate Gourmet.
I'm not sure that I'll be able to make something new before then -- though I have my eye on several recipes in the October issue -- so I've decided to recap some Gourmet recipes I've made.
Broiled Chicken with Bacon over Egg Fried Rice is a great quick and easy weeknight dish.
Pork Chops Saltimbocca turned out moist, juicy, and flavorful.
Grilled Steak and Peppers Vinaigrette may be one of the tastiest things I've ever cooked.
Chocolate Cinnamon Cream Pie was the perfect end to our Valentine's Day meal.
Fried Mozzarella Balls were small bites of heaven, warm, toasty, and gooey.
White Lasagne with Parmigiano Besciamella made a comforting cool weather meal.
New Coq Au Vin is nothing like the traditional coq au vin, but it makes a nice, light meal.
Blt Burgers are perfect game night food.
Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes, and Dill is a pasta salad you can bring to any party and know you'll return home with an empty bowl.
Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries is a delicious cake with a layer of cream filling that's sure to please.
I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do... and maybe you'll reminisce about your experiences with Gourmet as you make them.