When we heard that Gourmet would cease publication this month, we happened to be in Stowe, Vermont, celebrating Zach's mother's birthday by eating ourselves silly. We sought out local diners, ate an amazing farm-to-table restaurants, and generally just tasting everything we could get our hands on, be it Dutch-style pancakes, horseradish-studded local cheese, or maple-laced Manhattans. It was just the sort of trip that the magazine might have recommended.
With the news came a wave of emotions: sadness, disappointment and a small dose of anger. Mostly, we're sad for for the loss of the magazine as a cultural institution and a leading voice in the food world.
Friends and readers often ask which is our favorite food magazine. Though we have some pangs of guilt in choosing, we have said many times that Gourmet was our favorite magazine subscription.
We applauded the magazine's focus on social justice issues (April's "Politics of the Plate: The Price of Tomatoes" is a must-read) and culinary travel/lesser known chefs (October's issue profiles Louisville, Kentucky, chef Edward Lee and his restaurant 610 Magnolia). But really, we subscribed to the magazine because of the delicious food. Highlighted by mouth-watering photography, Gourmet's recipes always got us excited about the possibilities of the kitchen and the promise of deliciousness.
And of course, we are Ruth Reichl fans (you. must. read. her. books.), though we're not certain if we loved Gourmet or Reichl first.
But, it seems, we're not done yet. November's issue has yet to arrive. We expect it will this week. We, like many of you, will no doubt savor every page. And, if you've saved all your issues like we have, you'll haul out all your November back-issues and put them to work with the new issue as you're planning Thanksgiving.
So this is by no means a goodbye or farewell to the magazine. We'll no doubt be cooking with Gourmet for many years to come, through their vast trove of past magazines and wonderful cookbooks. Instead of saying goodbye, we hope to celebrate the legacy of this great magazine. Here are our five favorite Gourmet dishes that we've made for The Bitten Word. Give one a try, in homage to our favorite food magazine.
- Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits
- Caramelized-Onion and Gorgonzola Grilled Pizza
- Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Fennel Wedges
- Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote
- Fresh Corn Pancakes
