Gourmet mag going down the tubes

[Robin Garr]

From the NY Times Diners' Journal blog:

Gourmet, 68, to Die
By SAM SIFTON
It appears that Gourmet magazine, the literate, beautiful Conde Nast magazine with a rising circulation — widely thought to have been safe from the economy’s depredation — will cease publication after the publication of its November issue.

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/ ... 68-to-die/

I am truly shocked.

Rogov

Wow. That is shocking. I wonder what Ruth Reichl will now do?

Mark Lipton

Not pleasant news...but perhaps not as shocking when I stop to wonder how long it has been since I read an issue of Gourmet last.

It was one of those glossies that lost its way for me, to the point that I would occasionally peruse an old copy in a doctor/dentist office, and then only to find if there was a column by my favorite wine writer.

[/quote]So sorry to hear that Gormet is ceasing publication.
I used to subscribe for a year every couple of years. Reading month in and month out got a little repetitive. [quote]

Same here. Too much lifestyle stuff. And I still subscribe, but often the mag just sits there, while last month I picked up a friend's Bon Appetit, which I haven't looked at in years, and I found myself riveted. Somehow, it just seemed, page for page, more useful.

Wow. That is shocking. I wonder what Ruth Reichl will now do?

Mark Lipton

My guess is that she is the reason. As soon as she took over, that magazine went straight downhill IMO.

Having been a subscriber to both Gourmet and Bon Appetit over the years, I am not surprised. I finally settled on Bon Appetit, and have made some truly amazing recipes, some are still in my collection of "go to" when I want a tried and true.
I've become disenchanted with magazines and their annoying way of billing a yearly subscription six months in advance. Gift subscriptions have become a pain as many magazines have outsourced to a third party and they seem to screw up delivery of the gift and send it to me rather than the recipient. Also, when I ignore the bill for the subscription long enough, they finally reduce it to make it a good deal for me. I'm having more fun pouring over my collectioon of cookbooks and looking online for new ideas. I do hate to see a good publication go down, however and the loss of jobs is tragic.

We have issues going back to the '80's. I was just thumbing through one a couple of days ago that had an article by Gerald Asher marking the 10 year anniversary of the Steve Spurrier tasting. Great article.

The magazine is a shadow of its former self, but I'll still mourn its passing.

Gerald Asher was about the only reason we subscribed for several decades. We gave up a long time ago when the magazine lost just about all it's relevancy.

Gerald Asher was about the only reason we subscribed for several decades. We gave up a long time ago when the magazine lost just about all it's relevancy.

That's kinda like how Lettie Teague is the only reason I ever pick up Food and Wine.

One comedian said Gourmet tried to adapt to the recession, but couldn't do it. Why would readers pay for Hamburger Helper recipes when they can get them free on the side of the box?