Wednesday, October 7, 2009

UnRecipe: Au Revoir, Gourmet

It's the understatement of the week to say that Conde Nast's decision to shutter Gourmet magazine is a mournful day in our epicurean times. Well over 60 years of printed recipes and stories that developed a meaningful dialogue between people and food, all coming to an unceremonious end. I honestly can't find the words to say much, other than it's a sad and disapointing thing. It feels like someone special has passed on, because the lonely feeling of their absence is already setting in.

Thank you, Gourmet magazine, for decades of food memories - photo by Wasabi Prime

I had made some gougères the week before, and meant to post sooner. I was looking through several recipes including one from Gourmet. In typical UnRecipe style, I still broke from the recipe to use some ingredients I already had on-hand, but I'd like to think that Ruth Reichl could appreciate the edible spirit of adventure and understand.

Good food doesn't have to be complicated or fancy to be delicious. I can't offer anything more than a lop-sided cheese puff to commemorate the loss of Gourmet magazine, but maybe comfort is all we can accept right now. To bake up your own simple puffs of cheesy comfort, please use this miniature gougères recipe from Gourmet in 2008.


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9 comments:

  1. A beautiful and tasty-looking tribute!

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  2. Man, I'm so behind on my reading! I had no idea about Gourmet magazine until I read your post! Sad! Nice tribute. :)

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  3. They were pretty tasty!! Lovely pillows of cheesy goodness.

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  4. lol -- I'm glad they reheated OK! I want to remake, but with a bit more salt and with a different cheese. Will bring in more leftovers if I do!

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  5. Lovely gougeres! I am so sad and surprised about the closing of Gourmet. What a loss that is to the food community.

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  6. I think a lopsided cheese puff is a poignant tribute to the passing of Gourmet...

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  7. They look lovely and how sad to hear that Gourmet is...going a way! Wow. I can almost taste the puffs as I think...lemon thyme. Don't ask me why but that's my herb of the mo!

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  8. What a sad day- saying goodbye to Gourmet will be difficult. I love your tribute to them with the delicious cheesy clouds of deliciousness... Sorry, my writing abilities are compromised in the presence of cheese... Yummmmmmmm

    AND thanks for voting for me on the foodbuzz noms!!!!!

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  9. I am wondering why it's the end of the Magazine...maybe w/ web, no one buys food magazine anylonger...don't know. I remember Gourmet Magaine had tons of advertising, way too much. True it's sad to see an end to things but c'est la vie!

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