The Art of Eating

Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:36pm by ballybeg

The latest casualty in the world of print publications is Gourmet magazine, which, after a run of 65 years in production, is closing with the November issue. And what a spectacular issue it is: “Perfect Thanksgiving Recipes”, worth a look for old time’s sake. We carry annual "best of" editions of Gourmet in the cookbook section.

Gourmet’s closing does not signal disinterest in subjects related to food, however, as all of the food channels, farmer’s markets, our cookbook section and the number of holds on any book or dvd to do with Julia Child, attest to a lively following of “foodies”. We subscribe to many periodicals on the subject and two of my favorites are Saveur and The Art of Eating, which, so far, seem to have a healthy prospect for remaining in print.

The Art of Eating relies on no advertising and its special niche highlights, “tradition, simplicity and a sense of place”. Excellent writing, without glossy pictures, about the regional influences on food and wine in the US and on the continent, points to the fact that appreciating the arts of the table is not passé, as some magazines are.

Saveur is especially for food enthusiasts who like to travel (or who like to imagine traveling) as it combines a passion for food and wonderful ingredients with articles, and spectacular pictures, about food cultures all over the world. I think my favorite issue was #109, sometime in 2008, called "The Beauty of Butter", with recipes from around the world using this most tasty ingredient.