Farewell, Gourmet

I usually don’t like to talk about current events on my blog because, from the beginning, I have decreed this to be a happy place about baking, cookbooks and food, in general.

But I feel compelled to break with tradition after hearing the news that Gourmet magazine will be no more as of the November 2009 issue.

CondÃ© Nast Publications has made the decision to shut down production of the magazine, along with a number of others, for financial reasons.

When I first heard the news, I could hardly believe it. But after some reflection, taking into consideration the financial suffering that so many have endured recently, I suppose it’s not surprising.

Having said that, though, it certainly doesn’t make it any less surprising to know that one of my very favourite food magazines is no more.

A magazine that set the highest of standards, Gourmet has been a constant source of inspiration.

I will miss looking forward to a new issue each month. As a tribute, I’ve posted a picture of one of my favourite Magazine Mondays submissions and Gourmet magazine recipes, from the April 2008 issue: Oven Crespella with Nutella Sauce.

Ciao!

18 comments

Kate

Wow! I am a shocked but it has been a while since I bought a Gourmet. I quit buying them when they started “updating” recipes claiming to keep up with changing times. And all they were doing was using trendy ingredients to mess up excellent recipes. Really stupid of them. Although mostly telling in the way the newer cookbooks were designed. The very latest in cutesy and almost unusable. I have missed the articles and recipes of the pre-90′s for some time.
Natashya

I am so sad too. I am really going to miss it.
VeggieGirl

It was one of my all-time favorite publications, so I too am truly devastated
Bellini Valli

I had heard the news as well. Such a loss for the foodie community.
Fallon

Wow that is really sad!! I love your nutella recipe you shared from Gourmet. That is something that my boyfriend in Iraq currently will enjoy when he comes back. I plan to make that for during his 2 weeks leave in December one morning!
Wandering Coyote

This is most upsetting for me, too, as I really loved Gourmet AND I just renewed my subscription! I let go of Bon Appetit in favour of Gourmet just over a year ago and haven’t regretted that decision at all. I was growing more and more frustrated with BA, and thought Gourmet was just a far better use of my money. I wonder what they will do for all of us who are paid up for the next year?
Patricia

I just subscribed to both BA and Gourmet this spring and so far have made more recipes from Gourmet. I thought that after this year’s subscription I might drop BA if I didn’t find more inspiration from it but now I don’t know.

@Wandering Coyote – when Craft magazine closed down, they started sending me Make instead, so I wouldn’t be surprised if CondÃ© didn’t extend Bon Appetit to all of the Gourmet subscribers.
Mara

I know, I was very sad to hear the news too. I wonder if the rise of food blogging and other internet recipe databases has contributed to a decline in food magazine sales…is this in with the new out with the old? i’d hate for that to be true…but in the age of technology it seems inevitable.
Lianne

I too am disappointed in the publisher. To discard Gourmet (960,000 subscribers, highest ever this year) and keep Bon Appetit (1.3M) is a disservice to serious cooks everywhere. BA has become a bit of fluff while Gourmet has kept its high standards.
Woe is me!
Simone (junglefrog)

While I have only ever read Gourmet once (it’s not for sale in most stores here) I feel for you… I would be as sad if one of my favorite magazines here would stop production!!
I do love the crespelles though!
Jenny Tan

That’s really sad! Although I’m no a subscriber to the magazine (due to commitment to other magazines too — I’m a magazine junkie), I buy it every now and then…that IS a sad news.
Chasing Shade

I, too, love Gourmet …. who doesn’t? Now I Really have to hold on to my beloved back issues. But, be aware that, though it’s small consolation, Conde Nast still intends to keep up the Epicurious.com website — it includes Bon Appetit, too, which is not going anywhere — and intends to post new Gourmet recipes, etc., monthly. I just posted a recipe from Gourmet (Sticky Balsamic Ribs) on my own blog — with a few tweeks. Keep up the good work, Cream Puffs! Love it!
joey

Such sad news! Such a pillar in the food magazine world…sniff

The crespelle with Nutella looks wonderful though!
The Food Hunter

It is very sad news.
The Food Hunter

It is very sad news.
Wizzythestick

ooooh I love this magazine and will be so sad to see it go. Does this mean their online recipes willl will be shut down as well?
Darina

I am sad, too. Conde Nast will give all Gourmet subscribers a subscription to BA. If you are already a subscriber, they will extend your subscription. So far, the online recipes are staying, but for how long, who knows? I’m really going to miss Gourmet.