So long old friend ... Gourmet to cease publication

I found out this month that I’m losing a friend. Publishing giant Conde Nast announced it was ceasing publication of Gourmet magazine because of financial reasons. In circulation since 1941, Gourmet provided not only recipes and tips but commentary on a variety of food issues. Conde Nast has decided instead to keep Gourmet’s less fancy sister publication, Bon Appétit, which has more readers. While I enjoy both publications, I will miss Gourmet.

My love for food and cooking is a relatively new hobby. It started a few years ago when a couple friends were going through divorces. We decided to get together once a month, talk about our problems, share some food and some wine. Our little Supper Club has been going on more than 10 years now. None of us were experts when we started by any stretch of the imagination. But each month we would pick a theme, head to our cookbooks or Internet sites like Gourmet’s Epicurious, find an interesting recipe and try it for nonjudgmental friends. Sometimes the recipes were great; sometimes not. Along the way, we honed our culinary skills and deepened our friendships, something many of us could use a little more of in today’s hustle and bustle world.

I found myself reminiscing about Gourmet this week while doing some research for my Digital Marketing Communications class. My classmates and I were charged with comparing the media kits of two similar magazines. Of course, I looked at two cooking publications. Instead of Gourmet, my old faithful, I turned to two newer friends — Cooking Light and Every Day with Rachael Ray. While doing my research, I was surprised to learn the average reader of both magazines is a 40-something married woman earning between $73,000 and $75,000 a year. There are so many people who could benefit from the health tips in these magazines. Unfortunately, the reality is that many families who would benefit the most are the ones who can ill-afford a monthly magazine subscription, which is why, I suspect, the monetary demographics are what they are.

I can’t help but like Cooking Light and Every Day with Rachael Ray. Both of these magazines provide quick, mostly healthy, balanced, flavorful meals. I’ve had some health issues in recent years and enjoy trying out the healthier recipes both publications offer. Still, I’ll keep my favorite Gourmet recipes around. Here’s a popular one at my house: Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Mustard (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-Tenderloin-with-Apricot-Mustard-238677). Add a tossed salad, some green beans or asparagus, roasted potatoes, bread, a bottle of wine, a few friends, and enjoy. And think about Gourmet when you do.

References:
Cooking Light Media Kit. Retrieved October 14, 2009, from http://www.cookinglight.com/magazine/media-kit-00400000033153.

Every Day with Rachael Ray Media Kit. Retrieved October 14, 2009, from http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Help/advertise-with-us-information.

Roberts, J. (2009, October 8). Just How Much Did Conde Nast Lose? Ad revenue at the high-end magazine company may drop by $1 billion by year's end. Retrieved October 16, 2009, from http://www.newsweek.com/id/216921.