Limit one order per household.

Been a while since I’ve written one of these not quite as long on dropping a multi-course meal for a large group.  In cooking, humility is a wonderful thing yet most cooks don’t have much.  Never right, never a grand slam regardless of what the guests’ praise – it’s just never as good as you imagined it should be.  Which is good otherwise everyone on earth would be eating the over processed fake food most of the U.S. seems to be consuming at an absurd pace.  Anyways, here’s the menu:

So I’m a bottle of vino down and going to knockout this sweet little treat.  A recap from a dinner I had the pleasure of doing for a few friends last weekend.  For those that were there, you’ll recall measuring wasn’t really a part of it so use these recipes as a guide – go light and add as needed.

Lump Crab Avocado dip w/ wonton chips:

1# Jumbo Lump Crab – cleaned

1-2 ripe Avocados – Small Diced

½ bunch of Cilantro – Minced

15-20 Mint Leaves – Shaved

¾-1cup of mayo

Dash – Paprika

1 Jalapeno Minced

Dash – Siracha

Lime Juice – To Taste

Salt – To Taste

Combine everything into a bowl except the Avo & Crab.  Mix everything together well & taste – adjust as needed.  Add in crab & avo carefully toss together.

Take fresh wontons & cut into triangles (cut the square wonton wrapper in half – I know that caught somebody…) On a greased cookie sheet fill up w/ the triangles.  Lightly spray triangles w/ veg oil spray & lightly season w/ kosher salt.  Place in a 350 degrees for 10-15minutes – remember that these bastards burn quickly so keep an eye on them – think sexy deep tan on a Greek chick – that’s about perfect color for baking wontons.

Prosciutto & Cantaloupe Salad:

This recipe is hella easy and always a crowd pleaser – toss the baby arugula in as a tasty filler w/ some bite & added color.

1 Cantaloupe Small Diced

1/3# Prosciutto (Have deli guy slice it pretty thin w/ no paper btwn slices) place in freezer immediately

1 pack Chives Shaved – about 1/4cup

Apple Cider Vin or Ice Wine Vin or Some funky Vin that’s light & a bit fruity

½# Baby Arugula washed

1 pinch Kosher Salt

Take the prosciutto out of the freezer and immediately slice into thin ¼” strips.  Shred/separate the prosciutto slices.  Toss together the cantaloupe, chives, prosciutto slices, arugula.  Put salad on plates & lightly sprinkle the salad w/ your funky vinn or just skip it – honestly the vinn is just to make conversation w/ your dinner guests of where you came across this wonderful culinary delight and how they must go online and order their very own (you can do that people – stop buy that crap at the supermarket).  This can be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer.

Stuffed Tenderloin:

This next one you can use beef tenderloin, pork loin, or pork tenderloin – the cooking process is basically the same, just adjust the cooking time on the size of your meat – hahahahahaha.

1 Beef Tenderloin cleaned – head on or off (the butcher will know what this means)

8-16oz Cherve Goat Cheese (little extra for the Mashers)

1# Baby Bella Shrooms – Minced

1 Sweet Yellow onion – Small Diced

1/4 tsp Fresh Rosemary – Minced

½ tsp fresh Thyme – Minced

3 Tbl fresh Flat Leaf Parsley – Minced

Slavo Salt – B/C it FUKN rocks!

Okay, it’s about to get mid-evil here and the opportunities for “that’s what she said will abound.”

Right, so take your tenderloin & slap it down on the board in front of you.  Now take your steele – better known as the metal rod in your knife block that you don’t know how to use but think clinking it against your knives will magically sharpen them – yeah that thing.

Now very gently cram  (I love that word) the rod down the center of the loin.  In a repeating motion, plunge the rod through the center of the loin creating a clear cavity – careful not to penetrate the walls.  Repeat on the opposite end making a quarter size tunnel through the center of the loin.

Now in a frying pan sauté the onion w/ the mushrooms, until the shrooms moisture is cooked off remove from the heat.  Toss in the fresh herbs plus the goat cheese, & Slavo Salt in a different bowl.  Mix super well & toss into a pastry bag w/ a medium tip – remember just the tip.  Now slowly massage & work the goat cheese mix through the cavity you made w/ the rod earlier.  Keep working the mix through the loin be patient and careful not to blow the mix out of the side (if you do, no need to freak-out just be careful w/ that spot while cooking).

TO cook – you can pan sear it in oil or toss it on the grill.  Either way, you’re going to crust it in Slavo Salt and finish it in the 500-degree oven until it’s medium rare after grill/sear regardless.  Let it rest on the counter-top for about 10 minutes or so before cutting.

Balsamic Broccoli Rabe

First, blanch the broccoli in SALTY WATER and chill.  Dice ½ yellow onion and sauté in grape seed oil over high heat until translucent.  Next, toss in the broccoli and cook for a couple minutes.  Drizzle 1oz balsamic vinn, Slavo Salt, & 2Tbl butter – toss & serve.

Goat Cheese Truffle Mashers

Boil Yukon gold potatoes in water until cooked through and strain.  Toss in 1/3 cup of butter, 1/3 cup of skim milk, Slavo Salt, 1oz truffle oil and the remaining goat cheese mushroom stuffing left over from the tenderloin (all of it).  Mix until smooth with a hand mixer.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

Caramelized Peaches w/ Mocha Mascarpone

Cut peaches in half and dust heavily w/ sugar.  Place on a screaming hot CLEAN grill for 2-3 minutes.  Meanwhile, take 8oz of mascarpone cheese, 1oz coffee, dash of Carmel flavoring and mix well.  Spoon or pipe w/ a pastry bag the mascarpone mixture on top of the grilled peaches.  Drizzle w/ a good honey and lightly dust w/ cayenne or chili powder for a little added zip.

Cooking is much like golf – it can make you feel like a God when things go right while making you mad as a hatter when they go awry.  Likewise, when you golf with people that are better than you, your game is often elevated beyond your usual play.  The same applies to cooking.  Cooks and chefs are a relatively transient bunch.  There are several reasons for this, but the most common rationale is for the continued growth and perfection of their craft.  To truly become a top caliber chef, one must work closely under the most skilled and talented chefs they can find.  Charlie Trotter is said to have worked in well over 100 professional kitchens in his early years of cooking.  Mind you this is not corporate America when job hopping is frowned upon, but rather a chef’s resume displays more who you have worked for and in what capacity instead of how long you stayed in one place.  The resume will get you a conversation with the chef – your skills under fire will get you a job.  Talk is cheap in the world of kitchens and having graduated from a culinary school carries relatively little weight (I refused to hire anyone out of culinary schools – even though I was a graduate myself).

I once had a chef-instructor tell me that I should never work in a kitchen that wasn’t rated in the Top 5 of the city I was living in.  I took this to heart and that piece of advice accelerated my craft more than anything else.  My first professional kitchen job (which I worked nightly after a full day of classes) was at San Francisco’s Jardiniere- brainchild of Chef Tracy Jardin and then ranked in the Top 3 restaurants in America’s greatest food city.  Let me first say – I have no idea why the hell these guys hired me.  The Guatemalan dishwashers were ten times more skilled than I was but whatever I got the job and my true culinary education began.

I had heard of kitchens like Jardiniere before, known as “hit squads” – this band of renegades was nothing to be fukd with.  Everyone in the kitchen was a samurai – total bad-asses that came to work everyday looking to dominate “Their World (Station i.e. grill, saute, pantry, pastry).”  Working in this environment taught me to take pride in my work and approach it with a caliber of arrogance that mediocrity was unacceptable.  Yes many chefs are arrogant and complete control freaks (while at work) – you have to be to be successful in a business where an immigrant from South of the border will do your job for half the pay and twice the hours.

After graduating, I had the privilege of completing my apprenticeship at Abacus in Dallas, TX.   Once again I had set my sights pretty high – at the time Abacus was the most progressive kitchen in the city.  Much like Jardiniere, this was a “hit squad kitchen.”  Though for the most part we were all very young, 22-28 year olds from varied backgrounds.  Unlike Jardiniere, we fukn loved each other and would kill for each other.  It was in this kitchen that I believe I became a chef – we all did.  This is where the concept of “animal style” came about – we walked in that door every day looking to prove that we were the best cooks in the city and WE WERE!  Led by the “HNIC” Tre Wilcox – an absolute lunatic in all the best ways.  He ran the line like Mike Singletary ran the ‘86 Bears’ defenses.  Tre pushed us just as we pushed him to be better, to think bigger, to try to prove something every night – it worked.  Eventually, one by one he cast us out – I remember the conversation to this day.  “Slavo – I’ve got nothing else to teach you, it’s time to grow baby.”  I’d been fired without really being fired and I thank him to this day for that (sometimes I hate him for it, but not often).

What’s the point of this babble?  My dear friend and HNIC has grown himself, taking on a new challenge.  Tre took over the kitchen of Loft 610 in Plano, Texas several months ago and let me tell you, the boy’s only gotten stronger!  Finally, Tre has his own home and he’s opening it up to you.  Offering the chance to get in the kitchen and learn from him and some of our old hit squad.  This isn’t where you sit in uncomfortable folding chairs watching him cook in some overhead mirror – this is elbow to elbow, knife in hand working beside some of the most talented and entertaining cooks I know.

This series will be six interactive cooking classes.  The class will be divided into 4 teams which are headed up by Executive Chef Tre Wilcox, Executive Sous Chef Jermaine Brown (the best grill-man I know – ask him why he’s so pudgy though), Sous Chef Jason Skinner and Loft 610 Pastry Chef Kara Blair (formerly known as Red Girl the Bread Girl – if she’ll share some of her foccacia recipes, you are truly in luck (and send them to me b/c she won’t share with me)).  Each team will spend the day preparing one of the 4 courses.  At the end of the day (around 5:00 pm), all students are allowed one guest for dinner and wine.  This usually turns into a bit of a party so prepare to have fun. The Loft 610 chefs will not teach the guests by using recipes, they will teach you techniques that are valuable and useful to be a great home cook.  The cost of each class is $350 which will include a Loft 610 apron, hands on training, dinner and wine with a guest.

Jump for the joy of cooking.

Southwestern Cooking (March 21, 2010)
Let’s kick up the spice and break out the chilies.  Learn the flavors of the Southwest, mixed with New Mexican, Native American and Spanish.  As the spring rolls in and the temperature begins to rise, the Loft chefs will make it hot with plenty of spicy, contemporary Southwestern cuisine.

Thai and Japanese Food (April 11, 2010)
Master the flavors of Thailand and Japan with a cooking class that focuses on the unique cultural mix of these areas.  Learn simple techniques in preparing raw fish dishes and cook ethnic cuisine using easily found ingredients.  This class will also have a sake service.

Passion for Seafood (May 23, 2010)
Every summer the excitement in Alaska brews thousands of commercial and sport fishermen who travel from all over the world, chasing the legendary wild salmon.  Chef Tre will have some of the finest salmon from the Copper River flown in for this special class.  Salmon from the Copper River are renowned worldwide for their meat’s elegant red hue, health benefits and rich, savory flavor.  There will be several other seafood items the chefs will be working with during this class.

Grilling, Smoking and Roasting (June 13, 2010)
This easy, fun and laid back class is all about hanging out by the grill and cold beer.  Learn about grilling over the perfect fire, knowing when to grill or roast, cooking times and temperatures.  The team of Chefs will share their secrets that even the experienced grillers can benefit from.  Finger-licking baby back ribs and big boy steaks are sure to make the menu.

Summer in Greece (July 11, 2010)
Enjoy a class filled with authentic and modern Greek cuisine.  This class will be featuring Mediterranean light style of eating.  Chefs will use ingredients like tomatoes, squash blossoms and lamb to create wonderful dishes for the evening.

Oh that’s right – February is upon us which means 3 things: SuperBowl, Arizona Statehood Day (commonly mistaken for st. valentine’s day) and the Phoenix Open or “The Greatest Show on Grass!” (now commonly mistaken for the Waste Management Open).  Let’s look at each for their own merits.

The SuperBowl – now as you know when it comes to sports, I really could care less who’s playing.  I pick my team generally based on this question – which team’s city would I rather be watching the game in some shady bar?  Needless to say this year was a no-brainer – the Big Easy baby.  As much fun as shoveling the foot of snow out of my driveway in Indy before getting to watch the game sounds like a swell time and all.  But I’d much rather be grabbin a crawfish po-boy with extra remoulade off of St. Charles and having a car-bomb parade of my own.  Regardless it’s always a good glutenous event.  I went down to the Emporess’ to watch with a dozen slabs of ribs in tow.  Which, we made the last minute call to just pull all the meat and make sando’s rather than dealing with 120 loose bones laying about – best decision of the day.  Yeah saints win – ok I’m over the Superbowl.

Arizona Statehood Day.  Why do I call February 14th that?  Because that is what it is – something of value (though not as much as 4 years ago) was given to the world – February 14th, 1912 Arizona became an official state in the Union.  Little fat guy’s in diapers have never actually flown down from the heavens shooting love tipped arrows at people.  Thus, St. Valentine’s Day is a commercialized farce of a holiday.  There is no cause for celebration to deal with the baggage that now comes along rather it be the stress of who, how much, and where (this section was much much longer but you can thank the Editor for limiting my babble).  But I have to say this – DO NOT GO TO A RESTAURANT.  The food is not going to be exceptionally better than any other night.  In fact, in most cases the food will be of a lesser quality and selection because the kitchen is mass par cooking everything in preparation of never getting behind – once you’re behind on a night like that you’re fukd.  At my first (and best) kitchen in Dallas, the power actually went out in the middle of valentine’s service.  We cooked for what felt like hours by the light of candles that had been commandeered from the guests’ tables still we killed it – that is animal style (in retrospect, this was actually my favorite experience in a professional kitchen ever).  The second reason, not to go out is because the waitstaff is going to blow.  You’re at a prefixed rate they know exactly how much money they’re going to get off you before you even sit down.  Therefore, there is no reason for them to pay you any special attention – it’s all about turn & burn for those vultures on that night.

Instead, I find it to be a much better opportunity to get together and have a great home cooked meal with a friend or friends.  Drink a bunch of wine and cook with each other – those that are seriously more trouble in the kitchen than help.  Well, they can just make sure nobody’s glass gets too low and adjust the playlist.  And don’t try to make some ridiculously complicated new recipe – just sex-up some of your go to dishes.  This whole concept is about avoiding unnecessary stress.  I preach this concept a lot I know – this is the one day you really should take my advice.  Save the money to go out on a night when you’ll really get to EXPERIENCE great dining.  Just not on the 14th – you’ll get shorted.  That’s it – done with that one.

The Phoenix Open – imagine the PGA & NASCAR having a baby…  That my friends is the Phoenix Open.  Truth.  Check back at the end of the month for a wrap-up on the Open’s food, drink & people watching, but don’t get your hopes up for any golf scores.  That is not why this event is so great.

Also, check back for the next Weekly Dish.  Yes I’ve been slacking lately but i’m blaming that on H1N1.  The Dish will be back at its usual time & location moving forward.

Cheers – Slavo

I get asked a lot what are my favorite cookbooks – my usual response is “Food Porn.”  I thought that would get your attention.  If you’re not familiar with this term, it’s not some kind of kinky sex with apple pies or anything.  Food Porn is what foodies and chefs call cookbooks such as The French Laundry, Chez Paniessse, and anything Charlie Trotter has to do with.  In the pages, you will find spectacular visual presentations of food at its’ pinnacle of beauty – provoking salivation and lustful hunger.  I don’t read these books for their recipes – I look at this shit for the pictures like a 10 year old that found his dad’s stack of Playboys.

The problem with cookbooks is similar to that of some religious texts in my opinion – people take it literally or as some call it – the word of God.  Some people read recipes, and as they attempt to replicate the beautiful dishes pictured, the stress causes them to be come wound tighter than a hummingbird’s asshole.  When was the last time you were in one of those big box bookstores?  There are more cookbooks than one could read in a lifetime.  Do you really believe every recipe in those texts are formatted to be reproduced in your two bedroom apartment?  No, no they’re not!  Plus, most chefs don’t give you their exact recipe – they leave something out, “their secret ingredient.”  This is why you cannot replicate the spinach dip like the one you get at Houston’s – they don’t tell you there’s mayonnaise in it.  Oops, sorry boys, your secret’s out!  Recipes should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.

No I’m not looking to lose any of my devout friends by mocking their “big books.”  I’m trying to teach you to read a recipe and not let it belittle you.  This is how I read a recipe – pay attention because it’s pretty simple.  I read the recipe twice, get all of my prep work set out in front of me, then read the recipe a third time aloud and close the book.  I don’t have a photographic memory – trust me I wouldn’t have become a cook if that were the case!  Instead, I’m visualizing the process of creating the dish, looking at the products in front of me and allowing instinct to take over (we all have this instinct you just have to have confidence in it).  All too often people get weighed down by trying to follow recipes word for word – that will screw you every time!  Just get your prep (the ingredients listed) laid out in front of you, visualize the steps of cooking – (e.g. saute garlic/onion in butter, add meat, cook longer, add veggies, add fresh herbs/Slavo Salt, and lay over cooked pasta).  Whatever the stupid recipes says – think about the steps and close the book.  Use your instincts on timing and taste, a book cannot tell you if something tastes good people!

This is why I write my “recipes” the way that I do.  Telling someone in conversation, it is easier to replicate a dish than by giving you a bullet pointed list – in my opinion.  Plus, I get to toss in my crass language and senseless humor.  The recipes should read like a conversation we’re having over the telephone.  Yes, I often get calls at all hours from friends and family with cooking questions, which I have not started charging for YET!  Speaking of Miller - sorry for not getting back to you yet man, my bad.

Now this takes practice everybody.  You’re going to make some real crap on occasion!  In fact, I made a nearly inedible dinner just the other night, fortunately my guests didn’t give me too much hell for this.  No I’m not telling you what it was because it has come to my attention that some of my former colleagues actually read this culinary filth I’ve been spewing on a weekly basis.  And I’m not volunteering myself for late-night drunken calls from the Loon or Slip Inn – sorry not today.  The fact is cooking is all about trial and error – just keep trying.  Simple as that!

Like many of you, I have been questioning the leadership of our nation (no, I’m still an Obama supporter we can’t blame everything on the black guy – I’m referring more to the grey-hairs we see on the Nightly News grandstanding against him) ever more often lately.  Regardless of your political affiliations you have to admit one thing;  It seems as though our legislatures are working more in their own microcosm and personal/party concerns than those of their constituents.  They are playing a chess game within the media in preparation for the next election cycle and the execution of personal/party vendettas rather than trying to successfully make our country a better place.

Take my home state of Arizona for example.  We are the 2nd most broke state in the country next to California- yet our politicians are incapable of working together let alone getting along – so instead they are just filing lawsuits against each other.  I mean, that makes total sense right?  The cyclical pissing-match that has become American politics has become too much.  Our reality TV addicted culture seems to be somehow content with allowing it to continue. 

A friend sent this along to me. I can’t think of a reason to disagree. I am adding this to my blog list and that includes conservatives, liberals, and everybody in between. Even though we disagree on a number of issues, I respect anyone’sopinion that has any conviction behind it as we all should. My friend and neighbor wants to promote a “Congressional Reform Act of 2010.” It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

 I know many of you will say, “This is impossible.” Let me remind you, Congress has the lowest approval of any entity in Government, now is the time when Americans can join together to reform Congress – the entity that “represents” us.

We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the U.S. Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the U.S. House. These people will become American heroes.

Thanks,

A Fellow American

***********************************

Congressional Reform Act of 2010

1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six year Senate terms

B. Six Two year House terms

C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

2. No Tenure / No Pension:

A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security: They have been since 1984.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

6. Congress looses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/2011. The American people did not make this contract with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

The Associated Press just uncovered a series of confidential commercial licensing agreements that give around 200 smaller companies the right to insert Monsanto’s genes (resistant to their Roundup herbicide) in their corn and soybean plants.

This means that Monsanto will OWN and CONTROL roughly 95 percent of all soybeans and 80 percent of all corn grown in the US. Monsanto is blocking any competition in the seed industry, forcing farmers into growing genetically modified crops, and all the while increasing seed prices. Now, when farmers buy bags of seed from obscure brand names, they are paying for Monsanto’s seeds.

These practices are at the core of the investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice to determine if Monsanto is violating anti-trust laws.

Sign the FRESH petition to the Department of Justice: break up the food monopoly to free our farmers.

http://action.freshthemovie.com/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=617

This could be the first step towards the government taking long-needed action to help break the corporate control in our farming and food system.

For farmers to survive and thrive, we need the government to take action that restores real competition to the farm economy – not the current situation where a few corporations in the grain, seed, dairy and livestock sectors hold excessive control.

In 2010, the Department of Justice will hold public hearings to discuss anti-trust issues in agricultural production. We want our voice to be heard in this process.

FRESH will deliver your signature and comments to the Department of Justice.

Sign the FRESH petition: free our farmers by busting corporate control of our food system.

http://action.freshthemovie.com/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=617

The Black Keys have joined forces with a stellar cast of hip-hop characters to create BlakRoc.  Check it out and put it in your arsenal ASAP.  It’s a damn good album – I must say.   www.BlakRoc.com

The Weekly Dish – The Perfect Bacon and Egg Sando

You will need the following: good sourdough or whole wheat bread, eggs, shaved yellow onion, bacon (minimum 3 strips per sando), avocado, tomato (preferably heirloom variety), Miracle Whip (mayo can be subbed but I was raised using the Miracle on these), and Manchego cheese (so many different subs here – just use a QUALITY cheese, Kraft Singles are not acceptable).

First toast your bread – I like to butter mine first then toast (butter makes everything better!).

Next cook your bacon until crispy – do this on the stovetop and save the bacon grease.

In the same pan as you cooked the bacon crack 2 eggs next to each other.  Season the tops of the eggs with Slavo Salt generously.  You can either break the yolks in the pan or leave them intact for that gooey delicious style.  After a couple minutes over medium-high heat flip your eggs.  Now lay your cheese on top of the egg, still cooking in the pan.

While the egg is cooking spread the Miracle Whip out on your toasted bread.  Next is you tomato slices and onion.  Now slide your eggs out of the pan gently and on top of the tomatoes.  Next is your avocado slices – I prefer to have my tomato and avo separated like two third grade trouble makes.  Now strategically lay your bacon on so that with every bite you’ll get some of that swine goodness!  Pop your second slice of Miracle slathered bread on.  Now cut that beautiful baby in half and enjoy!

My beverage of choice here is an ice cold mug of skim milk (this is a school night approved meal).

I have been putting off writing this article for a couple weeks now – not solely because I’m a perpetual procrastinator but because just thinking about the topic depresses me.  The end of an era has finally come – “Gourmet: The Magazine of Good Living” has published it’s final issue this month. Conde Naste Publishing announced October 5th, that it has pulled the plug on this culinary staple since 1941.  Gourmet did not just reflect American food culture, it was American food culture.

I have been a subscriber of Gourmet since I left for college 12 years ago and had been reading my mother’s issues on a religious basis for as long as I can remember.  Every time I move to a new place, I curse those boxes filled with past issues that follow me everywhere I live - yet I’m incapable of ridding myself of them.  I credit this magazine not only for my love for cooking, but also my love for dining and travel.  This magazine has always been about so much more than food. 

Since 1999, Ruth Reichl was Gourmet’s Editor in Chief.  This former New York Times Food Critic (aka The Enemy to Chefs and Restaurateurs, but not Ruth) and honored cookbook author brought this great magazine into the 21st century.  She developed its on-line presence (www.gourmet.com) and launched it further into the realm of TV and book publishing.  Ruth was a steward of righteousness in the food world; she brought issues of the culture and politics of food to the forefront of public conversation.  It was Ruth that introduced me to the Slow Foods Movement (www.slowfoods.org), the topic of the safety of the American food supply, and abuses of the laborers that produce and deliver the food we Americans seemingly take for granted.  There were no puff pieces written in the pages of Gourmet.  A friend of mine once referred to it as the 60 Minutes of the food world – I think Bek nailed it with that assertion!  Gourmet was also responsible for the explosionof the Molecular Gastronomy (cooking with science) and the “Locavore” (eating food grown and produced at the local level) Movements onto the American stage.  It was in these pages that we foodies found the rising stars of the culinary world, where the best and innovative restaurants were sprouting up across the world, how to create our favorite comfort foods with unique twists, and inspiring people around the world to try to replicate the incredible photos that have graced their pages since for 68 years. 

It is only fitting that Gourmet’s last issue would be the famed Thanksgiving edition that has inspired so many culinary triumphs and disasters in our home kitchens over the decades.  Thanks for everything!