Gourmet For All

Years ago certain foods were not available to the masses.It was hard to get French cheeses unless you went to France. Certain pastas were only made at homes. Exotic veggies and fruits were only found in travel Baedekers , not in your local market. Times have changed. It's amazing what's in the local supermarket these days. Sea salt, once considered a luxury item is now all over supermarkets. Just a few scant years ago only elite cookware stores like Williams and Sonoma sold it . Go to your local grocery and it's right there next to Morton's and the generic stuff. Looking for exotic quinoa and plantains? They're right next to the plum tomatoes and broccoli . Ugli fruit , a rarity a few years ago , sits next to oranges and apples in the fruit section. Will all this gourmet stuff make us jaded? No. It does mean a more sophisticated palate for us and for our children. Everyone from oldster to toddler has opinions about what peppercorns to put into one's soup or topping goes well with dulce de leche ice cream. It means that no one is afraid of foreign foods anymore and they can break away from the ordinary. The meat and potato days are well over with. Gourmet food is a big part of our everyday lives. It exists right next to our boxes of instant mashed potatoes and ketchup. Soon it won't be considered sophisticated or exotic. It'll just be considered food.

Bon Appetit's' New Editor

Bo Appetite magazinehas been around for a long time>It has always been a staple of many kitchens during the decades (including mine) Now the publication welcomes a new editor.. Adam Rapoport to take over the reins of this prestigious magazine.



Julia Moskin had an in depth interview with Mr. Rapoport in yesterday's Times. He discussed what would happen to the magazine and the direction he wants to take it.He clearly is a foodie, suited to the position.During their talk Mr. Rapoport was grilling lamb and making home cooked fries. He clearly loves food and it's preparation and is suited to the role. He was also the style and food editor over at GQ magazine.



Bon Appetit takes over the hole Gourmet magazine left when it closed. The first was around since 1941 and ironically both are owned by Conde Nast. There are going to be changes in the production of it. Bon Appetit moves form LA to New York and its' style is going to be less starker, and less cosmopolitan. It's known for stark pictures with starker recipes as opposed to the more varied and complex articles that Gourmet had. Mind you this is a magazine still in flux. Who knows in what direction Mr. Rapoport will take it.



I would still recommend buying Bon Appetit. It's a great magazine and foodies can learn a lot from it. Plus it's an arsenal of good recipes that should be in every home chef's library