Gourmet Magazine Is Closing

For me, memories are made when I associate a thing with a time or place.

I can remember exactly where I was (in Mrs. Mitch's class) when we learned that JFK had been killed. I remember the day that Elvis died.

Today, I will remember as a rainy morning in Paris, the day that I was shocked to learn that "Gourmet" magazine is closing.

To me, it seemed like an institution. It had been published for 68 years, longer than I've been alive. In the last year, we've seen so many institutions fail -- Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Washington Mutual (my ex-bank). This is just as shocking.

My mother was an innovative cook. I was a picky eater. As a child, even though many of the dishes that came out of the magazine were not basic enough for me, I was aware of the beauty and elegance of the magazine.

As a young adult, even when I didn't have much extra money, I found enough to subscribe to Gourmet. I saved back issues for years, not willing to tear the recipes out. Eventually, I started removing the recipes and articles I wanted to save and putting them in binders.

What I will miss most isn't the recipes, though. It's the beauty of the photos and the well-written articles, always taking me to a different wonderful place.

So, my concept of Gourmet will live on, a reminder of the beautiful things in life, childhood memories and dreams.