Gourmet Magazine, an American classic, found a slump in add sales spelled the recipe for disaster.

That’s why Conde Nast Publications is closing the oldest food magazine in the US along with Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, and the parent magazine Cookie, which I have to admit I’ve only glanced at in the doctor’s office waiting room.

While the bride magazines are used as sources to stimulate ideas for women planning their big events, Gourmet has long been the bible of American epicureans, fond of cutting …

Tags: ads , Brad Pitt , circulation , cocktails , Conde Nast , cooking , food , Gourmet , Magazines , Modern Bride , organic , paper , print , recession , recipes , vodka

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Hot time, late summer in the city!

Except for those dreaded Friday nights when all that’s on your buff arm is your reusable canvas shopping bag.

Lumbering home from your hood’s green grocer, you pass that trendy Indian bistro and spy handsome couples in the window on double dates. They’re nursing ginormous chalices of red wine and laughing up a storm, eyes tearing from the tandoori and terribly clever banter. You feel resentful. You like red wine, too.

Take heart, neo nester. It’s …

Tags: al fresco dining , Annie Somerville , cooking , drinks , entertaining , farmers market , Green's Restaurant , grilling , menus , organic , San Francisco , summer , sustainability , wine

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I imagine in your health consciousness you’ve given up Jell-O as a dessert choice, but you probably have an occasional use for gelatin to thicken jams, jellies and pie fillings. I’m not sure if you ever considered where gelatin comes from, but it’s far from vegan. That nondescript white powder sold as Knox is extracted from the bones, connective tissues and organs of animals. Many people are surprised to learn that something as seemingly innocuous as a gummy bear is not a vegetarian food.

The plant kingdom saves the …

Tags: agar , candy , carrageenan , cooking , dessert , food , gelatin , substitute , vegan , vegetarian

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Here’s a perfect summer dessert using seasonal organic fruit from the farmers’ market or your CSA box. It’s simple to make if you’re already grilling. The smoky-sweet apricots hold well at room temperature so you can grill them as soon as the fire is ready and set them aside until after dinner.

Substitute peaches if you wish. Serve in a bowl with vanilla ice cream or add crumbled  gingersnaps and layer in a parfait glass with the ice cream.

Serves 4

1 cup organic sugar
1 cup water
8-10 fresh apricots, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons …

Tags: cooking , Eating , food , Recipe , seasonal , vegetarian , wellness

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Sarah filled us in on the details about escarole earlier this week. I love escarole because it’s crunchy and refreshing like lettuce when served raw, but it has a little bit of bitterness to keep things interesting – though not as much as some greens. It’s equally at home braised or sautéed with beans, bacon or sausage for a hearty winter meal.

Here’s a recipe for a wonderful salad that you will be happy to eat all winter long and even into spring.
Escarole Salad with Oranges and Spiced Pecans
Serves 6…

Tags: cooking , diet , escarole , food , greens , orange , Recipe , salad , spiced pecans , vegetarian

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Miso soup is one of the easiest, lightest, healthiest and most restorative soups out there. And it’s made with one of the healthiest forms of soy, miso. Miso is fermented so it’s good for the digestion and has other healthy properties. Some misos are fermented with grains such as barley and rice. There are many different types of miso exhibiting different colors and strength of flavor. (The main three are white, yellow, and red.) A good rule of thumb is that a dark miso will be more intensely flavored and …

Tags: cooking , diet , food , miso soup , nutrition , recipes , vegetarian

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Sarah clued us in on the wonders of the artichoke, and since the season’s first spiny lovelies are just appearing in the market, here’s a simple, streamlined recipe to inspire you.

Artichokes make a great appetizer or side dish. These accompanied sautéed petrale sole and roasted potatoes. The roasted artichokes make a great base for risotto, pasta, or pizza, as well.

This recipe calls for small or medium artichokes, not the giant globe kind. These smaller artichokes are easier to prepare, as the choke is not fully developed. When trimming artichokes, it …

Tags: anchovy , artichoke , caper , cooking , dip , food , lemon , nutrition , Recipe , sauce , vinaigrette

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Now that my pancakes have been flipped (and, in one instance, removed from the ceiling), it’s time for me to take up Caitlin’s challenge and observe my very own Eco Lent.

I’ve already decided what I’m giving up for 40 days. It wasn’t very difficult.

First, a little about me – and a confession. Of the whole EcoSalon team, it’s a safe bet that I’m the least eco-friendly. I recycle, I try to shop ethically, and I walk or cycle everywhere (I’ve never learnt to drive, initially because …

Tags: composting , cooking , food , glass , healthy eating , ingredients , lifestyle , organic , plastic , recipes , recycling , sustainable

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The much-maligned Brussels sprout has an undeservedly bad reputation as the vegetable kids love to hate, but I’d like to argue in favor of this tasty and nutritious veggie. As an excellent source of vitamins K and C, this mini cousin-of-a-cabbage deserves another chance.

A small serving of Brussels sprouts provides more than the recommended daily value of the above-mentioned vitamins, as well as significant doses of folate, vitamin A, manganese, fiber and potassium. This humble veggie even contains a powerful phytonutrient that helps clear potentially cancerous …

Tags: cooking , food , health , Recipe , vegetable

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