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 out recipes for those summer salads and Thanksgiving pies. The highly respected journal, described as the “magazine of good living,” was launched in 1941 by Earle R. MacAusland, and included articles on wine and travel.

Recently, the magazine increased its coverage of healthy and organic fare, even dedicating a cocktail to actor-environmentalist Brad Pitt. It said it wasn’t just his pretty face, but the time he has devoted to the planet that inspired the refreshing cooler made with organic lime, organic cucumber, organic mint, and even Crop Organic cucumber vodka.

2 wedges of organic lime
2 thin slices fresh organic cucumber
Sprig of organic mint
2 oz (1/4 cup) Crop Organic cucumber vodka
3 to 4 oz seltzer

According to the Associated Press, Gourmet had a circulation of 980,000 last year, but despite its devoted audience of chefs and food lovers, its ad pages fell like a badly-timed souffle, down 50 percent in the second quarter from the year before, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. That’s considered one of the biggest declines ever for a popular title.

Magazines have been trying to brave the recession by experimenting with their pages, even introducing video adverts inside to lure computer screen conditioned readers, as with Entertainment Weekly. In terms of the fashion magazines, there are more eco sources developing on the web. It seems, that is where they will all end up.

Conde Nast spokeswoman Maurie Perl said some 180 employees of the four titles will be leaving the company with severance packages by the end of the week. Earlier in the year, the high-level publisher shut down Portfolio, a business journal, and Domino, a beloved shelter magazine.

It’s reported that in a staff memo, Conde Nast CEO Charles Townsend said the closures were required “to navigate the company through the economic downturn and to position us to take advantage of coming opportunities.”

Conde Nast, run by billionaire S.I. Newhouse Jr., also publishes Vogue, the New Yorker and Wired. The 19 remaining magazines owned by the company include Bon Appetit, which boasts a larger circulation than Gourmet at 1.4 million. Another foodie book, its ad pages drop isn’t much better at 40 percent.

Conde Nast promises Gourmet’s brand will live on in books and TV programming and you will still see recipes on Epicurious.com.

Source: SFGate.com

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 commendable to eat in and save money. But hey, don’t do it alone, silly! Invite your cheap friends over Saturday night and play frugal gourmet as a unit.

For seven tips, I went to the source, Executive Chef Annie Somerville of the celebrated Greens Restaurant of San Francisco.

Greens is owned by the San Francisco Zen Center and Somerville teaches classes throughout the year at its Green Gulch organic farm. She has earned an international reputation for her imaginative approach to elegantly composed and simple vegetarian cooking, and is the author Everyday Greens (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

Here’s her greenprint for wearing your own chef’s hat and becoming the coolest home-buddy in town.

Annie’s Guide to Planning and Entertaining at Home in August:

1. Sustain your energy.

Don’t overextend yourself. You are having friends over so make sure it is fun for you, too.

2.The shopping is part of the deal.

It should begin at the farmers’ market and you should enjoy the entire experience as you plan your evening.

3. Shop at your local farmers’ market.

There is so much great seasonal produce right now at the farmers’ market, so cook up some great dishes using these fresh choices. I know it sounds cliche, but the most fun thing to do is grilling, which is great when you are running behind.

Appetizers: Stone fruit is good now, like peaches and nectarines. We are brushing a little olive oil on them and grilling them lightly, then drizzling lightly with local honey and serving on watercress, or any greens. Add a nice cheese like fromage blanc or a fresh white goat cheese. You can also shave cheese over the fruit. For figs, which are coming in now and will last quite late into the season, I use a big, aged balsamic or golden vinegar to create a reduction, and serve with goat cheese.

Entree: You could make a rustic, savory tartlet filled with eggplant, peppers and  grilled onions. You can grill those ingredients or roast them. You could also do corn which is so good now, making a tart filled with corn, chilies, onions, cheddar and cilantro. A simple dish is rounds of eggplants with big slices of peppers, onions and summer squash, all roasted separately. Make a gratin, layering in a baking dish with some cheese and big, torn up leaves of basil. Sprinkle Parmesan and crunchy delicious bread crumbs over the top. Put it in the oven, bake and serve. Delicious! The best of summer.

Side dish: Another thing we are doing as a side dish is using rosemary skewers, leaving a few sprigs on the tops, and grilling fingerling potatoes, wedges of squash and torpedo onions. You can put a big cherry tomato on them. The sprigs are fun and taste good.

Salad: Make a big green salad adding quinoa, parsley, tomatoes, olive oil and lemon. This is always a refreshing salad people dig into.

3. Invite your guests to help cook.

If things aren’t coming together as quickly as you like, ask friends to step in. They love to get involved and it actually puts them at ease, socially. Hand  someone a pair of tongs and say, “Hey, can you flip these onions?” I taught an outdoor cooking workshop at Tassajara and got everyone involved. It gets people engaged in a real way.

4. Make it informal and family style.

Anytime I can eat outdoors I do, and the more relaxed the better, and that is my rule for restaurants, too. I don’t feel like I’m a captive inside. I like the idea of everyone sitting down to a long, informal picnic table with big platters of food and good wine. Maybe you can set up a second table for a buffet if you need to. The more informality the better to make people feel at ease. These days everything is so structured and people need to relax and have a good time.

5. Opt for light, refreshing drinks.

A fresh iced mint tea is always good or  lemon verbena spritzer with lemonade and mineral water and sprigs of  verbena from the garden. On a warm night, a beautiful rose is ideal. I also like Spanish wines and Sauvignon Blancs on a warm summer night.

6. Use beeswax candles for ambiance.

Candles for sure, they are fun. Sometimes I resort to any ones I have. I have just been given beautiful beeswax candles from the farmers’ market people who produce honey for us, Snyder’s Farm. They are at the Tuesday farmers’ market at the SF Ferry Building.

7. Extend the simplicity to the dessert.

It’s always nice to offer coffee and tea and can be great to have a wonderful dessert wine, really simple. I love fruit crisps and cobblers. Short cakes also are easy to do. But if you can’t bake, just make a simple sundae with delicious vanilla ice cream and an assortment of berries. You can mash them and make a sauce. Or serve some good cookies and berries. A cluster of grapes is even good or melons and a cheese plate (light fresh goat, a cow’s milk cheese and  a sheep milk cheese, with toasted walnuts and almonds). Add a pretty platter with toasted bread.

* These days, Annie is “keeping her nose to the grindstone at Greens” but come the start of the year, you can visit her at the Chef’s Holiday Series at the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite.

Images: mccun934, Marilynn Taylor

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 day. Agar is a colorless, flavorless gelatin-substitute that comes from seaweed. Carrageenan (you probably recognize that from food labels), comes from the sea vegetable known as Irish moss. As you experiment with these gelatin substitutes, note that agar creates a firmer thickening, while carrageenan is a little more liquid. And pay attention to labels when buying candies, jams, yogurts and snacks. Often, vegetarian options are available if you look.

Now thank the plants and carry on with dessert!

Image: Bethany L King

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 fresh grated ginger
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the three types of ginger, reserving 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger for garnish, and simmer for 10 minutes. Place the apricots in a grill basket. Brush generously with the glaze, and grill until brown and soft on both sides, brushing more glaze on as you grill. Sprinkle finished desserts with crystallized ginger.

Recipe Copyright 2008 Vanessa Barrington

Image: jessicafm

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

You’ll need:

1 pound tender, organic escarole leaves (1 large head)
3 organic navel oranges, peel and pith cut off, sectioned
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon local honey
2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
7 tablespoons mild flavored vegetable oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup spiced pecans

To make:

Wash and dry the greens and place them in a large bowl with the orange sections. Set aside.

Combine the shallots, lemon juice, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the oil in slowly while whisking until the dressing is well blended. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the greens and oranges with the pecans (you may want to reserve some to garnish the plated salads) and the dressing. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Image: Health

In Japanese cooking, the different misos are used in different regional preparations. You can use any variety you like in miso soup. This basic and fast recipe utilizes the dashi broth we’ve published before. Miso soup at its most basic includes only green onions and tofu squares. Feel free to customize your soup with mushrooms, greens, sea vegetables, seafood, meat, or soba or udon noodles. When making miso soup, it is important not to boil the miso in the broth because it will destroy the beneficial bacteria in the miso.

Miso Soup

Serves 2

4 cups dashi broth
1 cup firm tofu, cut into small squares
4 tablespoons red, white, or yellow miso paste
3 green onions, both green and white parts, sliced

Bring the broth to a boil. Add the tofu and any of the optional ingredients mentioned above. Simmer until all the ingredients are tender and cooked through. Remove from heat and add the miso. Whisk to blend thoroughly and dissolve. Garnish each serving with green onions.

Note: use organic, local ingredients when possible.

Image: adactio

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 may seem wasteful to take so many of the outer leaves off, but you really can’t eat them, so compost them! This recipe easily expands to serve more people. Green garlic is simply young garlic, picked before the cloves are fully developed. It’s a special, short season treat and it has a milder flavor than mature garlic. Like artichokes it is a harbinger of spring so the two make a great pair. You will need two lemons total. If Meyer lemons are available, use those, as they are perfect for this recipe. And of course, use organic ingredients from your local farmers’ market whenever you can. And for all you anchovy haters (or vegetarians) out there, yes, you can leave out the anchovies if you must but they do add a special something.

Roasted Artichokes with Lemon Anchovy Caper Vinaigrette

Serves 2

For artichokes:

2 medium or 8 baby artichokes
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Salt

For the vinaigrette:

2 – 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped green garlic (use regular garlic if green garlic is not in season, but use only 1-2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 heaping half teaspoon capers, finely chopped
1 anchovy filet, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To prepare the artichokes:

Ready a bowl large enough to accommodate the artichokes and fill it with water. Squeeze the lemon into the water, reserving the rind. Cut off the bottom 1/2 inch of the artichoke stems and discard. Cut off the top 1/2 inch of the artichokes.

As you work, rub the artichokes with the lemon flesh still clinging to the reserved rind. Working from the bottom up, bend back the outer leaves until they snap off close to base, discarding them as you go, until you reach the tender, light yellow-green leaves. Continue to rub with lemon occasionally.

With a paring knife, trim the dark green outer layer from the base and stem. Halve the artichokes lengthwise if using babies, and quarter if using medium artichokes. If the choke is furry, scoop it out with a spoon. It might not have developed yet. Drop the artichokes into lemon water as you work.

To cook:

When all the artichokes are prepped, drain them, pat them dry and toss them with the olive oil, the sliced garlic, and salt to taste. Transfer them to a roasting pan or baking sheet and roast in a single layer for 15-20 minutes (for baby artichokes) or 30-40 minutes (for medium artichokes), or until they are tender and beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette:

Whisk together the lemon juice, green or regular garlic, shallot, capers, anchovies, parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the artichokes warm or room temperature drizzled with the vinaigrette.

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Note: use organic, local ingredients whenever possible.

Image: FotoosVanRobin

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 I never needed to, now because I just don’t want to). But am I truly “eco”? It’s a question I struggle with – because sometimes I find myself cutting corners, particularly with convenience food. And sometimes I’m horrified at the garbage I leave in my wake.

So. For 40 days and 40 nights, I’m foregoing as much pre-packaged and pre-prepared (by other people) food as I can. I’m halfway to this goal already, since I already try to minimize food-wrapping waste, and I adore cooking. But that other half…well, that will be a good, healthy stretch. Here are my self-imposed rules.

Stay Loose. When wandering through the local markets or grocery stores, I’m only buying loose, unpackaged fruit and vegetables. I’ve lined my day-rucksack with a collection of cloth totes, and I’ll be using these to pop my dry food purchases into, instead of using the all-too-common filmy plastic bags ripped off a roll. I’ll also be sourcing out places in my home city of York that sell the freshest unpackaged food – farm shops, for example.

Nix Plastic. Where it’s unavoidable, I’ll use paper bags or even cardboard wrapping (no, Amazon – your packaging is still way too much for me) and I’ll compost this paper when I’m done. I’ll SIGG (or use the best alternative). Glass that I can recycle? Sure thing. I’ll also carry a few square cloths and brush up on my furoshiki-folding skills. But plastic? Not on your nelly. Maybe plastic is unavoidable in today’s modern world – but I intend to find out the hardest way I can.

Have All the Fun. I truly couldn’t love cooking more – that alchemy of mind, soul and ingredients that delights the senses and makes you realise how tragically inadequate packaged food usually is. I love cooking but I don’t do enough of it, because I don’t plan ahead. Collecting the right ingredients and freeing enough time to cook requires forethought. So I’ll be doing a lot of forethinking over the next 40 days. (I’m also planning to trawl back through our archives and rediscover the tastiest recipes, starting with Vanessa’s Butternut Squash Coconut Curry. Ah, curry).

A month is plenty of time to iron out some bad habits and discover some new, better ones. That sounds like a recipe for a successful Eco Lent.

Useful links: WRAP; TheSite.org; Food Production Daily.

Image: dvs.

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 substances out of your body.

Now are you willing to give Brussels sprouts another chance?

The easiest way to prepare Brussels sprouts is to cut them in half and give “˜em a quick steam (no need to overcook them to a mushy mess!). I personally love them slathered in dairy-free Veganaise. But for those with more refined tastes, try an onion and almond sautee, or golden crusted sprouts sprinkled with Gouda cheese. As you may have already guessed, Brussels sprouts did originate in Belgium (or at least somewhere in northern Europe) and are classified as brassicas, along with close relatives broccoli, cabbage and kale. All brassicas do well in cold weather and are common winter vegetables, and they all have anti-cancer properties as well.

Despite all their health benefits, Brussels sprouts are the 2nd most hated vegetable in all of England. I’d like to rally for some new and positive marketing for the Brussels sprout, because I find them quite delicious. If you’re already a fan or willing to give them a fair shake, check back Friday for an original recipe from Vanessa Barrington, our chef writer.

Image: x-eyed blonde

They may be lean and green, but they pack quite a salty punch.

When you think of high sodium foods, what do you see? I envision salt bombs like the Big Mac (1040 mg per serving) and Campbell’s Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup (890 mg per serving). But the shocking fact is that many “healthy,” organic and vegetarian foods are high in sodium, too.

The USDA estimates that 77% of the sodium in an average American’s diet comes from packaged and processed foods (while only 5-6% of sodium is added while cooking or eating), so if you’re into convenience – even the organic, natural kind – you might want to look a little closer at the label.

How do your favorite green convenience foods add up?

Amy’s Curried Lentil Soup sounds like a quick and tasty treat, but packs 680 mg sodium per serving.

Annie’s Organic Alfredo Shells and Cheddar is one of my all-time comfort foods, but with 670 mg sodium per serving I should reconsider my definition of comfort!

GardenBurger’s Flame Grilled Soy Burger, though vegan, contains 500 mg sodium per serving.

Yves Classic Veggie Brats pack a whopping 840 mg per weiner! And ask yourself, will you honestly eat just one?

Quorn Garlic & Herb Chik’n Cutlets may be meatless, high in fiber and made from pretty natural ingredients, but they still contain 570 mg of sodium per serving.

Boca Meatless Italian Sausage has significantly less fat than its meaty cousin, but it is definitely not low on sodium: 650 mg per serving.

Annie’s Naturals Goddess Dressing is such a delicious, creamy delight on garden fresh greens, but with 390 mg of sodium per serving, it makes for a pretty salty salad.

The profits from Newman’s Own Organic Marinana Sauce might go to help good a cause, but consider what it might do to your own body’s cause with 550 mg of sodium per serving.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for sodium is 2400 mg, but for optimum health you should not exceed 1500-2000 mg per day, and the USDA standard for “healthy” food is that it must not contain more than 480 mg of sodium per serving.

What’s the real lesson here? Processed foods, even organic and vegetarian ones, don’t provide the optimal health for our bodies. Sure, you may grab “˜em once in awhile when you don’t have time to cook a meal from scratch. While these organic and vegetarian meals are better than stopping at the drive-thru, nothing beats creating your own meals from whole foods, which will always be the cornerstone of a truly healthy diet.

Image: Dan Zen