“I’ve subscribed to Gourmet off and on for almost 30 years. I will be tossing out the June issue! Let’s see…what will I serve my guests from this issue? How about slab bacon adobo made with four pounds of bacon? I’ll serve it with refried black beans made with ten Mexican avocado leaves. I can hardly wait for the July issue. What will your staff dream up for a Fourth of July barbecue – maybe there will be some great Mongolian for Independence Day. This is the United States of America, not Latin America. In past years, I’ve saved many of your lovely issues; I’ve lingered over the pictures and experimented with new recipes. Those issues were a delight – Marlynn Marroso”
The above comments were printed in the LETTERS column of the August, 2009 edition of the now, sadly defunct, Gourmet magazine while under the direction of then-editor, Ruth Reichl.
I read that chilling perspective last summer while on a plane back home to Cleveland from New York, where I had just reveled and indulged in so many of that great American citys expanse of ethnic food offerings. I remember feeling Ms. Marroso’s ( am I putting myself out there by guessing this is not the surname of a native American?), words as stinging, intolerant, racist. Tears puddled in my eyes. Sad. I wondered how many readers felt the same disdain for the introduction of global ingredients into the common culinary vernacular, a trend I find inspired and unifying, a trend gaining momentum that begs us to make a connection over our country’s rich micro-cultures of food.
In the same issue, I also read (and have many times since re-read), Francis Lam’s incredibly fine piece of culinary journalism, The Last Chinese BBQ. The content is a loving ode to Toronto Chinese BBQ pig-master, Jacques Wong. Lam’s piece also stirred many emotions as the obvious heart-felt respect dedicated to one man’s cultural craft played such stark and moving contrast to the bitterly snide words written in that letter to the editor. The tears now plopped onto the pages. I went through quite a few tissues on that short flight – thankyouverymuch, Gourmet.
So, as I attended the 2010 IACP Gala Awards Ceremony in the magnificent city of Portland, Oregon, I perhaps applauded the loudest and the most enthusiastically when Francis Lam’s, The Last Chinese BBQ, won the Bert Greene award for Culinary Writing: Restaurant and/or Chef with or without Recipes. Tears came, yes, but this time they were expressing emotions of joy. Of hope.
Congratulations, Francis Lam.
As of the folding of Gourmet, Francis Lam has been writing for the fine online magazine, SALON. You can read his award winning , The last Chinese BBQ, here.
itunes has free podcasts available from the 2010 IACP conference. I urge you to listen to former Gourmet editor, Ruth Reichl as she addresses the demise of Gourmet, as well as a long-term culinary vision.
Also a must-listen is Michael Ruhlman’s provocative conversation on why cooking is fundamental to our humanity.
