I was very sad to hear a few weeks ago that Gourmet Magazine will be closing its doors. They cancelled the Gourmet Institute and Marketplace (I was scheduled to sign my latest cookbook there, but had to cancel my trip to New York.). It was a very sudden surprise for me and many of the staff members there.

I was lucky to have had my book chosen as one of the last cookbooks of the month (June 2009) and had the opportunity to see the Gourmet test kitchens. The staff worked hard behind-the-scenes, testing each recipe. And I’ll let you in on a little secret: Their test kitchens weren’t “gourmet kitchens” with granite countertops and Viking stoves. They were IKEA-like, humble kitchens you’d find in any apartment building with formica counters and basic, laminate cabinets. They wanted their recipes to be able to be reproduced in every home kitchen, not just those equipped with fancy equipment.

I’ll miss the recipes (even the ones that looked way too elaborate!), the beautiful photos and wonderful staff. The culinary landscape will not look the same after November, when their final issue is published.