The internet gods giveth, and the print gods taketh away.

Today, Condé Nast announced it will cease publication of Gourmet, a 68-year-old astonishingly beautiful and inspiring magazine.  Foodies all over the country are mourning this devastating news. I suppose my subscription will be replaced by Bon Appétit , but I’m beginning to wonder how much longer any food mag can survive in a world of online recipe websites and blog self-publishing.  Print magazines have always been my indulgence, a way for me to escape the online world I live in all day long.  I’m a subscriber. I believe in paying for this luxury to be delivered right into my home every month.  As much as I love the Internet, it simply cannot replace browsing the glossy pages as experts guide you through cooking tips, food trends, travel destinations and recipes, both easy and expert. To me, RR will always be Ruth Reichl, not Rachel Ray.

I just renewed my subscription to The New Yorker.  I had to pause and consider … What’s next and will any magazine survive?

So much of the photography in Gourmet has inspired me over the years.  Last week I started reading the October edition and this photograph of Chef Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia stuck with me.  Now that I see it again, it fills me with a different kind of tender sadness.