Goodbye, Gourmet Magazine

My dear friend, Novel Woman, posted today about the demise of Gourmet Magazine. I commented that I am positively DEVASTATED over the news. I have been a devoted foodie for eons, and have at times subscribed to many different food magazines. I got tired of every one of them. Then I found Gourmet. It wasn't simply a magazine chock-full of excellent recipes, which in of itself would work for me.

What made Gourmet unique was the spectacular writing. I loved opening the magazine and reading the words of Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief. I even liked seeing her photo, because she looked so happy to be there, like someone who enjoyed her job. Really, how many times do you read the editorial?

Gourmet always managed to tell the reader a great story. For example, in the Southern Cooking edition of January, 2008, Gourmet told us a story of one Miss Lewis, a great Southern cook. She's someone I would have loved to have met, and reminded me a bit of my Southern granny, Mamo.

Novel Woman requested that I post Miss Lewis' Featherlight Potato Roll recipe. Don't flip out when you see how long this recipe takes. You simply make up the dough in the morning, then pop it in the oven before dinner. I think that's actually much easier, because you can then tend to the other dishes in the evening.

I start making these in the morning and let them sit during the day. If I have time to chill them for the 8-12 hours, fine; but if I don't, I go ahead and let them rise without the chilling and they are still divine. I always make rolls in one of those 9x13 glass pans, setting out three rows of five rolls for a total of 15 rolls. Reason? Because that's the way my Mamo did it, and clearly, if Mamo did it that way, it must be best.