November 24th, 2008
On the pages of New York Magazine, Gael Greene pioneered popular food writing through a time when Le Cirque had just opened, Chinese was the new trend, and New York gourmands were just learning about souffles. Forty years later after fancy French cuisine has become tired and the novelty is now back to basics (American barnyard is it?), Greene is still here. She has been relevant for four decades, an amazing feat for anybody whose job is to stay current. And yet last Wednesday, Greene was finally let go by New York Magazine, supposedly the latest victim of a magazine wishing to downsize.
Since I was too little to appreciate Gael Greene in her prime, I’ve typically thought of her as “some famous food person.” I wasn’t aware exactly how long Greene’s tenure had been and what a contribution she had made. Then last Summer I read her memoir, Insatiable Gael Greene, a thrilling look at the culinary progress in the U.S. as told by eyewitness Greene. Her stories are sexy and indulgent, about intense truffle tastings and romps with Elvis Prestley and Burt Reynolds. It’s not just what she did, it’s how she tells it. She weaves together metaphor upon metaphor, yet somehow it’s not contrived, but perfectly illustrative. For lack of a better phrase, it’s a feast for the senses. It’s amazing how much this woman has experienced and what fascinating musings she has brought to other food hedonists over the years.
But, the book is dotted with recipes that I frankly skimmed because they are far too, let’s see… “nostalgic” for my taste. Mushroom strudel and orange fruit soup remind me of my Grandma. So maybe Gael does need to slow down a bit, but I don’t think her importance should be minimized. I caught a glimpse of this story on Eater.com today and I think she deserves more than a few fleeting, whiny paragraphs. She helped create today’s food culture. Read her book, it’s a blast.
Related Posts:
Commerce‘Inoteca e Liquori Bar (3rd Avenue)Apropos Cafe
Filed under Food Discussion, Food Gossip |
Subscribe in RSS
It’s rare indeed when someone as young as you appreciates this type of “longevity”. Gael was an inspiration for many generations to come and I’m proud that you recognized that.
Food, wine and fun really go “hand in hand”.