Save Me The Plums by Ruth Reichl

Save Me The Plums

I love this pristine cover! I so enjoy good food writing. This is food writing taken to another level; one of the highest proportion. Filled with juicy tidbits from behind the scenes of Gourmet magazine back in the hay day when Gourmet was at the top of food magazine row. I so loved it and so miss it now.

Ruth Reichl is a name you know if you are in the restaurant business, or, if you’ve ever been in the business. If you love food, you probably are already a fan. This newest memoir is now out in a trade paper edition and  is for you. I loved every word of it.

“Trailblazing food writer and beloved restaurant critic Ruth Reichl took the risk (and the job) of a lifetime when she entered the glamorous, high-stakes world of magazine publishing. Now, for the first time, she chronicles her groundbreaking tenure as editor in chief of Gourmet, during which she spearheaded a revolution in the way we think about food.”

Ruth Reichl

SAVE ME THE PLUMS comes complete with signature recipes. Believe you me, they are such a welcome edition. The jeweled chocolate cake alone is worth the cost of the book!

Ruth turned down the initial offer to be editor in chief of Gourmet. She was a writer, not a manager.  Thank God she changed her mind. She brought so much to the table. Her story is witty and fun to read. Even though I knew where this story was going…… no good ending in sight,  I found it most compelling.

I worked in the restaurant business for much of my younger life. I waited tables, tended bar, and managed various successful businesses over the years.  It was during the time Ruth writes about. And, so, I am very invested in great food, celebrity chefs who worked their way up to stardom, and all the behind the scenes shenanigans that compete the circuit.  Ruth sure does know how to bring it all to life.

Toward the end of the life of Gourmet Ruth travels to Paris with a colleague. They are on a difficult journey to find budget lodging and great food at rock bottom prices. All this during the downturn in our economy. You need to keep in mind that Gourmet has always been the magazine that brings eliteness not just on the page but to the doorstep of their loyal and usually well-to-do readers. The question being asked is, will these same people go for this? This is a wonderful chapter titled MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.  You’re going to love it. The food, the lumpy mattresses, the amazing characters. Ruth had gotten used to being treated like food royalty. But what do you miss out on? You’ll find out.

In the early years, Ruth worked at the magazine and took care of the house and cooked for her husband and son. When a parent had to leave work because of a crisis at home, well, you guessed it, it’s always the mother who has to take the hit.  That hasn’t changed today as much as it could. Ask any mother.

It becomes quite poignant when Ruth writes about her experience with 9/11. She was working in the city that day and has a first-hand account.  It was such a difficult time. Who knew what tomorrow would bring. How the people of NYC came forward and took control is a  story of its own.

Magazines are certainly not what they used to be. So much is digital now.  And less and less is actual print. But I’m one of the ones who love print magazines. Nothing more relaxing than lounging on my lanai on a lovely day with a stack of colorful magazines filled with food and travel articles. What a way to escape this crazy world we live in now.

Copperfish Books

Now available at Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda in the trade paperback version. In stock today and just waiting to be your personal copy. Don’t miss it.