Lucky Peach – a lucky mag?

The Lucky Peach ramen issue / www.mcsweeneys.net/luckypeach

Just when you thought print journalism was dead, and that magazines in particular were spinning down the drain (such as the venerated Gourmet), Lucky Peach shows up.

So much about the venture – a food-themed quarterly published by McSweeny’s – seems improbable.  The inaugural edition…

• runs at 174 pages long.
• contains ZERO advertisements.
• costs only $10.
• focuses on ramen noodles.
• was first conceived of as a TV show, then as an iPad app, before evolving into a print publication.
• supposedly has an accompanying iPad app – but that could be months away.

How will it attract readers?  Is it financially sustainable?  Will enough people want to purchase a hefty tome and read through nearly 200 pages?  Can it successfully integrate its print and web offerings?  And perhaps most importantly, can it distinguish itself and offer something unique?  Although food magazines are suffering, we’re getting overloaded with heaps of food-related content from websites and bloggers, and much of it quite good.   Long before the ramen issue of Lucky Peach, for example, we had the Rameniac blog.

Of course, some elements clearly indicate that Lucky Peach is headed for success.  The inaugural issue…

• packs writing, photos, and info-graphics into 17 articles and 22 recipes
• includes celebrity-writers.
• offers a striking and unique visual style.
• presents original reporting and stories.
• is earning critical acclaim.

I have yet to finish reading the magazine, which I bought at the Echo Park outpost of 826 LA, a tutoring center run by Dave Eggers – the same lit guy who’s behind McSweeny’s.  (It’s also available on the McSweeny’s site and Amazon.)  So expect an update in the next couple of days representing the full Lotus Bites commentary.  Until then, here’s a sampling of other perspectives:

New York Times: Bringing Comfort Food to Print Fans

The Atlantic: 2011′s Best New Food Magazine: David Chang’s Lucky Peach

Time Magazine: David Chang’s Lucky Peach and the Cult of Cool

Huffington Post:  David Chang’s “Lucky Peach”

Gilt Taste: A new cocktail of journalism & commerce

Marinated octopus with fennel and black garlic adorns the homepage of Gilt Taste. / GiltTaste.com

When Gourmet Magazine unexpectedly shut down in 2009, some saw it as the death knell for quality food writing and journalism.  They said it was the sign that it was time to stop fighting forces beyond our control such as the loss of print advertising revenue and growing trend toward short bursts of information delivered via web.

Gourmet’s editor Ruth Reichl fought back, saying people still craved excellently written, superbly researched, engaging and creative writings about food.  Now, she’s proving her point with a new venture: Gilt Taste.  The website offers articles on a range of topics, including history, culture, recipes, profiles and food trends.  Plus, it’s delving into a variety of foods, such as red velvet cake, almond pear crisp, brandy cocktail, honey roasted duck, panna cotta, Thai-American food…and more.  It appears to meet Gourmet’s standards of superior quality writing.

But there’s a twist.

It’s not just a site for fine food journalism.  In addition, it’s a food shopping site.  Every article is accompanied by a sidebar listing related products that are up for sale.  I know what you’re thinking.  Huh?!  How can a site dedicated to quality journalism hawk wares next to each byline?!

Betty Hallock of the LA Times put that question to Reichl (a little more delicately) in a recent interview:

Reichl expanded on her idea of breaking down the firewall in a recent interview with Amy Scattergood of the LA Weekly:

Oh.  That was simple.  And obvious.  It’s true that the line between journalism and advertising – particularly in magazines with their big glossy spreads – has always been shaky.  Doesn’t it make sense to open up to the inevitable?  And find a way for writers and advertisers to collaborate without compromises?  I am hopeful that this idea will work – under the guidance of meticulous and ethical editors, of course.

The examples that I’ve read – such as a recipe for Red Velvet cake – do not mention specific brands.  They only focus on the given topic.  At right, the screen shows related ingredients and products for purchase.  Smart advertising, right?  Helpful for both readers and advertisers, and not terribly obtrusive.  Moreover, Gilt says it’s “committed to offering quality products that are fresh, honest and inspiring.”

An recipe for red velvet cake sits next to an ad for red velvet cookies. / GiltTaste.com.

Another aspect of the site that I like is its gorgeous visual design.  The look is sleek, simple and sophisticated, with large, appealing photos.  There is an emphasis on image, not text.  And oh, what images.  Can you believe these tomatoes?   Apparently, talking recipes are in the works.  

The site also encourages participation.  A “Comments” section follows each article, where users log-in via their Facebook accounts.  The “Comments” section under each product page is titled “How did this inspire you?”  I never thought I cared about pumpkin macaroons, but all of a sudden I am hitting the “like” button, tweeting out the link, and adding a comment.  (Admittedly, something spontaneous and idiotic like “OMG I LOVE PUMPKIN MACARONS AND AM GOING TO BUY NOT ONE BUT TEN BOXES!”)

But really, I am more excited by the site concept than by the sight of the orange cookies.  I see creativity, energy and innovation, and that’s likely what journalism will need to thrive in the Digital Age.

A sampling of the articles from Gilt Taste. / GiltTaste.com.