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Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir

Ruth Reichl

4.10 · Rating details · 15,557 ratings · 2,188 reviews

Trailblazing food writer and beloved restaurant critic Ruth Reichl took the job (and the risk) 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.

When Condé Nast ...more

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Hardcover, 266 pages

Published April 2nd 2019 by Random House

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Apr 08, 2019 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 5000-2019, lor-2019

I'm a big foodie, not a baker, but I love to cook. New recipes. Old favorites, comfort food, different ethnic cuisines, I love to experiment with recipes. I've read all of Ruth's books and have enjoyed each and everyone.

As the food critic for the New York times, her meal time was not her own. She regretted not having more time with her husband and son, so when she is approached and asked to become editor of Gourmet Magazine, she accepts. Not that she isn't worried about a job she is not certain ...more

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Mar 03, 2019 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: foodie, ebooks, netgalley, biography-memoir, reviewcopy, read2019

If you have followed Ruth Reichl through her memoirs, this takes place between Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise and My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life, telling the story of her experience as the editor for Gourmet Magazine up until its shocking closure. I feel this memoir is for foodies first, but will also be of interest for anyone in publishing or the arts. The people working for Gourmet cultivated an environment of creative exploration and perfection ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 PorshaJo rated it really liked it

Shelves: challengereads, audio, foodie, buddy-reads, challengereads-2019

I'm a Ruth Reichl fan. Always have been. I've read a number of her books (loved them), read her blog, watched her on cooking shows....so I knew I had to read this one. I'm a big foodie and will read anything food related so had a feeling this one would fit that bill. I was so happy to buddy read this one too with Dana, who is always willing to jump into foodie books too!

Many probably know of the quick 'demise' of Gourmet magazine. Ruth Reichl was in charge at that time and in this book she ...more

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Apr 15, 2019 JanB rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, 2019-reads

This is a captivating look into how Ruth Reichl transformed Gourmet magazine from a stuffy, stodgy, dying publication into a slick, relevant magazine that had its finger on the pulse of food trends and gave readers recipes that were accessible to home cooks everywhere.

She was hesitant at first to take the job as editor-in-chief of Gourmet but reconsidered when she thought about how profoundly the magazine impacted her life, starting at age 8 when she saw her first copy of the glossy magazine. ...more

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May 05, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it

[4+] Mmmm - a delicious and nutritious memoir! Reichl is an excellent storyteller and I found her ten years at Gourmet magazine riveting. I worked at Conde Nast in the late 1980s (before Ruth) and loved the way she brought the publishing empire's cast of characters to life.

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Mar 27, 2019 Christopher rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, 2019

For ten years Ruth Reichl helmed Gourmet magazine, turning the tired and worn publication back into the cultural achievement it once was. However, she initially balked at the idea of taking control. In 1999 she was the food critic for The New York Times a writer first and last, she certainly had no interest in managing a staff of sixty. But Gourmet was a magazine that sparked her culinary career when she discovered it at eight years old How could she resist? The next ten years became a For ten years Ruth Reichl helmed Gourmet magazine, turning the tired and worn publication back into the cultural achievement it once was. However, she initially balked at the idea of taking control. In 1999 she was the food critic for The New York Times— a writer first and last, she certainly had no interest in managing a staff of sixty. But Gourmet was a magazine that sparked her culinary career when she discovered it at eight years old … How could she resist? The next ten years became a whirlwind of learning how to head a magazine, navigating publishing egos, and, above all else, dishing out great food.

In Save Me the Plums, the best of these stories are on display. Richl works linearly, showcasing her trepidation at taking control of a massive publication with minimal managerial experience. She’s obviously anxious, something that’s palpable on the page all these years later. It’s a testament to her writing. She’s frank, candid, and brutally honest about her successes and failures. This is particularly effective as she gains confidence and is forced into working situations with so many high profile names and even larger personalities. For some, this would come off like name dropping. For Reichl, it’s just her exploring the wonder and absurdity that was her life working for a Condé Nast publication.

In the opening section of the book, Reichl makes mention that those reading this book probably have some connection to Gourmet. This almost does a disservice to her writing. Sure, those with a familiar with the magazine will have a special reaction to her discussing the test kitchens or working on specific covers and features. However, Reichl’s work is almost like poetry— lyrical with no words wasted. Behind all the hullabaloo of office life, it’s really about the basics of food, and her careful prose make any readers hungry for more.

Reichl’s ability to weave a memoir into an examination of food and a changing industry is unparalleled. Funny, thoughtful, and enlightening— this book cannot be recommended enough.

Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley. ...more

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Jun 08, 2019 Dana rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-read-with-porshajo

I am not huge fan of cooking, although I love to bake and read about food, so when my foodie buddy, PorshaJo, suggested Save Me the Plums for our next foodie read, I was excited to finally be jumping on the Ruth Reichl wagon. I have been wanting to read her books forever.

Save Me the Plums is a memoir of Reichls ten years with Gourmet magazine - from transforming the magazine to one that appealed to the average cook, with easily accessible recipes - to its final demise.

We had a great discussion ...more

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Dec 12, 2019 Diane rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoirs, food

This is another delightful memoir from food writer Ruth Reichl. "Save Me the Plums" focuses on her years as the editor in chief of Gourmet magazine.

This is the third book I've read of Ruth's, and she is a charming storyteller. I enjoyed these stories of her magazine years, and also learned more about the business of Conde Nast. The book also includes a few recipes that relate to events in her life. Recommended to anyone who likes foodie writing or is interested in magazine publishing.

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Dec 14, 2018 Kasa Cotugno rated it it was amazing

Shelves: genre-biography-memoir, arc, subj-food-and-or-drink, author-visit, loc-usa-nyc

Based on her wonderful memoirs, Ruth Reichl has deservedly garnered a large, affectionate following. Her generous sharing of her moments with her family have provided much enjoyment, and here she is finally able to tell about her years at Gourmet Magazine and her experiences with its mercurial publishing house, Conde Nast. It was definitely a dream of a job. I remember seeing her when she was on a book tour in 2009 for one of her memoirs, during which she enthused about the magazine and the role ...more

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Mar 13, 2019 Julie Ehlers rated it really liked it

Shelves: food-and-drink, books-about-creativity, the-1990s, memoir-and-autobiography, galleys, publishing, shelf-awareness

It's always a pleasure to read a new memoir from an author whose memoirs you've enjoyed in the pastit's like catching up with an old friend. I particularly enjoyed Save Me the Plums because, in addition to the usual draws of a Reichl memoir (the writing and the recipes), this one was about her time as editor of Gourmet magazine. I love any kind of publishing story, really, and in this case it was so fascinating to go behind the scenes of a glamorous magazine, as many Conde Nast publications were It's always a pleasure to read a new memoir from an author whose memoirs you've enjoyed in the past—it's like catching up with an old friend. I particularly enjoyed Save Me the Plums because, in addition to the usual draws of a Reichl memoir (the writing and the recipes), this one was about her time as editor of Gourmet magazine. I love any kind of publishing story, really, and in this case it was so fascinating to go behind the scenes of a glamorous magazine, as many Conde Nast publications were at the time. Ruth Reichl was the perfect tour guide, because the entire magazine scene was completely new to her when she started, so she explained all the things a reader might most want to know.

Most memoirs are about the author's personal life; what's so unique about Save Me the Plums is that it's about work. It was fascinating to read about how Reichl managed the editorial transition, how she handled each of her powerful bosses, how she hired people to carry out her vision, how she convinced the powers that be to let her take chances. I loved hearing the story behind the publication of David Foster Wallace's now-famous essay "Consider the Lobster," for instance, and about the bets she placed with her bosses about which covers would succeed or fail on the newsstand. It occurs to me that this memoir, like Garlic and Sapphires, depends a lot on your interest in the profession Reichl is focusing on. Sapphires was my least favorite of hers because I don't care that much about restaurant reviewing; if you don't care much about magazine editing, be warned: there's a lot of it in here.

Of course, it's no spoiler to say this memoir ends with Gourmet being shut down and merged with Bon Appetit, and the chapters leading up to this, as Reichl takes on more and more in an attempt to save it, are some of the most honest, and also the saddest, in the book. Save Me the Plums is really an elegy for a time that's slipping away: When there were fabulous magazines full of quality material put together by smart people who really cared about doing something good. For some reason as a culture we've decided we don't want that anymore. But I was happy to have a chance to celebrate that era, and I couldn't have asked for a better companion than Ruth Reichl. Magazine publishing's loss is book publishing's gain; regardless of what Reichl decides to do next, I'll be more than happy to read her next book about whatever it is.

I won this ARC via Shelf Awareness. Thank you to the publisher! ...more

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Jun 05, 2019 Tammy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: release-2019

When you attain my age you will understand one of lifes great secrets: Luxury is best appreciated in small portions. When it becomes routine it loses its allure. As told to Ruth in Paris

5 ☆ Im totally fangirling!! I truly enjoyed reading Ruth Reichls memoir (which read like a novel) of her years as the very last editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine.
Reading Gourmet magazines beginning at the young age of 8 is what inspired Ruth to cook and later become a food critic & writer.
After being “When you attain my age you will understand one of life’s great secrets: Luxury is best appreciated in small portions. When it becomes routine it loses its allure.” As told to Ruth in Paris

5 ☆ I’m totally fangirling!! I truly enjoyed reading Ruth Reichl’s memoir (which read like a novel) of her years as the very last editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine.
Reading Gourmet magazines beginning at the young age of 8 is what inspired Ruth to cook and later become a food critic & writer.
After being offered the job at Gourmet, turning it down, then finally accepting her new position she learned the do’s & don’ts of fitting into the magazine publishing world and the “lingo,” not an easy task. And with the perks billionaire owner Si Newhouse offered: money, a chauffeured limo & clothing allowance.. she was so thoroughly insulated from ordinary life that for ten years she never balanced a checkbook, made a reservation, or knew where she was meant to be at any given moment. Life then was certainly not her normal.
I loved the inside look into the Gourmet test kitchen and the working and reworking of the test recipes to get them perfect. What a treat! I found it fun and interesting including the recipes to try throughout the book.
Ruth was an amazing trailblazer that’s for sure! In ten years time after taking risks and pushing the envelope with her team to completely restyle the magazine by making its recipes more easily accessible to home cooks, offering how-to’s, and changing the way it’s subscribers think about food, the Gourmet era was over.
Si Newhouse shuttered it’s doors in 2009 surprising all 65 employees. I remember when that happened and found it sad and unfortunate as Gourmet was my one go-to food magazine.
Ruth really does have it all and I’d trade her places in a heartbeat. A supportive circle of her husband, son & friends and doing what she loves as an occupation. Save Me the Plums is a beautifully written book that I highly recommend!

Anne Bogel #summerreadingguide pick ...more

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Mar 20, 2019 Jacqie rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.

It's Ruth Reichl's Gourmet memoir! I've been so curious about her thoughts on Gourmet, what it was like to run the magazine, and what it was like when it closed.

The book began with Ruth receiving an offer from Conde Nast. She takes quite a bit of time at the start of the book to show that working for Conde Nast was a totally different world to her ( and to most of us, I'd guess). At the time, Reichl was working as restauarant Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.

It's Ruth Reichl's Gourmet memoir! I've been so curious about her thoughts on Gourmet, what it was like to run the magazine, and what it was like when it closed.

The book began with Ruth receiving an offer from Conde Nast. She takes quite a bit of time at the start of the book to show that working for Conde Nast was a totally different world to her ( and to most of us, I'd guess). At the time, Reichl was working as restauarant critic for the New York Times. While she loved the job and her co-workers, she was getting tired of eating out 14 times per week and rarely being able to eat with her family. If you've read her other memoirs, you'll know that she is a cook at heart, and restaurant critics don't get to cook much.

Conde Nast was a world where secret meetings were set because the magazine editors and owners feared that the press would get wind of the possible change in editors. It's a world of limousines and clothing allowances, all paid for by the magazine because style was at least as important as substance. It was a world that was about selling a lifestyle at least as much as providing information. Reichl did not feel comfortable in this world and its unthinking privilege. She also didn't think she had the background to edit a magazine. But- she did have a connection to Gourmet. She had encountered the magazine first as a little girl and it had shown her the romance and culture that could go along with good food. However, by the time that she was tapped for heading up the magazine in the 90's, Gourmet was out of touch with the average cook. It was about high-priced restaurants, lofty aspirations, and complicated recipes that most home cooks would be intimidated to try.

Reichl did turn the magazine around. I started subscribing to Gourmet in about 2005. I found the recipes to be surprisingly accessible and I can credit it for a lot of the education I got about new and interesting ingredients, cooking techniques that I could do and gave me confidence in the kitchen, and articles that made me think about where food comes from. It was educational, it was fun, and I learned to cook from that magazine as much as from anywhere else. I remember the article on halal meat and slaughtering that Reichl references in the book, years after I read it first. I didn't even know what halal meat was, and the article was disturbing because of how personal it made the act of slaughtering an animal for meat. But the reverence given to the animal and to the meat that it provided made me think about how the act of slaughter could actually be spiritual instead of impersonal and automated- we have lost something there.

Why did I rate the book only a 3? Because I was confused by much of the book. There were SO MANY names, and I couldn't keep track of who was who- a photographer, a publisher, an editor? And what's the difference between a publisher and an editor at a magazine anyway? I never figured it out. There was discussion about ad revenue, but I never felt like I really understood how the magazine worked. Reichl made fun of herself for not being able to figure out magazine jargon (what's a yaffy? It's a You Asked For It recipe from a restaurant- I remember those!) but she used a lot of shorthand herself and I felt left behind in all the terminology, names, and skimmed-over incidents.

Ruth Reichl is a very gracious writer- she gives credit to numerous people who changed the finances, advertising, photography and writing of the magazine, but she doesn't talk much about what she herself did. I wanted to know more about what she herself did.

And I was never quite sure about how to feel about the people she discussed. Some of them seemed unlikable but she apparently had affection for them. Si Newhouse, for example, the owner of Conde Nast when she worked there. The description of the interviews that she had with him and her subsequent work relationship- it felt very uncomfortable to me but she mentioned him in her dedication. And it was Si's decision to shutter Gourmet! Between November and December, without even putting out a last holiday issue (I always looked forward to that issue and the cookie recipes). It was brutal, and I found it unforgivable as a reader- what must it have been like for the employees? Reichl foreshadows this event- we all know it's coming- but I felt like I wanted it explored more. It was hurtful to me because I had really grown to love that magazine- far more than Bon Appetit (also by Conde Nast) it spoke to me. It seemed like it was all about the money at the end, no matter the dedication of the staff and the excellent product that they put out.

There was a lovely chapter about Paris where Reichl found a dress that flattered and fit her like it was made for her. But I did not agree with the decision she made at the end of the chapter!!!! If you're getting a clothing allowance, get the killer dress. You've already got two homes and aren't Bohemian anymore- getting the dress isn't going to make you a sellout.

So, I felt that I didn't really understand what it was like to be at Gourment much better after reading the book, and that's where the 3 comes from. ...more

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Mar 29, 2019 Mellie Antoinette rated it really liked it

Ruth Reichl has always been an instant read author for and Save Me The Plums doesnt disappoint. What an incredible career she has had! An eye-opening view of the chutzpah needed to run, grow and support not just the birth of a magazine, but the renaissance of the ultimate insider view of all things foodalicious. ...more

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Feb 07, 2020 Alex Givant rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memoirs, read-again, audio, cooking, best-of-2020

I like her previous book (Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise), but this one is even better. I tell her story from becoming chief editor of "Gourmet" magazine (until it get closed in 2009). Very interesting insights on live of editor of food magazine targeted to rich audience.

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Mar 28, 2019 Lisa Leone-campbell rated it it was amazing

Ruth Reichl was a top food critic when she decided to take a job as the editor-in-chief at Gourmet Magazine, the culinary food magazine of its time. But in her new memoir we see she is so much more than the 10 year editor of Gourmet who sadly was their last as they shockingly closed in 2009.

When she was just 8 years old, coming from humble beginnings with a mother who was bipolar and spent hours and days and months in deep depression, and a father who not only adored Ruth, but adored his wife Ruth Reichl was a top food critic when she decided to take a job as the editor-in-chief at Gourmet Magazine, the culinary food magazine of its time. But in her new memoir we see she is so much more than the 10 year editor of Gourmet who sadly was their last as they shockingly closed in 2009.

When she was just 8 years old, coming from humble beginnings with a mother who was bipolar and spent hours and days and months in deep depression, and a father who not only adored Ruth, but adored his wife none the less, she read her first issue of Gourmet Magazine and she was hooked. It was then she made the decision to pursue something in the food industry, so when offered the job at the magazine she was frightened, honored and excited.

Feeling as if everyday would be her last, Reichl went on to change the magazine's direction into the popular bibliophile it became under her tenure.

She tells stories in the book of making a bet of $100 that they would not lose subscribers if they put a dead fish on the cover (they did not), to writer David Foster Wallace's travel piece about a Maine Lobster Festival and the killing of lobsters.

We also meet many of the eccentric personalities who graced the halls during her tenure. We see how her immediate family, her son Nick, a young child when she took the job and her husband Michael supported her and gave her sage feedback and advice. She also describes the aftermath of 9/11 and how the New York food industry bonded together to assist the first responders.

There are mouthwatering descriptions of meals she has had the pleasure of experiencing which make the reader wish they had been there to witness and taste. And if that is not enough, she even includes a few of her favorite recipes.

As a fan of Reichl, I loved her novel Delicious and her travel show on television, I ravenously"ate up" her stories and her life during her time at Gourmet.

Thank you #NetGalley #Random House #Save Me the Plums #Ruth Reichl
The book will be out on April 2.
If you enjoyed this review please follow me at Lisascubby.com. Happy Reading! ...more

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May 09, 2019 Jeanette rated it it was ok

Ok, I tried this one to shake up the memoir reads. It started out fairly interesting within her leaving her food critic jobs for an unexpected Gourmet editor position.

She seems to be perfect. Especially within her own evaluations. Or if not, very close. And her valued food world is at the same level. Ending abruptly like the magazine and 65 employees, all at once.

This read was tedious to me. Others speak of humor? Ha, ha! Her world and juxtapositions just like the most tortured food of fusion ...more

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Sep 09, 2019 Candie rated it liked it

This book was recommended to me and I wasn't so sure reading the description but overall I actually really enjoyed it. Personally I feel like it was more of an entertainment read for me because I'm not sure much of the content will stay with me, but that is solely because I don't particularly follow much in the food industry. The writing style is very good. The writer really knows how to write in a way to draw you in and keep you reading. I blew through this book super fast.

If you are a foodie ...more

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Jul 15, 2019 Thomas rated it it was amazing

Just the right amount of gossip and good food. Perfect vacation read.

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Jan 26, 2019 Robin rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoir-autobio, food-nonfiction, kindle-drc, 2019-pub, 2019-april, best-of-2019

My love affair with Ruth Reichl's memoirs began with "Tender At the Bone" which chronicled her tumultuous childhood with her mentally ill mother. The second book that continued her career in the food world was "Comfort Me With Apples and for some reason, I found this book a little flat, but then she wrote "Garlic and Sapphires" and I was entranced. Her stories about being a food critic for the NY Times and how she had to constantly disguise herself was fascinating, and even though I will most ...more

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May 05, 2019 mindful.librarian ☀️ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult-reads, nonfiction

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

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Aug 13, 2019 Brandie rated it liked it

Shelves: memoirs-nonfiction, audio, read-2019, summer-reading-guide

I loved some parts of this book and other parts were a little boring. Overall I did enjoy it.

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Apr 20, 2019 Lola rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, food, 2019-publications

I have wanted to read Ruth Reichl for YEARS and I was going to start with another of her memoirs Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise because it sounded JUICY and very secret indeed. But then this one came out and I was offered a chance to review it so I jumped on the opportunity.

Alright, guys. Its important for you to know, right from the start, that reading this book on an empty stomach is TORTURE. Torture, I tell you. More torturous than watching Lucas and Peyton I have wanted to read Ruth Reichl for YEARS and I was going to start with another of her memoirs – Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise – because it sounded JUICY and very secret indeed. But then this one came out and I was offered a chance to review it so I jumped on the opportunity.

Alright, guys. It’s important for you to know, right from the start, that reading this book on an empty stomach is TORTURE. Torture, I tell you. More torturous than watching Lucas and Peyton from One Tree Hill pretend they aren’t soul mates. I’m currently watching the third season and I am DYING. So yes, please do eat something before diving into this memoir filled with exquisite descriptions of foods and tastes. Ruth Reichl really knows what she’s doing.

What she doesn’t quite know is how to be an editor in chief, even if it’s at the glorious food magazine Gourmet. I say GLORIOUS but really I hadn’t heard of it before. But apparently it made its mark on Food History and it sought Ruth Reichl to be part of its gloriousness. Although I don’t quite like reading about opportunities given to people who don’t appreciate them or want them, I do believe the magazine helped Ruth develop her managing skills and become more assertive and she certainly made many proud so she did end up appreciating the chance she was given to lead regardless of her initial refusal to take the job.

It’s a short but meaningful memoir that spans many MANY years. Ruth talks about the magazine as much as she does about food and her own personal life or past experiences that helped her become who she is today. I especially enjoyed reading about her son who experienced food differently than she did when she was a child. I was also very surprised by all the changes at Gourmet Ruth played a role in, like the rock and roll cover, something never done before, or the publishing of a controversial piece of writing. I do believe though that this book could have been even more interesting if there had been pictures included. Somehow those aren’t so popular anymore in memoirs – were they even before? Still, I am impressed with this author’s writing and career so I cannot wait to explore her previously written memoirs.

Blog | Youtube | Twitter | Instagram | Google+ | Bloglovin’
...more

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May 20, 2019 Janssen rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoirs, audiobooks, food, 2019

I haven't loved a book of hers this much since Garlic & Sapphires. And listening to her read the audio? Fantastic.

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Nov 27, 2019 Kaytee Cobb rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, kindle, 2019-read-your-shelves

I enjoyed this one FAR more than the previous title I had read by Reichl. Even with the high brow subject, it felt much more approachable.

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Feb 26, 2020 Katrina rated it really liked it

Find another person who writes about food the way Ruth Reichl does. I admit that in real life I probably couldn't stomach half of the food she describes (especially seafood. I just can't!), but listening to her lovingly describe the complex layers of flavor and texture is simply delightful! She makes me want to be a better writer, and definitely want to be a more adventurous eater. Fascinating memoir. Only 1 star short of 5 because she makes herself out to be somewhat of a savior to her ...more

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May 15, 2019 Kevidently rated it really liked it

Ruth Reichl kickstarted my love of food writing (mostly; Julie & Julia came just slightly before). Coming off my year of learning how to cook French food (I did okay, sticking mainly to peasant stuff that's been elevated in recent years in the US), I was hungry for some more thoughtful discussion about food. On a whim in the aughts, I picked up Reichl's memoir Tender at the Bone and fell in love with the words she used for cooking, eating, and savoring food. I was shocked at how forthright Ruth Reichl kickstarted my love of food writing (mostly; Julie & Julia came just slightly before). Coming off my year of learning how to cook French food (I did okay, sticking mainly to peasant stuff that's been elevated in recent years in the US), I was hungry for some more thoughtful discussion about food. On a whim in the aughts, I picked up Reichl's memoir Tender at the Bone and fell in love with the words she used for cooking, eating, and savoring food. I was shocked at how forthright she was about the stuff I was ignorant about, especially stuff about butchering that I'd very carefully avoided thinking about in order to remain an omnivore. She made me think about it. I'm still an omnivore.

Ruth's following books narrowed in focus - Comfort Me with Apples was just as good, but more inward-looking, and Garlic and Sapphires was all about the lengths she went through to disguise herself when she was reviewing for the New York Times. Great writing and fascinating, but slightly less accessible. I can't remember if I read her memoir about her mother, but it seems I must have.

Save Me the Plums seemed at first like it might be Reichl's least accessible book yet. It was all about her running Gourmet, a high-class magazine for gourmands. I knew it wasn't going to be pretentious or anything because that's not how Reichl operates, but I worried that I wouldn't be as interested on the day-to-day of running a fancy-food magazine aimed at people who were a lot richer than me. I bought it anyway because I liked Reichl's writing, and she was reading her own audiobook.

It's pretty damn fabulous, and it reminded me of a few things: 1. Most people, no matter how fancy they seem, are concerned about the same stuff. Is my kid eating right? Am I going to get this job I really want? What if I fuck up on the job? Is my new boss going to be a jerk? Am I being true to myself? Reichl tackles all these things and more, being up front about her anxieties and insecurities, but also about those moments when she took big risks to make her creative endeavor more exciting and relevant.

And 2. Why was I so concerned about accessibility? I've read Michael Crichton novels. I've read hard SF. If a story - fiction or not - is well-written, ANYTHING can be accessible. Save Me the Plums absolutely is. And now I want those pancakes. ...more

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May 18, 2019 Stewart Tame rated it really liked it

Shelves: goodreads-giveaways-won

Full disclosure: I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

Ruth Reichl was, among myriad other accomplishments, the editor in chief of Gourmet magazine for ten years. Save Me the Plums is a memoir of her tenure there. Ive never read Gourmet, but I enjoy both good food and good memoirs, so I was excited to read this.

Reichl writes vividly, and has a knack for an interesting anecdote. Ive never eaten at a three star restaurant, never experienced Paris on a shoestring budget (or, ...more

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Feb 02, 2020 Bree Hill rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-nonfiction

Save Me The Plums was my first Ruth Reichl and wont be my last. I think anyone who is a reviewer, regardless of what, will find this interesting. It was fascinating to see her beginning love of food and the great heights it took her to! ...more

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Jul 22, 2019 Helen Dunn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: darcy_summer2019, capemay2019

Ruth Reichl is one of those famous people that I wish I knew in real life so we could just hang out. She seems no nice and fun and the way she writes about food makes me think maybe I could actually, willingly, eat pig brains or rabbits cooked in their own blood if only I was dining with Ruth.

This particular memoir is about her unexpected stint as editor in chief at Gourmet magazine and I liked it as much as her other books.

Im not sure if this book is really for everyone but if you enjoy food ...more

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May 15, 2019 Cherie rated it really liked it

Shelves: published-since-2000, read-audio

What a great story!

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About Ruth Reichl

Ruth Reichl

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Ruth Reichl is an American food writer, the editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine and culinary editor for the Modern Library.
Born to parents Ernst and Miriam (née Brudno), she was raised in New York City and spent time at a boarding school in Montreal. She attended the University of Michigan, where she met her first husband, the artist Douglas Hollis. She graduated in 1970 with a M.A. in art ...more