Why have a recipe magazine when you have a laptop?

The death of gourmet magazine may well have been down to the laptop computer.

That is the conclusion of Susan Currie Sivek writing over at Media Shift.

For foodies, the attraction of thousands of food websites is powerful. Many home cooks now carefully position a laptop in the kitchen, keeping it safe from crumbs and splashes, instead of a magazine recipe. The loss of Gourmet, which was seen as a prestigious title, means that other food magazines may now feel a greater sense of insecurity.

But actually it is a bit more than that.It is time to blame the food bloggers

There's a food blogger for every ethnic specialty, dietary concern or locality. Bloggers offer personal connections, unique voices, and a passion for their subject that print magazines may not provide. Narrow expectations from readers and advertisers can limit print magazine content, while bloggers are more free to explore topics in frequent posts.

Food mags reflect changing times

A sign of the times in the world of food magazines.

Gourmet magazine has a feature on what to do with leftovers on its front cover for its March issue.

and as the New York Times reports,

Food & Wine’s March issue includes an essay on buying the cheapest bottle on a wine list. Bon Appétit’s April cover trumpets a “low-cost, big-flavor” pizza party.

The editor of gourmet tells the paper

“People need help learning to cook again, and they need advice on less-expensive ingredients, and we’re trying to give it to them.”