What a fun behind-the-scenes look at the history of the LA Times and the transitions the paper has gone through. I used to love getting a weekly paper but now I read everything online (further contributing to the decline of newspapers, I suppose). I used to get the NYT on Sundays, but they haven’t brought back the Travel section, which was my favorite, so I switched to digital. I can’t wait to try the Caesar salad recipe - sounds perfect with lobster and Prosecco for Valentine’s Day! And maybe some homemade sourdough bread ;)
Thanks so much for your comment, Lisa! Sadly, the daily paper on the doorstep is going the way of the dodo. Hopefully folks will stay informed via digital platforms—and some newspapers like the New York Times and the LA Times will hang on, at least virtually.
A classic Caesar salad, homemade sourdough bread, lobster and Prosecco would make a perfect Valentine’s Day meal! Wishing you a delicious and romantic one!🌹
Ruth, I was a loyal subscriber in the early 80's when I lived in LA. I loved the food section. so many of my recipes came from there. I remember a comic strip in that section with a chef who gave recipes in 4-5 panels. I still have one for cornbread muffins. He said to put a jalapeno in one of them to surprise your friends.
Here in Denver, we are down to one daily paper. And if they continue to treat their customers poorly, we will soon have none.
I don’t recall a comic strip in the food section, but it’s a great idea, as are jalapeños in cornbread—even the one in the muffin that is a surprise! Sorry about the loss of dailies in Denver too. That nasty treatment of customers is going on everywhere—and huge price hikes as well, which just hit us, but I feel like I’m in it for the long run as I hope the paper survives.
This is such an interesting piece of writing and reflects the situation here in Australia. Our Saturday paper used to keep me reading the whole weekend. Now it can be dispatched in a sitting or two.
I also loved the photo of those tearooms - such a bygone era of elegance. And I'm going to try that Heavenly lemon pie. Yum.
Thanks, Bev! I thought perhaps the newspaper situation might be different outside the U.S. I know what you mean about spending a weekend reading a fat newspaper. I have fond memories of doing that most of my life. Our papers are so thin these days that it would be easy to mistake them for throwaways.
I loved that tearoom photo also and wished I’d visited. Another loss! I’m eager to try that lemon pie too! Seems like an antidote to the newspaper blues!
It is interesting to know your past connection to a newspaper Ruth! The decline of newspapers seems a universal affliction. While a comparatively small metro area, we are still blessed with two viable newspapers in the Twin Cities. I still enjoy the Minneapolis Star Tribune and we still have a food section which I always enjoy. The St Paul paper is now Gannett so kind of a mini USA Today while the StarTribune maintains an independent style. I guess we should enjoy it while we still can. My sense is the Twin Cities is the exception to the rule with still a loyal and broad readership base. I would imagine there are not many metro areas with two well-staffed and sensible newspapers. As a fan of the NY Times, it is hard to imagine that even NYC mixes in mostly tabloid nonsense in lieu of the Times. Although not related to your topic I recently enjoyed the Toronto Star -- it remains a well constructed newspaper. I wonder how much longer such papers will remain?
You’re so lucky to have two viable newspapers, Mark, and even a going food section. And the Toronto Star. We always enjoy picking up local newspapers wherever we travel. It’s a window into local events, culture and news. Long may yours thrive!
What a saga! Heartbreaking and humorous (that restaurant advertorial!), you’ve captured the heyday of print journalism and the tragic loss of a legend.
(Side note: I dreamed of getting a gig at the Times while dutifully attending j-classes at Long Beach State in the early 90s. Had I ever fully pursued that career, I’d probably be on the unemployment rolls today...)
Love the side note. I think your career path was undoubtedly more secure than the one I pursued, but I still think journalism was and still might be one hell of a great adventure—just not a reliable career path of late. Thanks so much for your comment.🤗
Thanks, Domenica. Good to hear from one who knows. So sorry to hear about the Baltimore Sun, one of the great old-line papers. My husband was also in the business as a reporter for more than three decades and just left a few years ago after several agonizing years of buyouts, layoffs and unpaid furloughs (at Gannett-owned USA Today). He says he wishes he’d left earlier, but it’s hard to leave a job you love that’s part of your identity, your mission, your security. It’s very sad. Alden tried to buy Gannett also. The company that eventually bought it in 2019, Digital First Media, immediately started “targeting inefficiencies” by laying off people and rewarding its CEO with a high salary and stock incentives. Gannett stock has apparently plummeted 70% since then. Its board doesn’t include anyone with a journalism background. And so it goes.
So glad you enjoyed the piece, Julia, and thanks so much for sharing your experience of enjoying weekend newspapers. It’s always fun to read papers when we travel and discover stories—and recipes—I never would see here. It’s another reason why I also love reading blogs from writers like you who live outside the U.S. and experience foods, cultures, climates and lifestyles different from mine. Thanks again for your comment.
As a former newspaper reporter (whose husband is still in the business) this piece hit home. Newspapers have been in decline for a long time, but what’s happening now—the hollowing out of these institutions by companies like Alden Global or billionaires with no News experience and a completely different set of priorities is beyond disheartening. The founder of ultra-conservative Sinclair News just bought the Baltimore Sun. Another one bites the dust. I do miss the days of robust local food sections published by papers all over the country.
I loved reading about your newspaper experiences Ruth. I used to enjoy a couple of hours on the weekend sitting with the newspapers, you always ended up stumbling across something you wouldn’t necessarily have found otherwise. While we were away recently we ended up buying various English language newspapers we don’t have access to here and I particularly enjoyed the weekend editions and their food sections. I ended up bringing home a few articles and recipes which caught my eye. Like most people I now read my newspapers online, but it really isn’t the same!
Thanks, Jolene! From you the kudos always mean a great deal as I can only say the same and more about you—you’re a brilliant writer and cook and a dear friend. Wishing you only good things. Too bad those hamantaschen wouldn’t travel well or I’d send you a few!🤗💕
Fascinating piece, Ruth, especially since you were a first-person witness to happenings at the LA Times. Sadly, many of us don't even have local papers to cover town hall and school board meetings. It is not a good trend!
Thank you, Vicki! It’s really scary when you don’t get local news. How are you supposed to know how your tax money is being spent (or misspent!)? We’re lucky enough to have two local weeklies and an online newsletter that cover everything from volleyball and surfing contests to divisive debates over banning certain books in our schools! It’s essential coverage.
I grew up in a household that read the morning and evening newspapers every single day. When I moved to Texas and lived in an apartment, I never signed up for a print subscription, but until then, I did what I thought what everyone did and read a print newspaper every day. lol I don't like reading the newspaper online, but I do have a subscription to the NYT and WP so I can read what I choose to read.
Thanks for sharing your newspaper memories, Gayla! I too grew up reading a morning and evening paper every day. I'm pretty sure that it and all the books that filled our house (and the absence of a TV for the first 10 years of my life) contributed to my love of reading and ability to put words together coherently. Undoubtedly it also has something to do with why I ended up working at several papers. I do read the New York Times and Washington Post online, but I really do believe that it's not the same experience as pouring through the paper, turning the pages and discovering articles you might never have come across but that delight you and open your mind.
I commented about the ink on another newsletter a while back and someone commented back about something that changed 10 years or so ago, but I don't remember if it was paper, ink, both or none of the above. lol
Yes, I listened to those interviews too—they were pretty great (Evan is also!). I loved the piece you wrote about LA and left you a comment. There really is a whole lot to say about this city —or should I say collection of cities! There are so many communities, histories, cultures, food and lifestyle choices, it boggles the mind. Thanks again for weighing in.
What a fun behind-the-scenes look at the history of the LA Times and the transitions the paper has gone through. I used to love getting a weekly paper but now I read everything online (further contributing to the decline of newspapers, I suppose). I used to get the NYT on Sundays, but they haven’t brought back the Travel section, which was my favorite, so I switched to digital. I can’t wait to try the Caesar salad recipe - sounds perfect with lobster and Prosecco for Valentine’s Day! And maybe some homemade sourdough bread ;)
Thanks so much for your comment, Lisa! Sadly, the daily paper on the doorstep is going the way of the dodo. Hopefully folks will stay informed via digital platforms—and some newspapers like the New York Times and the LA Times will hang on, at least virtually.
A classic Caesar salad, homemade sourdough bread, lobster and Prosecco would make a perfect Valentine’s Day meal! Wishing you a delicious and romantic one!🌹
Ruth, I was a loyal subscriber in the early 80's when I lived in LA. I loved the food section. so many of my recipes came from there. I remember a comic strip in that section with a chef who gave recipes in 4-5 panels. I still have one for cornbread muffins. He said to put a jalapeno in one of them to surprise your friends.
Here in Denver, we are down to one daily paper. And if they continue to treat their customers poorly, we will soon have none.
I don’t recall a comic strip in the food section, but it’s a great idea, as are jalapeños in cornbread—even the one in the muffin that is a surprise! Sorry about the loss of dailies in Denver too. That nasty treatment of customers is going on everywhere—and huge price hikes as well, which just hit us, but I feel like I’m in it for the long run as I hope the paper survives.
Thanks for your comments, Loren.
This is such an interesting piece of writing and reflects the situation here in Australia. Our Saturday paper used to keep me reading the whole weekend. Now it can be dispatched in a sitting or two.
I also loved the photo of those tearooms - such a bygone era of elegance. And I'm going to try that Heavenly lemon pie. Yum.
Thanks, Bev! I thought perhaps the newspaper situation might be different outside the U.S. I know what you mean about spending a weekend reading a fat newspaper. I have fond memories of doing that most of my life. Our papers are so thin these days that it would be easy to mistake them for throwaways.
I loved that tearoom photo also and wished I’d visited. Another loss! I’m eager to try that lemon pie too! Seems like an antidote to the newspaper blues!
It is interesting to know your past connection to a newspaper Ruth! The decline of newspapers seems a universal affliction. While a comparatively small metro area, we are still blessed with two viable newspapers in the Twin Cities. I still enjoy the Minneapolis Star Tribune and we still have a food section which I always enjoy. The St Paul paper is now Gannett so kind of a mini USA Today while the StarTribune maintains an independent style. I guess we should enjoy it while we still can. My sense is the Twin Cities is the exception to the rule with still a loyal and broad readership base. I would imagine there are not many metro areas with two well-staffed and sensible newspapers. As a fan of the NY Times, it is hard to imagine that even NYC mixes in mostly tabloid nonsense in lieu of the Times. Although not related to your topic I recently enjoyed the Toronto Star -- it remains a well constructed newspaper. I wonder how much longer such papers will remain?
You’re so lucky to have two viable newspapers, Mark, and even a going food section. And the Toronto Star. We always enjoy picking up local newspapers wherever we travel. It’s a window into local events, culture and news. Long may yours thrive!
Thanks as always for your thoughtful comments.
What a saga! Heartbreaking and humorous (that restaurant advertorial!), you’ve captured the heyday of print journalism and the tragic loss of a legend.
(Side note: I dreamed of getting a gig at the Times while dutifully attending j-classes at Long Beach State in the early 90s. Had I ever fully pursued that career, I’d probably be on the unemployment rolls today...)
Love the side note. I think your career path was undoubtedly more secure than the one I pursued, but I still think journalism was and still might be one hell of a great adventure—just not a reliable career path of late. Thanks so much for your comment.🤗
Wow! Wonderful writing, Ruth! I’ll be returning to this piece later. All good things for your day.
Thanks, Domenica. Good to hear from one who knows. So sorry to hear about the Baltimore Sun, one of the great old-line papers. My husband was also in the business as a reporter for more than three decades and just left a few years ago after several agonizing years of buyouts, layoffs and unpaid furloughs (at Gannett-owned USA Today). He says he wishes he’d left earlier, but it’s hard to leave a job you love that’s part of your identity, your mission, your security. It’s very sad. Alden tried to buy Gannett also. The company that eventually bought it in 2019, Digital First Media, immediately started “targeting inefficiencies” by laying off people and rewarding its CEO with a high salary and stock incentives. Gannett stock has apparently plummeted 70% since then. Its board doesn’t include anyone with a journalism background. And so it goes.
So glad you enjoyed the piece, Julia, and thanks so much for sharing your experience of enjoying weekend newspapers. It’s always fun to read papers when we travel and discover stories—and recipes—I never would see here. It’s another reason why I also love reading blogs from writers like you who live outside the U.S. and experience foods, cultures, climates and lifestyles different from mine. Thanks again for your comment.
As a former newspaper reporter (whose husband is still in the business) this piece hit home. Newspapers have been in decline for a long time, but what’s happening now—the hollowing out of these institutions by companies like Alden Global or billionaires with no News experience and a completely different set of priorities is beyond disheartening. The founder of ultra-conservative Sinclair News just bought the Baltimore Sun. Another one bites the dust. I do miss the days of robust local food sections published by papers all over the country.
What a packed full inventory of LA Times. What a history you were a part of.
Thanks, Sally! It was!
I loved reading about your newspaper experiences Ruth. I used to enjoy a couple of hours on the weekend sitting with the newspapers, you always ended up stumbling across something you wouldn’t necessarily have found otherwise. While we were away recently we ended up buying various English language newspapers we don’t have access to here and I particularly enjoyed the weekend editions and their food sections. I ended up bringing home a few articles and recipes which caught my eye. Like most people I now read my newspapers online, but it really isn’t the same!
Oh, Ruth, what an amazing piece of writing! Seeing what happened at the Times through your lens is really poignant.
I laughed out loud at ‘tender breast of children’ …
How wonderful that you are testing recipes for Leah!
You’re a brilliant writer and cook, my friend! ❤️
Thanks, Jolene! From you the kudos always mean a great deal as I can only say the same and more about you—you’re a brilliant writer and cook and a dear friend. Wishing you only good things. Too bad those hamantaschen wouldn’t travel well or I’d send you a few!🤗💕
Fascinating piece, Ruth, especially since you were a first-person witness to happenings at the LA Times. Sadly, many of us don't even have local papers to cover town hall and school board meetings. It is not a good trend!
Thank you, Vicki! It’s really scary when you don’t get local news. How are you supposed to know how your tax money is being spent (or misspent!)? We’re lucky enough to have two local weeklies and an online newsletter that cover everything from volleyball and surfing contests to divisive debates over banning certain books in our schools! It’s essential coverage.
Yet another wonderful, thoughtful piece..Thank you for it. Your pieces always
are. BTW. The chocolate hamantashan I sampled were great.
Thanks, Judy! I think those hamantaschen are probably all gone, but I'm sure I'll be making more!💕
I grew up in a household that read the morning and evening newspapers every single day. When I moved to Texas and lived in an apartment, I never signed up for a print subscription, but until then, I did what I thought what everyone did and read a print newspaper every day. lol I don't like reading the newspaper online, but I do have a subscription to the NYT and WP so I can read what I choose to read.
Thanks for sharing your newspaper memories, Gayla! I too grew up reading a morning and evening paper every day. I'm pretty sure that it and all the books that filled our house (and the absence of a TV for the first 10 years of my life) contributed to my love of reading and ability to put words together coherently. Undoubtedly it also has something to do with why I ended up working at several papers. I do read the New York Times and Washington Post online, but I really do believe that it's not the same experience as pouring through the paper, turning the pages and discovering articles you might never have come across but that delight you and open your mind.
The only thing I don't miss about reading a real newspaper is the black ink--which I understand isn't bad like it was back in the old days. lol
Ha, ha! I think you’re right, Gayla! It used to come off on our hands and clothes. Not anymore. I wonder what they did.
I commented about the ink on another newsletter a while back and someone commented back about something that changed 10 years or so ago, but I don't remember if it was paper, ink, both or none of the above. lol
We lived in and loved LA for well over a decade from 2000 and the LA Times Food section (and Jonathan Gold’s reviews) were an inspiration, Ruth
Jonathan Gold was really one of a kind--an amazing writer and a great evangelist for L.A.'s hidden culinary gems. Thanks so much for your comment.
He really was, Ruth. Used to love his interviews with Evan Kleiman on KCRW’s ‘Good Food’.
Apropos LA’s amazing food scene and cultural stew:
https://marcoandsabrina.substack.com/p/los-angeles-california-2008
Yes, I listened to those interviews too—they were pretty great (Evan is also!). I loved the piece you wrote about LA and left you a comment. There really is a whole lot to say about this city —or should I say collection of cities! There are so many communities, histories, cultures, food and lifestyle choices, it boggles the mind. Thanks again for weighing in.