It never ceases to amaze me how universal food is as a topic. Without fail, food gets us talking. Whether it’s a debate over which restaurant is the best bet for dinner tonight or whose grandma’s pie recipe takes the cake, we love to discuss the things we eat.
Apparently we love to read about it as well. Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Cooking Light and the new number-one epicurean publication Food Network Magazine, which recently achieved a circulation of 1.4 million according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, all speak to the sheer popularity of food as a topic. Then, of course, there are the countless TV shows, like Bravo’s wildly popular Top Chef, and the all-food, all-the-time Food Network. Desserts in particular seem to be getting a lot of attention these days. Over the summer, Food Network rolled out its new hit show Cupcake Wars, and not to be outdone, Bravo launched a Top Chef spin-off, Top Chef: Just Desserts, which is one of my favorites.
It’s no wonder then that our food issue is such a popular one with our readers, especially when we highlight desserts as we did again this year. And believe me, it’s a treat for us to put this issue together. In our cover story, we covered cupcakes, crème brulee, chocolate soufflé and many other sweet creations, and more than a few ended up back at our office for sampling. True to form, these desserts brought us all together in the office kitchen—chatting about which ones we liked best, laughing about the day’s antics. The gatherings reminded me that while food surely nourishes our bodies, the good conversation and camaraderie it inspires also nourishes our souls. I hope this issue brings plenty of the latter to you.
Before I close this column, I want to take a moment to explain some of the important changes you will find in the pages ahead. You’ll notice that we have completely revamped the front section of our magazine. “The Buzz” is an expanded department where many interesting and varied topics are featured—from folks you might see around town to a Tampa daytrip to ideas for outdoor fun. Further into the issue, we also introduce “The Dish,” a section dedicated to all things food. Here, we incorporate reader favorites like “Quick Bites” and recipes as well as new sections like “What’s In Season?” and “The Perfect Setting.” Finally, “The Scene” rounds out the issue, featuring a newly designed calendar of events. The design may be different, but all of the elements you’re used to seeing, like local events, concerts, sports and our social pages are all in there.
The team at Ocala Style has always prided itself on producing a magazine that reflects our community—by putting local people, events and places front and center on our pages. The decision to update our departments was an effort to feature even more local content in each issue. Many long hours went into perfecting the issue you now hold in your hands, and every step of the way, our concern was always for you, our reader, and your reading experience. We hope that our changes greatly enhance it.
Until next time,
Kathy
