RIP Johnny (R.W.) Apple

Sad passing to note. (This is a link to the NYT obit; free registration may be required.) As the writer pointed out, he had Falstaffian appetites and so, perhaps, his demise as a relatively "young" man (at 71) isn't entirely a surprise. Still, he was always a pleasure to read and he will be missed.

Terrible. My favorite food writer, and probably my favorite contemporary journalist. I'd like to think that he and Royko are debating the merits of booze, BBQ, pizza and patronage. His relatively recent artcles on Italy the Great Lakes were outstanding.

He was a gentleman and a regular guy, from what I can tell, responding personally to an email I sent the Times regarding certain liberties he took in describing the Cuban sandwiches of Tampa and Miami. I would have liked to shake his hand.

His words made me wait three hours for a meal at Uglesich in New Orleans a couple of years ago, and it was worth every minute.

This may be cold comfort. but Old Gourmands don't die, they just hang out at Michelin 3 stars in the sky.

Today's NYT publishes Apple's last article, filed some time ago and scheduled to be published later this fall. The title is "The Global Gourmand" and the gist of the article, in Apple's own words:

"AFTER half a century of assiduous eating in restaurants around the world, first avocationally and more recently professionally, I have become accustomed to certain questions: “What’s your favorite restaurant?” “What will you order for your last meal on earth?” “Which is best — French cuisine? Italian? Chinese?” All unanswerable, of course. Now comes a more modest proposition: Name 10 restaurants abroad that would be worth boarding a plane to visit, even in these fraught days."

It's vintage Apple.

RW APPLE's last email...ha.

His very last e-mail message, sent the night before he died, was a response to a Times food writer looking for suggestions on pancake recipes for a magazine feature. "Just very quickly since I don't have my files here," Johnny wrote. "1. American pancakes -- Overrated, as you say. You might try the Bongo Room, in Wicker Park, north of Chicago. 2. Don't forget Breton buckwheat crepes. 3. From South Asia (states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in India): they make great dosas."

The Travel Section of this morning's NY Times (Sunday 10/22) has an article by R.W. Apple:
Meals Worth the Price of a Plane Ticket
The article was filed shortly before he died.

A great list to have by a great writer.

Here's that "worth getting on a plane for" article, which is really wonderful-- you read so many ten best lists, usually of the new and hip-hot, but this really is a convincing list of the ten most pleasurable choices one could make, if one had eaten everywhere and knew everything.

I've only eaten at one of the listed places (Arzak), but as good as it was, I can't see taking a trip just to eat there. I think the premise of the article, even with its disclaimers, is contrived. He is respected enough to have simply said, "here are 10 restaurants I really like".

Now if I had a private jet and had a car whisk me from my home straight to the plane where I could board immediately, take off, sleep for the duration on a nice bed, take a shower, get a massage, and then after landing, be whisked directly the restaurant... yeah I could see doing that

Bill/SFNM