Good, But Almost Gone

Burnt toast: Winter 2007.

My favorite little food mag, Burnt toast, has been treading water - and sometimes pulling clean strokes, fast through - for the last four years. But the editor (my good friend, Cindy) has decided to close up shop.

The final issue arrived in my mailbox yesterday afternoon. It was fatter than usual, so you can imagine what fun I had going through all the pages. The cover story, about the earthy Miriam and Isaac and their Byward Market grocery, has Cindy's style stamped all over it. I suppose she can relate to all their efforts; Cindy's always been one to admit that even though it takes a lot of work to get a project going, that's also half the fun.

Another amazing part of this issue is the intimate art show laid out just after the centerfold. Cindy called upon talented friends to showcase any kind of grain in any way they liked. The results are pretty special: a collage of a somber-faced virgin wearing a wig of fancy sweets; feral-looking pods and beans by Deborah Margo; and a handful of scattered popcorn painted by photographer, Christina Riley.

I admit that I show up in this issue a couple of times too: tipping back with Cindy and Christina one afternoon at a sherry tasting; as the author of a story about my father and his original ways with food; and near the very end, there is a picture of my sleeping korat. Bite Hard is even mentioned.

Seems apt since I learned lots of what I know about food from Cindy. Today, she and Tony, her partner in crime, got me to try a locally-made hot sauce I had been avoiding. And guess what? I loved it. That's just like her. Makes you comfortable enough that you want to open up to new things. I'd say that whatever she gets up to after Burnt toast will be worth watching for.

Oh yeah, the back cover is a great watercolor by Brazilian artists, Anderson Augusto and Leonardo Delafuente. Looks just like burnt toast on the move. Better get some while you still can.