THE BON VIVANT’S BLUE BLAZER

He was known as a bon vivant After he was seen even having wine at lunch at Union Square Café. A bon vivant (one fond of good living or one who lives well, a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment especially good food and drink.)

Then he died.

That’s how Paul Gottlieb’s (former president, chairman and editor-in-chief of Harry N. Abrams) New York Times obituary writer summed up his demise. The story goes on that in college sometimes he showed up at his morning class still in his evening clothes (black tie). Now that’s a man of class. His desk at Harry Abrams publishing had the sign “Let the Good Times Roll”. If he had been from New Orleans, it would be Laisser le Bons Gouts Rouler.

We have come a long way gastronomically in the United States ever since we lost it all when the home economists and agribusiness took over from the Depression. Bringing the American family enough cheap food to initiate the crisis of obesity and unhealthful food in which we are drowned today. The late gr…