If you're like me, you subscribe to a number of food magazines and travel magazines. And if you're like me, you're frustrated by the plethora of ads. Sometimes it's hard to find the editorial. Now, I'm not against advertising - without it we'd all be out of business. But the typical food magazine today has more advertising than editorial - you often have to search for the table of contents, because it comes after the first 20 pages of advertising! Then, when you find the article you're looking for, you read a column (a page if you're lucky) before being redirected to another page (and another and another). At that point reading becomes a chore instead of an entertainment. The cost of printing and distributing a print magazine makes excessive advertising a necessity.

As with its predecessor, Epicurean magazine, EPICUREAN TRAVELER is different. You will never have to skip around to finish an article, as each article is PRESENTED WHOLE. You also get more for your money, because you get more of what you're paying for - editorial. In regards to the advantages of ezines (electronic magazines) over print magazines, click on the button at the top of the page to read "Why an ezine?"

I have another pet peeve: magazines that insist their writers conform to a "house style." You can't tell where one author leaves off and another begins. But I've always felt that, as in marriage, if two people are exactly alike, one of them is unnecessary. In EPICUREAN TRAVELER you'll find individual voices. It's what gives ET personality.

Formatted for Amazon.com's Kindle Reader, and presented approximately 4 times a year, ET is designed to cater to passionate foodies who love to travel. In the past dozen years Americans have awakened to the pleasures of fine food (whether it be a simple goat cheese with a local wine, or an elaborate meal with a great Burgundy).

When I was growing up in the '50s and '60s, access to fine food was unavailable to most Americans; whether at home or in restaurants dining was a meat and potatoes experience. Over the last two decades there has been a change in the way Americans approach food, brought about by our penchant for travel. Coming back from Europe, Asia, or Mexico, travelers couldn't find the same quality of food back home, and began demanding better quality and more diversity. This consumer-driven revolution has forced restaurants to be more innovative, grocery stores to routinely carry produce that was once considered exotic, and wineries to produce higher quality wine.

We're no longer content to drink jug wine, or eat dull food. Not content with "getting by," we demand fresh produce, fresh bread, gourmet cheese, fine wine and premium spirits. We have, in short, become Epicureans, people who (in the words of the American Heritage Dictionary) are "devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort and ease."

Twenty years ago a trip through the culinary dens of Paris, from the lowliest brasserie to the fanciest three-star Michelin restaurant, was an eye-opening experience. There was nothing like it at home. The idea of the chef as the star of his or her culinary theatre, was unknown in the United States.

How times have changed! Today's chefs are well-traveled and innovative, borrowing from the many cultures that make up the American Melting Pot to create new types of fusion cuisine. Others devote themselves to perfecting classical cuisines, while using the freshest local produce. The chef has become as important as the restaurant itself, and patrons are likely to follow a top chef from venue to venue. American chefs are now among the world's elite.

Restaurants and wine regions have become worthy destinations in themselves. Napa Valley, for example, is one of the top tourist destinations in California, attracting approximately 4,000,000 people annually. Food has become an important part of our culture. We spend more money eating out, and are more sophisticated than our parents when it comes to fine food and wine. When we travel we're interested in taking the gustatory experience into account. We want to know where to go for that special EPICUREAN experience

EPICUREAN TRAVELER seeks to find a balance between these interests, featuring award-winning writers, sumptuous photography and engaging graphic design.

If you're still unsure, click here to download a sample issue.