Jonathan Gold Wins the 2007 Pulitzer

[xcanuck]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. Not that I eat in LA often enough to really read his critiques, but I find it great that the critic for an alternative weekly wins such a prestigious, mainstream award. Apparently Gold has made a living tracking down the best in cheap eats. He was on NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" this weekend and the discussion of his first (and last) time eating goat penis is really hilarious.

[JPW]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. Not that I eat in LA often enough to really read his critiques, but I find it great that the critic for an alternative weekly wins such a prestigious, mainstream award. Apparently Gold has made a living tracking down the best in cheap eats. He was on NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" this weekend and the discussion of his first (and last) time eating goat penis is really hilarious.

He was also on The Splendid Table this weekend. Interesting guy.

[DonRocks]

He was on NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" this weekend and the discussion of his first (and last) time eating goat penis is really hilarious.

I do pray the goat wasn't alive.

[xcanuck]

I do pray the goat wasn't alive.

Apparently you and Paula Poundstone think alike. She was remarking on how difficult it is to train the goat to roll around in the eggs and breadcrumbs.

They also bemoaned the fact that the goat never called back. Or should I say bah-ah-ah-ah-ack. Sorry. I'll go take my medication now.

[Heather]

Washington Post article about Gold. I loved the little nugget about the punk band he played in.

[zoramargolis]

Jonathan Gold has been a fixture in the L.A. food writing scene for many years. He use to write a column called "Counter Intelligence" for the L.A. Times, which was really excellent, and obviously the inspiration for Eve Zibart's work, among others. He used to go exclusively to ethnic places and dives. He is a good friend as well as having been a colleague of Ruth Reichl's, when she was at the L.A. Times, and I understood that she brought him to NY with her, when she went to the NY Times. I think he was bi-coastal for a few years. In any case a wonderful writer--I was always a big fan of his.

A side-note, relevant to Heather's comment above. Jonathan Gold is the son of Ernest Gold, a serious composer, who also wrote film scores, and Marni Nixon, the versatile soprano who dubbed the singing for Natalie Wood in "West Side Story" and Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady." Interesting how musical talent and a sensitive palate and interest in food often go together--eh, Don? Mark?