For six years, Ruth Reichl was the most powerful food critic in the world. Her columns in the New York Times could propel a chef to immediate stardom or the unemployment line. These days she dispenses culinary tips to the readers of Gourmet Magazine -- which has seen a big jump in readership and advertising revenue since she took over as editor two years ago. But there was a time early in her career, when Reichl's influence seemed unlikely. In the 1970s she was living in a Berkley commune when she decided to accept a job as a restaurant critic at New West Magazine. In her new book "Comfort Me With Apples" Reichl recalls those early years and her friends' disappointment in her career choice.