Hearst Magazine Digital Media, in conjunction with MSN, launched Delish.com, an online food destination today. Like every good Web site, it will be a combination of information (service!) and whimsy (fun!), featuring content from Hearst's magazines, along with fan blogs from popular food TV shows. (Has anyone called the Iron Chef one?)

The company's anticipate Delish will immediately become one of the top ten most-trafficked food-related destinations, which probably says more about the category than it does about the site itself. As part of the deal, Microsoft's advertising team will sell all advertising.

Look for new featues on the horizon, including a party-planning tool TK in 2009. You can be just like Martha Stewart but, you know, read Hearst magazines instead.

Full release after the jump

Hearst Magazines Digital Media and MSN Launch Delish.com

More than just mouth-watering recipes, the site will focus on the culture and people

behind the food we eat every day.

NEW YORK and REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 23, 2008 — Hearst Magazines Digital Media, a unit of Hearst Magazines, and MSN today announced the launch of Delish.com (http://www.delish.com), a new online food destination. Delish.com, also available at http://www.msn.delish.com, features thousands of quick and easy food and cocktail recipes from Hearst Magazines and other sources, as well as fan blogs on the most popular food television shows, and the latest on food events and festivals worldwide.

With an authoritative point of view that is simultaneously fun and informative, the site's content will provide everyday chefs and busy individuals with the tools to expand their cooking and entertaining skills and knowledge of what is happening in and around the world of food. MSN and Hearst anticipate that Delish.com's traffic numbers will immediately place the site into the top 10 food-related destinations on the Internet.

"Delish.com is very serious about the subject of food, but our writers, bloggers and overall editorial slant also look at the cultural and whimsical side of what we're all eating," said Chuck Cordray, vice president and general manager of Hearst Magazines Digital Media.

"Together with MSN, we developed Delish.com to go way beyond a typical recipe site. We are confident that consumers will come to us for both information and entertainment."

Delish.com will be accessible through the MSN home page and in editorial programming across its network, including on the MSN Lifestyle Channel and other relevant channels. In addition, all the advertising inventory for Delish.com will be sold by Microsoft Advertising.

As part of the deal, MSN will sell targeted inventory in the food category on four Hearst properties: Countryliving.com, Goodhousekeeping.com, Quickandsimple.com and Redbookmag.com.

Many popular brands that have signed up as initial advertisers on the site include Hellmann's/Best Foods, Knorr and Bertolli Frozen, Simply Orange, and Kraft.

"The combination of the reach of MSN and the brand integrity and programming depth of Hearst is a competitive powerhouse that exponentially delivers on MSN and Hearst's commitment to the food category," said Sandy Henson, senior director, MSN Health and Lifestyles. "Consumers and advertisers on Delish.com will be able to choose from a wide variety of content that integrates food and entertainment in personal and socially relevant way that has not been done before."

Key content areas include the following:
— Food and pop culture. In addition to thousands of recipes from Hearst's own magazines, as well as partners and consumers, Delish.com will feature food celebrities and food in pop culture. Content will include blogs dedicated to culinary trends and cooking shows from "Top Chef" to "Iron Chef," interviews with food celebs such as Gordon Ramsay and Rocco DiSpirito, and the behind-the-scenes scoop on chefs at home.
— New and improved recipe finder. Thousands of amazing recipes from Hearst brands, including CountryLiving.com, GoodHousekeeping.com, QuickandSimple.com and Redbookmag.com, plus non-Hearst brands such as EatingWell, Food & Wine, and Sterling Books. Includes an extensive selection of cocktail recipes and social-networking opportunities with user-generated recipes and easy-to-use online recipe books.
— Video. Delish.com will offer fun and informative video content powered by MSN Video that will show how to simplify everyday cooking and entertaining, from video content on recipe demos, tips and techniques to original shows such as "Must Eat TV," a roundup of what's happening on cooking shows each week. Additional video content will be produced and provided by Handmade TV.
— Party planning. End-to-end event planning features on the site will include a useful menu finder, top-notch decorating advice and creative table-setting ideas. In 2009, the site will launch a full-featured party-planning tool.