The Magazine Review-5/20/10

I admit I have a little obsession with cooking magazines. At one point, I was receiving 5 different cooking magazines in the mail each month. One, Taste of Home, was a gift subscription and I didn't renew it when it ran out. The other, Gourmet, has ceased publication so I no longer get that one. The other three, Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, and Cooking Light are all great magazines, but for different reasons. The following comparisons are mostly my opinion but you may find them helpful if you are looking to subscribe to just one. (Gasp!)

Bon Appetit

Bon Appetit would classify as my long-term favorite, though month by month I choose my favorite magazines based on personal preference for recipes and interest in the articles. Bon Appetit has lots of creative menus and I like menus to help put similar recipes together. There are often several articles with a cultural theme (either country or region) with accompanying recipes. Bon Appetit did change their design style in the last several years and I find the new aesthetic a bit bare with lots of white and neutrals. Food is colorful and I do wish the magazine reflected this a bit more.
If you like "The New Yorker", you will like Bon Appetit. (They are published by the same company.)
Food and Wine
I've gotten Food and Wine and also love this magazine. It also includes menus, though usually fewer than Bon Appetit. Food and Wine tends to be a bit more thematic, like articles on tacos or a particular food item. Food and Wine spends a bit more effort on wine, given the name. My only real complaint with F & W at times is the "superstar" nature of the magazine. They focus quite a bit more on superstar chefs and other people in the world of food. I'm just not as into that. They also have a lot of travel information that is a little outside the average American price range.
If you like "People" magazine, you will like Food and Wine.
Cooking Light
I started getting Cooking Light several years ago when it hit the grocery store newstands in force. I'm pretty sure this magazine has gained the most readership of the three I've mentioned in the last few years. This magazine plays to the desire of many Americans to lose weight and still eat well. This magazine has some great low and reduced fat recipes while still having a gourmet bent. I enjoy the menus and tips for making traditional recipes healthier. My only complaint with this magazine is the lack of many serious articles about food topics. It's pretty much a purely recipe magazine with some fitness tips thrown in.
If you like "Shape" magazine, you will like Cooking Light.
I've gotten a few other magazines over the years but these are my main three. I got Taste of Home for a few years from my mother-in-law but I found it a bit simplistic. It's a great one if you need a casserole dish, though. I've gotten a few copies of Vegetarian Times and really like it. Obviously, I don't eat exclusively vegetarian but if I did, this magazine would be a necessity. I've seen Cook's Illustrated and I'm intrigued by the premise of no adds and extensive research. Maybe someday.
Tonight, I made three recipes from this month's Food and Wine. It was listed as two but the Pork Schnitzel with Warm Potato Salad was really two separate dishes. The Pork Schnitzel was an easy and delicious version of the classic German dish. The use of panko or Japanese breadcrumbs was a great adaptation. Panko is light and crispy and prevented a heavy, greasy feeling that sometimes results with breaded food. The Warm Potato Salad was a vinegar based potato salad that was a good match for the pork. This potato salad would not be good for a summer picnic but worked well here.
The Roasted Turnips and Greens were also pretty traditional in flavor but the olives and nuts added some creative notes. This recipe may not work with every main dish but it paired well with the pork and potatoes. The natural spice of the turnips made the greens seem almost sweet. The little bit of orange may have helped that too.
Pork Schnitzel with Warm Potato Salad-A-
Roasted Turnips and Greens-A-

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