Reading List - Part Two

Today I got a bunch of magazines in the mail, now I have a big pile to read (I just love the anticipation of having that much to read!). On the other hand, there are many times when I don’t know what I want to have for dinner! "Gourmet" and "Penzey’s One" are both coming up for renewal. I’m probably not going to renew Penzey’s and am still thinking about "Gourmet." It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed Penzey’s, I just want to try something new. I’d previously subscribed to and enjoyed both "Cooking Light" and "Everyday Food" - but I never really cooked much from either of them. I asked Anna from Cookie Madness what magazines she likes, and she had positive things to say about "Eating Well," so that’s what I’m leaning towards.

These are the magazines that I currently subscribe to:

"Gourmet" - I consider almost the industry standard for food magazines. I loved their fiction supplement they had this summer, I wish more of their magazine was like that. Then the next issue was their 65th anniversary with a rehash of old stories, which was a letdown. I miss Laurie Colwin’s writing. I enjoy Jane & Michael Stern’s articles about "Roadfood" as well as anything Anthony Bourdain writes.

"Saveur" - what I like about it is that it is more of a travel magazine, like National Geographic for food. Lately some of the places they’ve written about are not really anywhere I want to visit so the interest was not there. I used to enjoy every issue but nowadays it is more hit or miss. I also used to try more of the recipes, like pecan pie and peach cobblers, now the foods are more exotic and nothing I would ever consider cooking (for example, water buffalo yogurt panna cotta).

"Every Day With Rachael Ray" - what I like about the magazine, more than the cookbooks, is that there are photos of lots of the dishes. It’s an entertaining magazine, more "fluff" than "Gourmet" but way fun to read. I especially enjoy the celebrity revelations that are different from the standard interviews - what’s in so-and-so’s refrigerator, and what people eat during the course of a day (and subsequently what their daily routine entails). What I don’t like is the "faves" items that are more expensive than anything I’d want to buy (boots for $375 and jeans for $210). I saw Rachael on Larry King Live last night, and she was talking about how none of her cookbooks cost more than $20 - less than a CD. I’d like to see more budget-minded things in the magazine like that. Her unpretentiousness is what drew me in to watch her shows in the early days. Don flipped through the latest issue and said they should call it "Rachael's Family and Friends" since that is mostly what it's about. I’m still thinking about what to say about her new TV show (which premiered yesterday). I enjoyed it but it's hard to think about saying either "love it" or "hate it" based on just one episode. The absolute worst part has nothing to do with the show, it’s the local TV station! Every single commercial break has a commercial for an ambulance-chasing attorney or big law firm. I’m not kidding, there were probably 10 commercials for law firms during the entire show. Thank goodness for DVR’s.

"Penzey’s One" - I don’t remember how I started getting their catalog (probably an article in the San Francisco Chronicle), back in the days when it was on newsprint with no photos. Their recipes and anecdotes make it as much fun to read as a magazine. So then they came out with a magazine, with photos and profiles of regular people. I like the magazine, the recipes seem down-to-earth and surprisingly I enjoy reading about people I don’t even know. What bothers me about this magazine is their political opinions. It’s not even so much the opinions either. I know everyone has a right to free speech and I respect the differing thoughts, and I read these types of things in the newspaper, it’s just that this is not what I want to read in a food magazine. (But that’s just my opinion, I’m sure there are folks out there who are looking for exactly that.) I love Penzey’s spices, the catalog is informative in regards to ideas on what to use them for.

"Kraft Food & Family" - this magazine is free! It’s pretty much all advertisement for Kraft food products, but it is full of ideas on how to use them, simple ideas for things like sandwiches, and mix-and-match charts for dishes like pasta & veggies, or grilled sandwiches, or even pudding pies. I did decide on what to have for dinner, I made the Country Salisbury Steak, that has hamburger and Stove Top stuffing instead of breadcrumbs, and a barbecue sauce gravy. The recipe seemed lacking a little in seasoning so I "Rachaelized" it by adding Worcestershire sauce and Grill Seasoning. Not exactly gourmet but it hit the spot. Yum-o.