lazy magazines

[teagal]

I flipped thru Paula Deen's "Best Dishes" magazine at the grocery store and saw a recipe for a no cook caramel frosting and decided to try it to top some pumpkin cupcakes I had in the freezer. The flavor was good, but the frosting was grainy..brown sugar was added to a somewhat basic frosting recipe. My problem with the recipe was at the end it stated "use immediately". Did they mean it needed refrigerating if not eating right away or that it would break down upon standing in fridge or out? Neither happened to my frosting so I feel it was an easy way for the magazine to print their recipe without testing.

Does this bug anyone else? If I'm paying for a magazine I'd like it to be pretty accurate, and well thought thru. Especially since its not very often I'll buy a Paula Deen anything!

[kitchensqueen]

I've often wondered how many magazines have actual test kitchens. I've heard a few similar complaints about Saveur, though I personally haven't tried a recipe that I haven't liked from their magazine. No experience trying the Paula Deen stuff though... that woman kind of scares me.

[Peter the eater]

This phenomenon exists with Bon Appetit, Martha Stewart, Canadian Living, etc. I hate it. Recycled recipes and pictures are a part of the mag world, for better or worse.

[cbread]

I can botch a perfectly good recipe quite handily with no assistance, but when I find a recipe that is unclear about which thing I am supposed to do what with, or has ingredients out of order, or fails in clarity in any of a dozen other ways, my ability to goof up positively shines.