Best/Favorite Food Magazines

[Anonymous Modernist 4764]

Picked up a copy of Apicus #1 and I must say there is some sexy modernist food throughout these pages!

[Anonymous Modernist 4342]

You should check out David Chang's new quarterly Lucky Peach. The recipes can be all over the place from a host of different chefs. It is a great read, not everything will involve Sous Vide if that is what you are looking for, but I have been reading the first two issues and have been very pleased with them.

[Anonymous Modernist 4120]

Yeah Art Culinaire. Is one of the best magazines out there. Thats the only one I ever pay for anymore.

I've found that Bon Appettie seems to be ona cycle for the recipes, and there boring.

[Anonymous Modernist 7576]

My favourite is Lucky Peach magazine, it's very chef-oriented and is not only aimed at chefs on a professional level but also a personal level. I feel like the contributors to the magazine speak and think like me and many other chefs I know.

[MikeMac]

I really like Cooks Illustrated until I came across Modernist Cuisine they were my favourite because the actually experimented and tried different things. One of my favourite tips from them was to use anchovies to enhance beef flavour I really like this with tenderloins. Cooks may suggest it but I am sure someplace in Modernist Cuisine they explain it.

[Anonymous Modernist 18828]

I like Bon Appetit magazine. It has got some great recipes for fabulous food, fine wine and fun entertaining. I think it's the best book for a food lover. The recipes described here are simple and uncomplicated.

[thelittlechef7]

As the title states, what are some good cooking magazine favorites of yours?

 

 

[rotuts]

Back in the day, I got most of the 'good ones'  ie Gourmet since '64 and various others.

 

now days one suffices:  " Fine Cooking "   taunton press :

 

https://www.finecooking.com/subscribe/magazine

 

3 year chunks.  seems pricey , but I feel its good value  " Food p0rn" at its best.

 

the internet has changed print for ever

 

don't be beguiled by Cook's Illustrated Empire, either

 

watch the show(s) though.

 

" Go Maroons "

 

i only know this as I spent 4 years at UofC

 

loved the brass sculpture of the 'Mushroom' at the first 'pile'

 

bet there is still very little Good Eats in Hyde Park

 

there was a small mexican restaurant that was new when I was there.

 

57th street.  I helped out in the kitchen in exchange for learning a bit of Mexican Cooking.

 

loved it.

Edited May 28, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[Smithy]

I second the reference for Fine Cooking magazine.  I've learned a great deal from it.  Over the years their features have seemed to come in cycles (how many issues for 'the perfect roast' have I seen around Christmas?) but they always have good articles and they continue to innovate. For instance: in nearly every issue they now have a "Create Your Own xxx" feature in which they show the techniques and proportions for some food.  It might be chili, or ice cream, or macarons, or Chinese stir-fry.  Their web site has the create-your-own items as interactive pieces, where you can select your ingredients from their list, set up your recipe, and print it.  Another recent innovation is that if you're a print subscriber, you can also get the digital editions delivered (no extra charge) to your tablet or phone.

 

My other favorite cooking magazine is Saveur.  I think they're a very happy combination of food porn and travel guide; their articles are interesting, photography is great, and I learn about other parts of the world and their food habits.  They also have recipes and a good web presence.  I don't learn as much about technique from them, but every once in a while a gem turns up: how to make baguettes, for instance.

[Anna N]

Fine Cooking used to be my magazine of choice but it seems to me it has devolved to the point where it is trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator. It seems to me there is far less content in each issue then there once was. I still enjoy Saveur as it offers me something more than a glimpse into other cuisines. Many issues seem worth saving. But I honestly don't see print magazines devoted to cooking, lasting much longer. The offerings on the Internet including ChefSteps and Craftsy, are in my opinion a better value for my money. Reading Molly Stevens in Fine Cooking is a pleasant experience. Watching her demonstrate her methods on a video is just so much better. But to each their own as always.

[rotuts]

I agree with you AnnaN  100 %

 

in the past   Fine Cooing had a set that allowed  you to pic and choose from a collections of items:

 

2 from A   1 from B  2 from C  etc  etc

 

I have not seen that in the latest issue.

 

this was wonderful   it made you think about flavors  etc

 

I sure hope they keep this going

 

but for a Student starting out 

 

well   

 

I still thing students  like  things that are in there own hands

 

after all  

 

lets see what 

 

 

thelittlechef7

 

cooks now ?

 

UofC   ( great respect here now )

 

is known for it 'forward thinking people '

 

of course

 

(s)he could go here:

 

http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/index.html

 

and ask for subscriptions to what's recommended here !

 

[Lisa Shock]

Art Culinaire

[thelittlechef7]

I agree with you AnnaN  100 %

 

in the past   Fine Cooing had a set that allowed  you to pic and choose from a collections of items:

 

2 from A   1 from B  2 from C  etc  etc

 

I have not seen that in the latest issue.

 

this was wonderful   it made you think about flavors  etc

 

I sure hope they keep this going

 

but for a Student starting out 

 

well   

 

I still thing students  like  things that are in there own hands

 

after all  

 

lets see what 

 

 

thelittlechef7

 

cooks now ?

 

UofC   ( great respect here now )

 

is known for it 'forward thinking people '

 

of course

 

(s)he could go here:

 

http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/index.html

 

and ask for subscriptions to what's recommended here !

 

Haha yes, our library system is a great resource! I know we have Saveur (and I'm a fan of their website, too), but I'll go look for others people recommend.

 

Glad to know U of C is recognized

[gfweb]

I like Food Arts.

 

A nice mix of recipes, features and equipment porn.

 

Meant for hospitality pros, but they don't seem to check too carefully.

 

And the price is right.

[Smithy]

I agree with you AnnaN  100 %

 

in the past   Fine Cooing had a set that allowed  you to pic and choose from a collections of items:

 

2 from A   1 from B  2 from C  etc  etc

 

I have not seen that in the latest issue.

 

this was wonderful   it made you think about flavors  etc

 

I sure hope they keep this going

 

<snip>...

 rotuts, I think you're describing the "make your own" or "create your own" features that I discussed.  The June/July 2014 issue was "Sorbet, Your Way" in a create-your-own format.  Unfortunately I can only link to the Table of Contents for that issue, since the online magazine doesn't seem to go that far unless one is a subscriber.  (To be honest, this subscriber is having trouble navigating to it anyway.  )  But if you look at this link to the current magazine's table of contents, you'll see that it's listed as starting on page 64.

 

Here's a complete listing of all their "create your own" interactive setups to date. I think they've set up a nice variety, and the recipes seem to work.

 

It probably has dumbed down a bit in the last few years, which is why I'm noticing a certain amount of repetition, but I do think it's a good teaching magazine.  I'm not knocking Craftsy, mind!  But I'm less likely to pay the cost of a new cookbook for a class in something I don't know about than I am, say, to try two or three new ideas from the variety offered in a single magazine.

[Dave the Cook]

I don't subscribe to any food magazines, and you can make of that what you will. But my advice to cooks just starting out is to subscribe -- or check at your library -- two or three years' worth of Cooks Illustrated. It gets repetitive, and you'll tire of the straw-man construction of their narratives, but there's lots of "here's why this works" stuff (along with some canards that even Christopher Kimball won't admit to). Then move on to Fine Cooking, which, despite a less ambitious editorial program of late, is still solid stuff.

 

After those, you know enough to choose the next step for yourself.

[rotuts]

F.D.: I still get the Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country  but in year batches from the library and look them over.

 

Ive been known to scan an Rx that I might like to try.

[gfweb]

Agree about Cook's Illustrated.

 

Its like the Pop Tarts of magazines. After a while a kid tires of Pop Tarts, but there's always a new generation of (tasteless) kids to take his place.

 

Agree about the formulaic writing.

 

Past tiresome.

 

Paragraphs? I don't need no stinkin' paragraphs.

[Tammi Townsley]

I was partial to Cooks Illustrated mainly because the recipes were more reliable than other sources but after years, it's not only repetitive but an expensive habit. I dropped the print mag for the website but I think the website will be the next to go simply for the price.

I used to follow Southern Living mag, but too many hit or miss recipes follow by lots of "semi homemade" recipes made me lose interest.

I just bought a year of Fine Living for my mom, so we shall see.

[mgaretz]

I too quickly got tired of CI, to the point that I realized I had many issues stacked up that I hadn't read. So I switched from the regular subscription to getting the bound volume once a year. May stop that too.

[rotuts]

there are only so may ways to cook pork chops.  CI will will find a few more, and publish them ( each Rx ) at least 1/2 doz. times

 

the TV show is a bit better.   thats what libraries are for.  BTW  many times what i type seems to get reformatted when I click on

 

'post'.  I must have an e.e.cummings worm somewhere hidden in my OS.

[Smithy]

I was partial to Cooks Illustrated mainly because the recipes were more reliable than other sources but after years, it's not only repetitive but an expensive habit. I dropped the print mag for the website but I think the website will be the next to go simply for the price.

I used to follow Southern Living mag, but too many hit or miss recipes follow by lots of "semi homemade" recipes made me lose interest.

I just bought a year of Fine Living for my mom, so we shall see.

 

Fine Living?  Do you mean Fine Cooking?  Or is there a new magazine out there that I haven't discovered?  

[Tammi Townsley]

Fine Living?  Do you mean Fine Cooking?  Or is there a new magazine out there that I haven't discovered?  

Lol my bad. I'll just blame autocorrect on my iPad.

But yes, Fine Cooking.

[ahpadt]

Surprised Lucky Peach hasn't been mentioned? I guess it might not be the most relevant if you're after recipe ideas and the like, but I enjoy the articles in them.

[Kim Shook]

I think this depends so much on your level of expertise and your cooking style.  I still get lots of good information and recipes from CI and Cook's Country.  I get the Southern Living Annual every year and finds lots to try.  Fine Cooking is gorgeous, and I love looking at it, but I don't think I've ever cooked a thing from it.  Not a criticism of the magazine at all, it just goes to my point that it depends on who is doing the cooking.