book reviews

Magazine Courtships

Nibbles

I think I’ve written before about getting into a magazine abundance rut–so many back issues, so little time–and pairing down to a manageable trifecta (Glamour, Imbibe and Food Network Magazine). Of course, my info-on-file with the Glamour subscription expired so it’s been on hold until I get my wallet in gear and update it and I missed some Imbibe‘s from the move and it’s expired. So I’m down to just Food Network Magazine and I miss the others showing up in the mail.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, this past month I’ve gotten 3 offers from 3 other magazines, all courting me for my subscription dollars. I feel so in-demand!

First was Bon Appetit offering me their Professional Discount Rate of $10 for 1 year (plus $3 shipping & handling). 12 issues of a long-running leader in the cooking magazine world plus a free cookbook. Hmmmm… not much to think about on that one, really. Especially with Gourmet having closed it’s doors recently.

Then a newcomer: Vegetarian Times tempted me with a 2 year subscription (19 issues) for $11. Now, I’m not a vegetarian and I’m not planning on becoming one, but I do recognize the health benefits of meatless main dishes and finding out new ways of preparing them is never a bad thing. I admit, I’m a little on the fence, still, but leaning towards acceptance.

Finally, what shows up in my mailbox one day but a sample issue (breaking out the big guns, no?) of Cuisine at Home. Apparently it thinks it’s best feature is that it contains absolutely no ads, because it says this even above the title! That’s some confidence. And speaking of confidence, let’s take a look at their price: $28 for 1 year (6 issues).

Now wait just a minute.

Bon Appetit is your BMOC, the one you’ll gladly take home to Mom: proven track record, a good family over at CondeNast. He’s generous, too, but not too pushy–he doesn’t need to be. Vegetarian Times , however, is more like the sweet, unassuming boy next door who’d really like a chance and is willing to go the extra mile. He’s not pushy, either, because he knows that once you get to know him you’ll be happy you signed on for that 2nd year for an extra dollar–he’s determined to prove to you he’s worth it.

Cuisine at Home, however, is the cocky, brash, bantam rooster type: you’ve never heard of him but he’s going to make sure you don’t forget him! Oh, sure, if you act now he’ll throw in an extra year for “free” but that first year? Yeah, it’s gonna cost you. But, he says, I’ve got no ads, I’m “100% Cooking” and I’ll prove it to you! I’ve got pictures galore and I make fine cuisine accessible to the everyday home cook!

Ah, but that where he tips his hand. I’m not the “everyday home cook.” I have a culinary degree and his sample issue recipes like Shrimp Risotto, grilled Pizza and Chicken Piccata are pretty basic to me. And, I think, a lot of self-professed foodies would consider it the same.

Furthermore, I don’t mind ads in cooking magazines. Why? Because the ads are targeted, they make sense: appliances, ingredients, cookware–I’m happy to see ads for these because it let’s me know if something interesting is out there that I might want to check out. Unlike website ads, magazine ads don’t blink or pop out at you, covering what you’re trying to read.

So at almost $5 an issue, I’m not inclined to invite Cuisine at Home in for a nightcap any time soon. It missed it’s mark with me, but that doesn’t mean others, those newer to cooking and looking to expand from basics, won’t find it interesting.

Creative Cupcakes!

Nibbles

Have you noticed how many cupcakeries have sprung up around the country or, even, in your own town? Cupcakes are everywhere and it’s easy to see why.

Cupcakes are:

  • Portable
  • Cute
  • and Perfectly Portioned

Karen Tack & Alan Richardson, creative co-authors of Hello, Cupcake!, have come back for another batch of cute and surprisingly simple designs for a variety of occasions–bringing show-stopping cupcakes to home kitchens.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the book for review and to participate in a chat with the authors, hosted by McCormick. What fun!

What's New, Cupcake?

The book is brimming with pictures of both the finished cupcakes and many of the steps it takes to make them, making it easy for the home cook to replicate the fun ideas in the book as well as learn the techniques to improvise their own. The authors jokingly call themselves “lazy decorators” but, as Karen pointed out, lazy for some translates to efficient and smart.

For instance, a lot of the supplies you’ll need are basic kitchen tools. Most of the ingredients, outside of the cupcakes themselves, can be purchased in the candy aisle of your grocery store and take just a little bit of manipulation to turn them into great details.

Even with my background in pastry and cake decorating, I was able to pick up several fun ideas. I’m not sure I would have thought to use lime chewy candy to make broccoli spears the way they did for their Chinese Takeout cupcakes. And the marshmallow flowers are absolutely to die for! Simply snip a marshmallow on the diagonal and dip the cut edge into colored sugars, then arrange them in concentric circles to form the most darling, elegant flowers I’ve seen in a while.

Now, I’ll be honest, not all of the short-cuts and simplifications are my cup of tea. I’m not the biggest fan of Twinkies but there’s nothing to say I can’t substitute my own pound cake mini-loaves. In fact, a lot of the short-cuts can be made more gourmet for those looking for more of a culinary challenge.

And to top things off, I’ve got 2 author-signed copies of What’s New, Cupcake? to offer to you! Since the opportunity came from my connection over at Circle of Food, it’s only fair that I offer the giveaway over there. Head over to this same post over on Circle of Food and leave a comment with your favorite flavor of cupcake to be entered in the drawing. At the end of the month I’ll draw two comments out of a cake-pan for the books and a little something extra from me!