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A New Love: Jacques Pépin's Fast Food
Talking Him Into It - Feeding The Guy
Another Change, and Two Summer Shortcakes
« Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks | Main | On Rue Tatin, Take 2 »
Sometimes I think these magazines are marketed like the Summer clothing that shows up when there's still snow on the ground. I've had the May issue of Bon Appétit on my table almost since the beginning of April, so here's the first installment:
Bon Appétit
The Caribbean theme doesn't excite me right away - the pictures, though gorgeous, make me want to lie back with a tropical drink, not stand over the stove in my tiny kitchen.
Like
The pictures (wow, I want to be on the beach!); cocktail sections, both the Caribbean Cocktail and the gorgeous "Mix and Muddle"; the in depth article on rum producers of Guadeloupe and Martinique; and the "Tasting the Caribbean" piece, which finally makes me want to cook.
Don't Like
The long sections about traveling to the Caribbean - if I wanted a travel magazine, I'd buy one.
Yum
Hominy breakfast porridge; "Shark and Bake" fish sandwiches; mango, kiwi, watermelon drinks; Mango-Filled Cream Puffs (the solution to the Beard Papa addiction); Tangerine-Honey Flan with Grapefruit Segments; Guava and Manchengo Phyllo Pouches with Passion Fruit Syrup; Banana Split with Curried Chocolate-Coconut Sauce; and Shrimp, Mango, and Jicama Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette (I need some real food to go with the desserts).
Living
My God that's an impossible standard the cake on the cover sets.
Like
The info on replacing regular four with whole wheat flour - really useful; Cinco de Mayo decorations are cute and cheap; a Vietnamese Mother's Day - such a lovely article
Don't Like
The clip art - do we really need fake home made? Why not just do real home made? The "Helpful How Tos" aren't even new, and they're all very common things; the leather piece (new ideas, but not easy or practical) though the headboard is lovely.
Yum
Croissants - and you don't even need a stand-mixer; Orange and Buttermilk Parfait with candied kumquats in syrup; Petits Choux with rose creams; Champagne Sorbet with tapioca; Frozen Green Tea Souflés; Easy Pea Ravioli with Mint, Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs, and Honey Zabagione with Grapefruit from "What's for Dinner"; Salade Niçoise Sanwiches.
Real Simple
I bought the issue hoping the room makeover ideas would help us pull our apartment together. Unfortunately the section was much smaller than I'd hoped, but there were still some things I really liked:
Like
Lost sock memorial day - a day to throw out your unmatched socks; the idea of using nail polish to mark your keys; the bookcase covers (from Ikea) that keep dust and clutter away and look so cute.
Don't Like
I don't, however, particularly like their "solutions" - they're mostly things that will cost money and add clutter to my life.
Yum
Raspberry-Rhubarb Tart; Pan-Seared Lemon Sole; and Roast Cod with Crisp Potatoes
Posted by georgia to Reviews on April 20, 2006 10:51 PM | permalink | Email this post
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I never understood Real Simple Magazine. There seems something wrong with an expensive glossy magazine with, as you say, solutions that cost money and require you to buy more stuff, as the solution to simplifying one's life. Not to mention the fact that my life would be a lot simpler if I would throw out those stacks of magazines that I'm keeping around because I'm afraid they contain the one great recipe or idea that I don't want to miss but can't find the time to read!
Posted by: Barbara at April 21, 2006 06:52 AM
I love you because you don't make me feel bad about my "magazine problem" ... as in ... I buy too many of them.
As always, great review.
I was disappointed with the May Bon Appetit. They usually use the May issue to focus on one part of the world and it's cuisine but somehow this issue looks too much like a vacation advertisement ... mind you I'd love to be vacationing in the Caribbean. But still ... it's supposed to be a food magazine.
Posted by: Ivonne at April 21, 2006 10:42 AM
Amen!
Posted by: Georgia at April 21, 2006 10:47 AM
