You have to be pretty nervy to launch a new food magazine in this economy. But that is just what Cutty Parker Media has done. I noticed the premier issue of FOOD magazine in CVS recently, with Mario Batali’s mug on the cover, and of course had to give it a try.
According to the press release I found online, “The magazine showcases top celebrity chefs and food personalities, including Mario Batali, Gordon Ramsay, Ina Garten, Nigella Lawson, Emeril Lagasse, and many more. It offers delicious recipes, ranging from the gourmet to the everyday, but also delves into the stories behind the recipes.”
The issue is, to be sure, full of celebrities, and the editorial tone is definitely “lite.” And, be warned lovers of Gourmet and Saveur, articles and features are short, chockablock with graphics and photos.
A feature on winter squash exemplifies the “gourmet to everyday” approach. I know I’ll want to try Ina Garten’s Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette, since it’s made with arugula, one of my favorite greens. But another recipe, “Squash Casserole,” starts with a packet of dry ranch salad dressing mix and ends with crushed saltines. And even though the photo looks good, the pictured squash here is clearly (to me at least) not winter squash, but the more plebian (again, to me) yellow summer squash.
But in the end, if FOOD gets a few more of us into the kitchen to cook from scratch, more power to them! In this economy, we need to do more of that.
NJ SPICE 
