I figured it was about time I brought you another magazine round-up, so even though I just might make one more dish from this month’s issue (the Bourbon-Caramel Pumpkin Tart on the front cover is wooing me), I decided I’d go ahead and talk about Fine Cooking.
If you’ve been with me long enough, you already know that this magazine has a special place in my heart. I found it not long after Gourmet Magazine closed it’s print shop and it was love at first read.
The photos were gorgeous, the articles informative and engaging and the recipes, oh my, the recipes. Delicious. Decadent. Challenging. Simple. They ran the gamut.
But, beyond the magazine, Fine Cooking was my first introduction to the people behind the periodicals. The folks in the editorial section contacted me about providing a recipe for their ‘What We’re Cooking Now’ section. Ask me if I hesitated in saying yes.
Since then, despite the fact that I’ve been a demanding blogger, asking for subscriptions and cookbooks to give away to you on a regular basis, every correspondence I’ve had with my friends at Fine Cooking have been amazing. They’re friendly, accommodating and helpful.
Still, at the end of the day, it’s about the food, right? So, here’s why I love Fine Cooking.
Apricot, Pecan and Apple Bread. Even though I got this from the magazine, it’s my recipe. Welcome to ‘Create Your Own Recipe,’ a regular feature in Fine Cooking.
Spanning several pages, this section allows the home cook to create a dish within the framework of an established base. For the quick bread spread, the flour, eggs, and butter were measured out. Directions on how and when to combine everything were set in place. Temperature and cooking time were established.
My part was giving the bread flavor. I chose the cardamom, clove and nutmeg. Fine Cooking just told me how much to use. I picked apples, dried apricots and pecans. They just measured out the amount.
The bread I created was fantastic and we devoured it within two days. I might make it the same way again, but with all the variations out there, maybe not.
Bacon and Egg Ramen. Bacon and eggs. You got that, right? You also know that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, even though I eat it late enough in the morning to call it brunch. For some reason, most magazines neglect breakfast, including one recipe every few months. I like to think that Fine Cooking is catering to me, just me, because there aren’t many months when there isn’t a savory breakfast waiting for me in the pages. This one was fantastic.
White Beans, Bacon and Rosemary. Yup, that’s more bacon. Fine Cooking’s dish included trout, but I had salmon so I used that instead. After all, I was after that amazing side dish. I liked this because it was quick to pull together but also a very unique side. That the magazine. On one hand, the dishes can be so complex (but fun) that I use every bowl and pan in the kitchen and have hours of clean-up afterwards. On the other hand, they can be put together in a half hour or so. Either way, they end up being really good, like this was.
Pumpkin Ginger Tunnel Cake. Okay, this is one of those recipes that received rave reviews from my taste-testers but gave me fits in the cooking arena. As you can see, making a tunnel for the cake didn’t work as well as I expected. The filling leaked out to the edges, giving my cake a wide, white band. The cooking time in the magazine didn’t match how long I had to leave my cake in the oven. Luckily, the flavor was wonderful and everyone loved the cake.
Rosemary and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I love the way the chefs at Fine Cooking grab a normal recipe and take a step outside the box with it. Mashed potatoes. A standard side dish for everything from basic pot roast (which is what I served these ones with) to the table-laden Thanksgiving dinner. Fine Cooking took things up a notch by adding garlic (swoon), rosemary, and a pinch of nutmeg for that ‘what is that?’ delicious extra. That’s what they do.
So there you have it. Five dishes that take you through an issue of Fine Cooking magazine. This one didn’t have the Classic / Classic Update section, which I also adore, but I’ll be sure to share that with you one of these days. For now, just know that you’ll continue to see this one here from time to time. If you’re interested in learning more about it, stick around. They’re sending me a copy of their slow cooker cookbook so I can do a giveaway.
Until then, happy cooking!
The post Magazine Recipe Round-Up No. 2: Fine Cooking Magazine, October/November 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.