As you will perhaps, remember, I actually love magazines. And, I love browsing food magazines. And, this is harder and harder to do when one lives in a not-so-urban area and wants to try a different magazine once in a while. Lucky Peach is dying or has died (and is not around Geneva in any case; (check here for a story on its "mysterious demise") and Gourmet (rest their souls) is long gone everywhere except my basement. Yes, I subscribe to Bon Appetit and to Food and Wine. I am not quite sure why, though it lets me browse recipes with pictures. We even get Wine Spectator (which I admit is a new thing, having let our subscription lapse years ago -- I renewed in part because I had so many frequent flyer points it was free. And, I am finding it very interesting in terms of its coverage of Finger Lakes wines and other matters.)
In any case, I like magazines on occasion. I have even been perusing the New Yorker in part for the cartoons (dare I admit it?) and in part because it seems to come very single day. (I know that is an exaggeration.) We killed the Nation for the same overburdening of our psyches, but not the New Yorker. Perhaps it is because one of us knows Dorothy Wickenden. (Hint: not me.)
In any case, to end the digressions, I am writing today about Milk Street, a newish magazine by Christopher Kimball, linked to his cafe in Boston and much more. As he puts it "you know me, I am th e guy with the bow tie." Located at 177 Milk Street in Boston, he is focused on what he calls a "new home cooking," teaching cooking classes, headlining a magazine, doing television and radio -- the whole shebang. He is, according to his website, focused on enduring kitchen values which, he argues, are global. There is no longer an ethnic cuisine, there is simply cuisine.
The magazine has the feel of Cook's Magazine, is ad free, and has (for me fortunately) fairly large print and is somewhat sparse. The tone it magazine chatty. (Why does it seem like Cook's? Because the guy with the bow tie, Christopher Kimball, founded it in 1980. Who knew?)
I am not quite sure what I think, to be honest, but for the first time ever I chose to order something I saw mentioned in the Meze" section (aka the section where short little pieces talk about items available from various foodie websites and purveyors -- a kind of advertising without advertising I guess). One upon a time I had some mole powder (yes, cheating) from a swell spice shop in Denver. I have never seen it again. Hence, when I saw Kimball's recommendation for a mole powder from olivenation.com I diddled and dawdled and finally ordered some. (I also got pink peppercorns for a recipe for okra pickles I have, some sun dried tomatoes of the same recipe and . . . well, one more item). My order has not come yet, but do anticipate a review. (Yes, I feel guilty for ordering the stuff, but . . . once in a while a small indulgence?)
For a free copy of the charter issue, click here. Here is the youtube channel for Milk Street. Yes, the youtube channel is wonderful. And, do note that Kimball does have a cookbook out. He is everywhere! Or Milk Street is.
