Reviews For Saveur Magazine


SAVEUR: A Gourmet's Delight (and I liked it too!)

This magazine is for all of you gourmet chefs. It is a beautifully written magazine with colored photographs of the food selections and the countries from which they originate. Even the advertisements are quite cosmopolitan and international in content.

My personal disclaimer is that I am not a gourmet cook, or expert wine taster, or any of the categories that lovers of this magazine would fall into. The only cooking that I do, or recipes that I enjoy, are those that list ingredients that I always keep around the house. The only wine I drink is homemade by my Italian husband. However, I do appreciate the finer things in life ? and this magazine is one of them.

The monthly features are:

FARE: This section of the magazine features short clips of various recipes, spices, and herbs. This month?s issue highlighted fennel, mints, fondue and a Winner?s Circle Pie recipe. It also reviewed a book entitled, ?The HerbFarm Cookbook.?

REPORTER: The Reporter reviewer went to France to discover the mystery of Le Vrai Camembert (a French cheese that is coated in a powdery mold and delicious myth). This article had lovely pictures of the French area where this cheese is found?the village of Camembert.

DRINK: Saveur Drink is an article about the vintage wines of Virginia. Again, there are many pictures along with an excellent history of wine making in Virginia. Also in Drink, is a list of Tasting Notes from wine experts about certain vintages of wines from around the world.

SOURCE: This review is focused about certain aspects of wine making. This month it presented the history of the Lagier Ranches, located in California and the berries that are grown there.

CLASSIC: I loved this section! It is about famous desserts from international places. Reviewed here was an English dessert called, ?Fool.? This is a frothy cream-based drink with fruit.

KITCHEN: Kitchen is about various foods that have been tested and recipes for cooking certain item. Featured this month were octopus, clams, mushrooms and birds. This section often gives more information about articles that have appeared in the monthly edition.

WHERE IN THE WORLD?!

This magazine sends reporters to places far and near to find authentic cuisine from around the world. Many of the recipes listed ingredients that were as foreign to me as the places they come from. This takes gourmet cooking to great heights and excitement as cooks from around the world read and explore these new foods.

Some of the cuisine explored this month was from Crete. The article was entitled, ?Island of Ancient Food.? The article carried history and information about the country as well as the foods they prepare. Highlighted were snails, Psari me Bamies (fish baked with dried okra) and Htapothi Krasato me Maratho (octopus cooked in wine with wild fennel). Along with the food from each country, drinks are also profiled. Raki was the drink introduced for Crete. There were many more recipes and drinks from Crete throughout the article. All of the review had numerous, colored photography of the area and the food and drink peppered (no pun intended) within the pages.

That was one thing that I really enjoyed about the articles from Saveur. Each country was contained in numerous pages. The Crete article, for example, was 17 pages long.

Also, at the end of each country?s article, is a page called The Guide. This gives the reader tips on where to stay, eat, and do when you visit the country discussed.

The other articles included: Empress of San Francisco (restaurateur Cecilia Chiang); Ipswich Clams (from Cape Ann, Massachusetts); and East of Houston, West of Baton Rouge (about the combination of Cajun, Southern, and Texas cooking.)

?A variety of articles about a sampling of gourmet delights,? is a good description of this magazine. By reading the articles, you learn history along with ways to cook authentic cuisine from the places visited every month. Even if you aren?t into history, the recipes selected sound truly delicious.

Read, cook, eat, and enjoy!!!!





Recommended:
Yes

Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts

Saveur Magazine: A Gourmet Traveler's Ultimate Guide

I love food. I love travel. Inevitably, Saveur Magazine found its way into my hands. It is a magazine about all the good things in life: food, wine and a variety of destinations. If none of that interests you, or chain restaurants are your first choice when eating out, Saveur Magazine may not be for you.

Food is fun!
There is plenty of variety when it comes to food in Saveur Magazine. Selections can range from down home BBQ cooking in Alabama to gourmet French food in Switzerland. There really are no limits. Many of the food articles feature recipes, so if you can't make it to Scotland to try the Raspberry Trifle, you can at least attempt to make it yourself. Most of the food articles have some "how to's", but this is not a magazine soley focused on do-it-yourself recipes. There is also a healthy balance of restaurant features as what could be considered educational pieces on different types of foods. It's all very interesting, even to someone like myself who can barely boil water.

To satisfy your wino tendencies...
Saveur Magazine does a fantastic job giving you the complete wine story. Often they will feature a winery, rather than just a wine. Most of the wines Saveur picks are off the beaten path, but if you are adventurous, you will not be disappointed. If you are planning any wine tasting trips (especially old Napa Valley or Sonoma), I would highly advise getting a few issues of Saveur Magazine for ideas or recommendations of where to go.

How to Manage Your Schedule
One of my favorite magazine features in Saveur is their Monthly Agenda. It's a fun side column that spans several pages with important dates and fun facts. Important dates are usually wine or food related- special events occuring nationwide (sometimes worldwide). It is a great list of goings on- especially if you plan to be traveling, or if you're lucky, an event is being held in your home town.

Why It Appeals to Me
The photography in this magazine is good enough to frame. It really captures the places being written about. People are featured as much as the locations. I love the somewhat eclectic, yet highly organized style of Saveur Magazine. Even the ads are fun to read (think Viking kitchens, fun wines and Mediterranean cruises). It is a high end magazine, but they aren't afraid to be "shabby chic" if it's worthwhile. I suppose it could be considered a boutique magazine that does not attempt to exclude anyone in order to be pretentious.

I'm not a chef by any means, I don't have a sub-zero refrigerator and I'm probably not taking a cruise in the Mediterranean any time soon, but I can still dream. Saveur Magazine makes me feel a little bit closer to those dreams. I would highly recommend this magazine to anyone with even the slightest interest in yummy foods and cool places.


Recommended:
Yes

Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts

Hands Above The Rest

First let me saw that I love to cook. I've been buying cooking magazines of all kinds since I was a teenager. Most I clip through or only keep for a short while then pass it along. When Saveur first came out, I picked it up thinking it might be a neat new magazine to look at.

It's more than just "neat". I rarely read the articles in cooking magazines, but I found myself reading it cover to cover over a period of days. I enjoyed the warmth of the stories about real people and places and foods I could actually picture myself making.

It always starts of with a calendar of food related events around the world and dates to note (famous foodie birthdays, etc...). The tidbits type section contains is all sorts of random thoughts that are a fun read as well. Interesting New Years customs, where did the sandwich really get its name from.

Then it's on to the meat of the magazine, the amazing articles. There is usually always at least one or two articles on specific ingredients or dishes. Did you know that there is an American source for real quality wasabi now? There is also articles on a specific region or city and it's culinary noteworthiness. They don't pick places like Paris (unless it's about their delightful small neighbor cafe's) because they've been done to death. Instead they focus on places you may not know or thought you did. The article on real Hawaiin food was fantastic! You also get one article on spirits, whether it's a specific type of wine or a unique brewhouse. And thought not in every issue (even though I wish it was) is a unique product article. Canned cheese, handmade ice cream, something that you just don't find in your neighborhood store but should consider seeking out.

Finally, the Kitchen section are a welcome addition as they go into detail on a particular technique or a side recipe that was mentioned in one of the articles. The Pantry section lists how to purchase items mentioned in the articles should they not be normally found through regular channels.

For all this, you don't get near as many ads as one would think. The are generally held till the back of the magazine so you forget they're even there.

Besides being an amazing read, the pictures are amazing and enticing. Well done and easy to see (large pictures) make this magazine a feast for the sense.

The only true downside to this magazine is the fact that it doesn't come out monthly.

If you love to cook interesting foods, or just reading about them, this is a magazine worth picking up.


Recommended:
Yes

Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts

A Food-Lovers Necessity!!!

Cooking It Up, Caconti Style

After snapping it up a few times at my local Barnes & Noble, I became a subscriber to Saveur 6 months ago. It has already earned the title of my favorite gourmet magazine, and the only subscription that I absolutely forced my parents to forward to me here in Venice.

Each issue is a feast for the eyes, the stomach and the soul. It is an eclectic blend of tidbits, in-depth articles and painfully simple recipes for all tastes. It's a classier and glossier version of the Food Channel, combining far-reaching palates with a slightly highbrow American sensibility. Refined without being snooty, Saveur is a magazine for those whose adore food. For those who don't live and breath to try new dishes, the loving descriptions of recipes may seem overly dramatic and unnecessary. Saveur is a celebration of food in all of its many incarnations, and I have found its food and wine recommendations to be nothing but flawless. For those who love the kitchen and crave variety, this magazine treats you to a new kaleidoscope of flavors every month, refusing to be bound to any single cuisine...

Some other aspects worth praising:

1.The Guide- At the end of every issue is a guide to shopping, since many of the ingredients can be difficult to find in rural areas. Need a free range duck in two days? It's here. Imported cassis nectar? Not a problem. If it's buyable and edible, or useful in the kitchen, than it's here?

2.The Calendar- In the opening pages, this calendar lists all of the best culinary events all over the world. From Florida's Strawberry Festival to France's truffle season, it's all here for the international gastronomic tourist.

3.Saveur Kitchen- Did the last article you read tell you to "French blanch" the vegetables and you have no idea what that means? Fear not! Saveur Kitchen, towards the end of every issue, is a supplemental collection of one-paragraph articles that expand on topics and techniques necessary for using recipes, from how to properly pack a foie gras to how to ask your butcher for a carpaccio-worthy cut of meat.

The Venice Issue

The Janaury issue featured my favorite location on Earth, Venice. Packed with recipes from the cities most famous restaurants, Saveur manages to capture much of the complexity and richness of Venetian cuisine, a feat which many gourmet magazines have failed to achieve in the past. The whole theme was crowned by an article featuring Marcella Hazan's final days in Venice. The piece was both a poignant remembrance of her contributions to the international popularity of the cuisine as well as a careful explanation of many of her best insights into Venetian food.

So what ever happened to that dogeared copy of Saveur? It's here with me in Venice, and I've used it as a guide for some of my own experimental cooking, including a delicious Fegato Alla Veneziana (Calves liver with onions). It's also helped me find my favorite bar/wine store, and that in itself has made my subscription worthwhile.

The Passion

The respectful and almost loving attention to detail in every issue is what makes Saveur so wonderful. It is not a sweeping statement on any cuisine, but instead simply tries to capture a few of the most representative recipes and experiences. It is happy to be a slice of life instead of trying to act as the whole pie, and that deliberate focus helps separate it from more self-absorbed magazines.


Recommended:
Yes

Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts

Filled with great recipe ideas and food facts!

As an author of a cookbook and webmaster of a site featuring old-fashioned, home style foods, trying new recipes is not just an adventure, but a job in my home. At first, Saveur seemed too fancy and elaborate to suit my usual cooking style, but I sure am glad I gave it a shot!

I have no idea how this magazine started coming to my home (I never subscribed) and the first few issues were thumbed through and set aside. Then, when I was pregnant and cooking became a form of entertainment, I looked through Saveur for something more challenging and impressive to prepare. I found it in Saveur!

Now, I look forward to each and every issue in my mailbox. My husband and I have prepared countless dishes from the magazine and every single one has been extraordinary! Many of them are even easy to prepare, despite the seemingly intimidating list of ingredients and instructions. Though most recipes call for hard to find ingredients, we've substituted them for more common ones and still had great results. However, if you want to use the ingredients listed in the magazine, Saveur is kind enough to provide sources in the back of the magazine for many items.

Most recipes are incorporated into an article about a specific region or type of food. These articles are very informative and knowing the origin or significance of a dish makes them more meaningful. After skimming through, looking at the recipes, reading the articles are a must!

I have to admit, the ads are second only to the recipes as my favorite part of Saveur. The specialty food sources and the kitchen appliance advertisements keep me daydreaming for hours!

The only information within Saveur that I have no interest in is the wine reviews. Not a problem, though, just pass through it and move on to better things.

I see many other reviewers noted the price as being high. I think it's worth every penny! We don't have the luxury of frequenting five-star restaurants, but with Saveur, we can acquire that top-notch fare at home.

This magazine isn't for the amateur cook or those not interested in learning about food in history or origins of the edibles we love. Food professionals and those home chefs seeking a challenge in the kitchen will find Saveur a treat.

Recommended:
Yes

Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts

Saveur

I read several food magazines, it is the only way to stay on top of trends in the food business. I have had subscriptions to lots of different ones over the years, but I now keep only two, "Savuer" and the "National Culinary Review" (the magazine of the American Culinary Federation). Saveur's photography and recipes give you the sense of what it would be like to live in the most gastronomical regions of the world. I enjoy the detail they give on raw ingredients and unusual produce like cardoon, oba leaf, and sea beans.
I also appreciate the way the recipes are presented, these are not what I call "Suzy-homemaker" recipes. They are professional, educated, quality recipes that can be adapted to a restaurant, or catering setting as easily as used at home.
The only drawback to Saveur is its price. It is one of the most expensive food magazines out there, but there aren't very many advertisements so it is worth the money.


Recommended:
Yes

Recommended For: Anyone

Saveur - A magazine with culinary delights

Saveur is one classy magazine-not just a glossy about recipes and how to cook things. It is the food version of National Geographic; where it comes from, the variations, its history and its cultural implications and where the featured items have their origins.
I look forward to each issue every month and when I am done, I send it off to a friend who might be ill or an aged aunt or whatever. It is much too pretty a magazine to throw away.
Sometimes they pick regions or areas of the world or they choose a fruit or vegetable. But, it is always informative, a touch of class, lots of good illustrations and wonderfully graphic pictures accompanied by lots of info that is just good stuff to know.
Even the ads are not run-of-the-mill. Best of all, this is a magazine about culture and the role that food plays in it. It is about old Italian neighborhoods, Indian kitchens, Turkish foods, things that we seldom think about in our self absorbed worlds. This month they did an article about Apple Pie in America. Heart warming and worthy to be read. Wines, kitchen gadgets, layouts are all a part of this distinctive publication. If you are starting to think about what to get Aunt Wilma for Christmas this year - do her a favor if she still enjoys cooking and send her one of these and see how much she enjoys it!


Recommended:
Yes

Gourmet History

I first picked this magazine up at my allergy doctor's office and was delighted to find he subscribed, I now have a subscription myself. Saveur is educational in that it makes no assumptions that you already know about wines or gourmet food, it provides both the history and and present day knowledge one needs to expand their recipe collection. Most of the recipes are not the "take all day" variety but are well within a reasonable time limit for the working person. Unlike many other magazines, Saveur does not fill their magazine with articles on furniture, decorating or other topics, it stays true to reporting either food itself or the history of it. I look forward to it arriving every month.


Recommended:
Yes

Saveur-savor it!

Ok, I am probably their most avid subscriber. I own every single issue with the exception of #11 (unavailable through back order). I look forward to each issue, not just for their awesome recipes, but to learn about new cultures, new cuisines, new trends. I used to be a professional chef, and I knew one chef in Boston who literally copied ideas from Saveur each and every month. I don't know how they do it but they have their hands on the pulse of the industry. I might go as far as to say they set the trends-guess who else made wedge salad so popular again? (Don't miss the Saveur 100 Issues where they list their top 100 favorite things in the cooking world).
I was dismayed when I read the one negative review of Saveur-maybe it's "fluff" to someone who's looking for a magazine that's loaded with recipes, like Gourmet. But the (few) recipes that are in Saveur all WORK! You can take any recipe, follow it, and achieve great results. I can't say that about any other cooking magazine. And believe me, I have tried them all.


Recommended:
Yes

Absolutly the best

The best part of Saveur is the way they present cuisine as not simply food, but as an integral part of culture. They are also diligent at preserving and introducing the regional differences that make cultural exploration fascinating.

No other cooking magazine is better than Saveur...but it should be noted that their wine information is not particularly strong. Unfortunately I do not know of any other magazine in the US that is equally strong in cuisine and wine (though interestingly the French version of Saveur is quite strong in terms of their wine coverage.)

I found this magazine with their 5th issue and I've been a loyal subscriber since then including purchase of their first four back issues.


Recommended:
Yes

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