I liked the "National Geographic" allusion that a couple other folks mentioned in their reviews. That is really very true. Saveur takes the best of both worlds-travel and food-and combines them in one of the most interesting, well-written and photographed magazines out there. When it arrives I feel like a wonderful little treasure has just entered the house and I look forward to the moment when I can sit down with a cup of tea (or maybe a glass of wine!) to read Saveur.
The National Geographic of Cooking Mags
Simply extraordinary, with well-written articles and amazing photography, as well as fun side-bar info on culinary/cultural events worldwide.
A Treasure!
This magazine introduces the reader/cook to other cultures and regions of the world so it gives a lot of pleasure and a global education to anyone open to a more sophisticated approach to their lives and their kitchens.
First Class Cabin
Perusing the current issue of this magazine is much like being on a great ship slowly heading to an unknown destination. One can leisurely stroll through the pages printed on wonderful paper to find great background stories and hidden places you might not otherwise find. Thanks to the editor's fine eye and excellent taste this magazine is much more than a series of recipes. From what I have seen it appears thematic with much inter-relating between articles and food. The photography is excellent. The pictures of the various food items are so real it is always making me very hungry by the time I am through reading it. If there is a caveat I would really like a few more recipes from some of the featured restaurants and/or provinces or areas of the countries the magazine visits. A small thing in an otherwise greatly to be looked forward to arrival every month.
Recommended: Yes
Recommended For: Professionals
The secret delight...
SAVEUR has been a guilty pleasure for me for some time. Guilty because it is hard to take serious a magazine with such a hoity sounding name... and admittedly some of the travel-and-food stories are just on the edge of self-indulgent, self-concious behaviour. They laugh at me at home (or used to) for reading it.
What makes it good is the content. The cover story each issue is usually a "destination" article, focused on a particular area and its food (cuisine is the wrong word here), written in a personal vein, with beautiful photos, and this is the heart of the magazine. But the other content is equally beautiful and it is amazing how many of the recipes actually are useful and have become mainstays for me... not just something good looking.
Hide the cover if you must, but I think this is the best "foodie" magazine.
A serious magazine for serious foodies
Saveur is a serious food magazine for the person who is serious about food. Saveur focuses on the cuisine and food customs of a region and highlights a few authentic recipes from that region. The recipes include ingredients that may be unique to the region, and the ingredients may often be hard to find in your local supermarket. Saveur is not so much a "recipe" magazine; it is a magazine for people who enjoy reading about local food, customs, cooking techniques and ingredients. The magazine does what it does very well.
Not your typical Cooking Magazine
I have over 16 Magazine subscriptions, 10 of them being Cooking Magazines. Saveur provides you with a different sort of cooking magazine, definately with a heavy intent on the background of food, their articles are more in depth about the locations and even the layout of the magazine is different.
If you enjoy this magazine there is a web-site that you absolutely must check out it's called "ethnic grocer" you can find all of the rare ingredients that you find in some of the recipes that are featured in Saveur. I always feel like I've actually walked in the shoes of the writer and the articles are so vivid that you can almost taste the exotic-ness <---- is that word?) LOL of the flavors. If you can get the subscription at a good price, GO FOR IT!
A warning though be prepared to want to immediately run out get a passport and travel to the locations that are featured.
Happy Reading
Beautiful photography, Romantic Content
The focus of Saveur seems to be more on the experience and essence of food, rather than recipes themselves. The photography is gorgeous and the articles elevate the topics to Romantic levels. I am a true food lover, but sometimes the tone of these articles gets to be a bit much in that the writer will go on and on in hyperbole about crabbing in the Chesapeake Bay or the olives of Italy -- to the point where I think a little credibility has been lost. Having said that, the articles are well-researched and always do include a handful of worthwhile and inspiring recipes. I have had great success with their recipes.
Bang for buck
I subscribed to this magazine because I read about it on a blog and there was a deep discount for a subscription. I had never even picked one up before. My first issue arrived a couple of days ago, and I must say that I am really enjoying it and look forward to future issues. I was a little concerned at first that there were too many ads, but the content was interesting, and the photography is beautiful. I believe that I will end up reading pretty much the entire magazine -- not flip through and put it aside. It will take several issues before I know whether I would pay full price for a subscription.
Glossy Fluff
I subscribed to this magazine for over a year. I found it to be a nice collection of pictures and ads for food. A fluff, it did not satiate my culinary needs. I guess I want a more serious magazine.
For the most part, I feel I did not waste my money. The recipes in it are tasty and the stories are informative. They could have been more in-depth about the items though. The little side info on local events throughout the country are nice, the articles are just a taste to make you want to travel... They lack the meat of a great story, why things are served or popular where they were. why the item might be a local favorite and not to the next region over. I guess a bit more research is needed on the part of the writer.
The photography is excellent, good presentations of the food and areas in discussion. They themselves make a great collage of ideas.
Worth the money, if you want a magazine that is basically pretty and has a few good recipes, go for it. I would rather buy a good betty Crocker cookbook.
