Would I be a magaphile or a zineophile? Whatever it is, I'm one of them.
As far back as I can remember I've loved reading magazines in addition to the books that are always on my nightstand. They're a quick read with good ideas, inspiration, recipes and other helpful information. Back in the day when things we're really tight I'd buy a magazine at the checkout that was very, very inexpensive. The product reflected the low price as it was printed on paper that was just one step above toilet paper. It did contain interesting information though.
I'm constantly scanning all the magazine racks at the store and I'll stand for quite awhile looking through different publications. I can't say that there's one magazine that I'll buy sight unseen without first checking out the content.
Here's a good one that I found recently. It's the Food Network magazine and it's filled with good recipes. There's a little pull out section in the middle that has the 50 taco recipes promised on the cover. What I like about this one is that it's oversized and printed on quality stock with a slick cover. All this for only $3.99.
My next favorite magazine genre is the creative bunch which would include sewing, crocheting, knitting and of course anything with apron in the title.
(apron-ology) is a yummy collection of inspiration aprons. Normally there isn't an actual apron pattern included. The apron designers tell the steps they took to achieve the look. This publication is $14.99 which means that I look it over pretty carefully before purchasing to make sure there's enough useful content. I also wait until I have a coupon.
Stitch is another favorite, but again, I don't buy every issue because not all the projects appeal to me and this one is also $14.99.
You know I'm going to pick it up if it contains an apron pattern.
This apron turned out to be a real winner. It's based on a vintage pattern and only takes one yard of fabric. The downside is that you have to draft the pattern from the instructions. It wasn't all that hard actually. I have an end roll of blank newprint that I use for this purpose. It's laid out on the bias which means the apron hangs beautifully. The next time I make this I'll round that neckline because applying bias around that square was a challenge.
All this brings me to my magazine experience the other day when I was grocery shopping with the Other Mother. There was an issue with a beautiful photo on the cover. It was promising lots of terrific recipes inside. I scanned the pages and came across an article entitled, "The Other Pink Meat".
What could that be? The original pink meat is, of course, a nice medium rare steak. I'm wracking my brain to imagine what the other pink meat might be. Certainly not chicken. Salmon could be considered pink but it's a fish not a meat. The photo in this article looked suspiciously like a pork loin roast. YES, they were suggesting that you should try medium rare pork.
Seriously, I have the heebie jeebies just typing this. The article goes on to point out that the FDA or USDA assures us that pork is completely safe to eat in this manner. Don't care, it's ain't happening on my watch. I live in one of the countries major pork producers areas and I can't imagine the organizers of one of our many pork chop dinners serving up "pink" pork. It's a generational thing for sure. We were raised in the era when trichinosis was a very real danger. OK, I gotta end this post because I'm getting creeped out.
How about you? Favorite magazines? Any that you buy sight unseen? How about pink pork?
Yikes, what a post.
12 comments:
Good morning. I just have to add my two cents. I remember buying the 25 cent Woman's Day and Family Circle years ago. All I could realistically afford in magazines. I only subscribe to two and am getting really miffed because it used to be when you had a subscription, it arrived before the mag came out in the book stores and groceries. Now I see that mag at checkout for almost 2 weeks before my subscription arrives. Frustrating. As for pink pork, I have been following the Barefoot Contessa recommendations. Take pork off the flame at 138 degrees. This is much less cooking than in years past, but I like it. I would not say it is pink, but it certainly isn't gray. Give it a try.
Ok, just talking about pink pork freaks me out. Secondly, you know my favorite magazine is Garden Gate. And lastly, I have a lotta love for vintage aprons. I will go to estate sales just to check out the aprons.
Tess
I like regional decorating magazines (for some reason our Target was carrying some Midwestern Decorating for a couple months). No pink pork for me. No pink ANYTHING for me. I like my meat brown. Or at least tan.
While visiting my husband's grandmother, she asked us to through out some stuff upstairs that she didn't want any more. One was a box of old sewing patterns. Needless to say that since she is 101 I knew there would be some very good vintage patterns inside. There were a few old apron patterns and some of them were on old newspapers that I'm sure farmers wives had shared with her. She lived on a farm her entire life and the neighbors shared everything.
I have boxes of magazines that I swear I'll pitch only to find myself thumbing through & can't part with them. Have lots of Country Home which no longer is printed. Country Gardens also.
Used to subscribe to Redbook so I could read the mini novel in the back. I pick up whatever looks good; always check out Midwest Living (I'm in IL)& depends if I'm dieting whatever other food magazines. The library has several so sometimes I read theirs & then buy if I think it's a good one.
I am definately a magaphile!!! I have Quilter's Newsletter Magazines since the 70's. Until lately I've subscribed to Quilt Maker Magazine, but there has been a change in our income, and those type of outgoes have had to change, too. Now we are both retired, and subscriptions are a thing of the past. Now when I grocery shop I look at my favorite magazines, there really isn't that much new under the sun, and I can leave the magazine for someone who does not have the library that I do.
I am also a hearty "NO" to pink pork! No pink meat at my house.
to Susan #1 on the list of comments: I loved Woman's Day and Family Circle in the days when they were 25cents. There were some really good crafts in those magazines... I still have some of their "101 things to make for Christmas" articles ripped out and saved. If I had to pay $1 now, I'd still want those magazines, if they were as crafty as before... but alas, they are different now.
Hugs to you both,
I get the creeps at the thought of undercooked sausage. Like you, I grew up with the fear of a slow and hideous death at the hand of "pork worms".
It's interesting the things that really take root in a person's mind and won't be swayed even if a "toxic" situation changes... I loathe oleander bushes because when I was a kid we had one in our yard and my mom had us convinced that we would die if we even went near the thing (the blooms are poisonous if ingested). To me they were the devil's botany for sure. I steered clear of those pink flowers and the demon bush they grew on, keeping a wary eye out for any wayward flowers that might have fallen to the ground.
So, flash forward a few decades... about ten years ago my mom bought a dozen oleanders and planted them along the fence at the house that she was currently living in. I shrieked in horror, "Oleanders! Why would you plant those?! They're horrible!" She said, "No they're not, I like them." I reminded her of how she put the fear of death into my sister and me regarding those sinister blossoms, and she laughed and said, "Yeah, you were kids. I had to protect you from yourselves."
As for me, I will never buy an oleander. They are still the plant of evil. Curse those poisonous blossoms. They're out to get me, I'm sure of it. :)
I love the magazine group that publishes Apronology. Have you seen their magazine called Altered? It shows you how to take clothing that you already have and change it up by adding embellishments, or completely remaking it by taking it apart and reconstructing it with any number of things like lace or ribbon or parts of other items of clothing. Very creative stuff. You know me, I'm always figuring how to add tulle or lace to something.
I love any kind of magazine. Current favorites are the Food Network, you really get your money's worth with that one. I also enjoy Real Simle. Definitely no pink pork
A friend recently gave me a free gift subscription to Food Network magazine and I found myself pleasantly surprised at the content (considering the channel has more competitions and silly stuff than actual cooking shows it seems). I also used to buy Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, which is small like Reader's Digest. My problem is how to store them all? I don't have time to look through 25 magazines to find something for dinner :P
I too was a collector of massive magazines, and I still take a few. But pinterest is like making your own specialty issues....with no ads :)
P.S. I have no luck when cooking pork unless it's very well marbled. I like it well done also, and this translates into shoe leather!
Agree with you on the pork. I used to be addicted to magazines but now they are so different. All pictures and no content. I like Alantic because it has real articles. I no longer save them either.
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