July issue are you impressed?

[alli]

Just curious, are any of you impressed with the July issue? I have to say for the first time in my CL history I am not!!

This issue seems really flat...what do you think?

[LGBurns]

Here's a thread on this topic from a week or so ago:
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/008385.html

[Peeps]

I was not impressed either. I whined about the June issue when it came because I could not find a single recipe to make and the same thing has happened with July. What's going on over there I wonder? I've never had this happen before either until these last 2 issues.

[JHolcomb]

I made TONS of stuff out of the June issue, but was really not impressed by July. I've been looking forward to the ethnic cooking sections, but this month's was just not doing it for me. And I thought I liked Greek food. And like I can afford lobster. Whatever. They can't be on all the time.

[schuh]

I realized I had surprisingly few dog-eared pages this month. Add me to the camp of "can't afford lobster and even if I could can't bring myself to put them into water and hear that squealing."

And Bon Appetit, which I hadn't been thrilled with of late, had an excellent issue this month (to my taste, that is). Go figure.

[Jogren]

I agree, other than the gelato recipes which intrigued me, I didn't mark many to try. But I generally like recipes in the fall and winter better anyway. So many of the summer recipes just don't seem hearty and don't provide leftovers.

[RobinC]

I made the Grilled Tuna (greek section) from the July issue over the weekend. It was a big hit. I am also planning to try the Baked Snapper with Tomato-Orange Sauce. (The DB and I are on a eat more seafood kick, much to his delight).

I am actually thinking of trying some of the lobster recipes. It ocassionally goes on sale and I look at them, but never know what to do with them.

There seems to be an awful lot of salads in this issue. I like dinner salads, but the DB likes hot food for dinner and isn't so keen on salad as a main dish.

Overall, I think this is an average issue.

[kentgirl]

I have gone through the issue three times trying to find one recipe that I will make. There's only one that caught my eye--and since I don't have the magazine in front of me, I can't even remember which one it was!

Although I am a bit disappointed, there are so many other recipes I want to try from previous issues, I don't mind at all. I seem to recall from somewhere, I think it was the top 10 anniversary issue, that their worst selling magazine of all time was the one with the sherbet or gelato on the cover! You would think they'd learn something....

But hey CL--I still love ya! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Beth]

I'll probably try a couple of salads, the Chipolete Maple Sweet Potatoes and maybe one of the gelatos, but this one is not a big one for me. I've got a number of things I still want to try from June and prior issues, so that's okay.

Perhaps there will be some great reviews that will change our minds about some of these -- like the Split Pea-Garlic Dip that would not have caught my eye but that DH and I both loved at our supper club. I'll make that as an appetizer and try it on baked potatoes or a sandwich.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 06-25-2001).]

[pmmahan]

I read that thread from last week or whenever about the July issue. And finally, after receiving it myself, I have to concur. The only issue I've really liked this year was April. I have been going back to CL recipes from 2000. I remember I would get a new issue last year and want to make everything. Now? not so, it seems. Maybe I am just getting pickier?

I am planning to buy the CL annual 2001 cause I am missing some recipes from last year and now I know to treasure them!

[Beth H]

Unfortunately, not too impressed. A few of the salads looked good -- I am going to try one of them this week. I was really disappointed in the Greek food section. I love Greek restaurants and Mediterraean food in general, but nothing grabbed me at all from this article. Like many others on the board, I enjoy lobster as a special treat when I'm dining out. It's really not something I would consider making at home. But -- there were quite a few recipes in June that I haven't gotten to yet, and I use the months with issues I don't like to go back through the compendium cookbooks.

[pinotnoir]

Originally posted by alli:
Just curious, are any of you impressed with the July issue? I have to say for the first time in my CL history I am not!!

This issue seems really flat...what do you think?
Do you read Bon Appetite? I just think at this time Bon is the ultimate in culinary
periodicals. Their "theme" issues are superb.
The latest is "Grilling"

[greysangel]

me too http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif Totally disappointed with June and July.

However I think I am just a fall/winter foods person. Don't get me wrong, I love veggies and stuff but I can't get excited about making a salad or sandwich for a main meal.

April and May did make up for it though...There were great recipes in both issues so I'll just brace myself for the fall http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

JeAnne

[Elisabeth]

I wasn't too thrilled with June either--very little I want to make, and for July...I marked almost nothing. Besides, the front section of non-recipes seemed larger than the food section. I enjoy those articles most of the time, but I think most of read the magazine primarily for the food! I was excited about the vegetarian section, but tried the Sesame Noodle Salad with Red Bell Pepper and Peanuts the other night and it was not good. Very vinegary tasting, though there's no vinegar in it. I still like the idea of it, so I might try it again, decreasing the lime juice and increasing the sesame oil a bit. It might have just been me--I had people over while I was cooking (though not to eat dinner, thank goodness) and might not have been paying close enough attention to measuring ingredients or something.

I've been cooking a lot more from Bon Appetit lately than from CL.

[Peggy]

I cannot comment on the July issue, because it hasn't arrived yet, however, I must say that I have been very happy with June! I have made many recipes in it that were absolutely outstanding! Many times, I try CL recipes that are "good" but I probably won't repeat them because they are not special. I feel that June has a large number of absolute "repeaters" in it. The repeater that come to mind are: Oven-Roasted Sea Bass with Couscous and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette, Adobo Flank Steak with Summer Corn-and-Tomato Relish, Mini-Spanakopitas, Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms, Butternut Corn Pie with Fresh Tomato Salsa, Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Salad, Thai Grilled Chicken, Thai-Style Pork Sate with Peanut Sauce, Sour and Spicy Shrimp Soup, and Green and Yellow Bean Salad with Chuncky Tomato Dresing and Feta Cheese. It is very unusually for me to find so many repeaters in one issue. Now, there have also been many recipes that I won't repeat. There are just a higher percentage of repeaters for me in the June issue.

Just my humble opinion... I can wait for July because I'm still trying out recipes in June.

Peggy

[This message has been edited by Peggy (edited 06-26-2001).]

[BosunsWife]

I'm with Peggy, I can't comment because I haven't seen my issue yet and probably won't for another two weeks. I'm still making things out of June and going back through my old (2001, 2000 and 1999) books.

[Donnalee]

I was really disappointed! There wasn't one recipe in there that I would want to make. I just threw the magazine out!

[KValley]

I love these discussions- it is so interesting to read the differences of opinion and how others view the same magazine.

I'm pretty much in the middle for July. At first I was disappointed because I hate catfish, I don't buy lobster and although I love Greek food, the recipes did not appeal to me, in the sense of preparation.

Upon closer reading, however, I've marked several that I'm wanting to try- tonight is the first chance I've had to cook at home in several weeks. There are several salads that look great, the Greens and Cheese Pie, Tomato Pesto Pizza, Curried Couscous, Asian Beef Noodle Salad are all also on my list. I love apricots, so the Apricot-Apple Betty, Coconut Tapioca with Glazed APricots have my mouth watering!

Without having tried anything, this issue ranks a 7 for me (May, my favorite this year, earned a 10; June was a disappointing 5, with a couple of very bright spots).

I agree with Jogren- I get more excited by cooking heartier foods- in the summer I'd rather be outside than in the kitchen, so whatever is cool and easy to create wins!

[This message has been edited by KValley (edited 06-26-2001).]

[Veronica]

I paged through the entire issue and not a single recipe interested me. I thought I just needed to take a closer look. Now I'm not so sure. . . . And I just renewed my subscription!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif