If you have been following this newsletter for a while you have certainly heard me talk about shifts in how we consume media, especially food media. Chefs, writers, and recipe developers have been leaving traditional publications and working for themselves thanks to new subscription-based formats. I am one of those creators as well as a consumer of independent content.
So something interesting happened this week. Epicurious and Bon Appetit, both owned by Condé Nast, moved all their online recipes behind a paywall. Online users will now have access to three recipes a month. After they view three recipes they will be prompted to sign in and subscribe. For $4.99/month or $40/ year ($30/year deal running currently) you have access to new recipes plus the online archives of Epicurious, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet magazine.
This structure is not new or unheard of. It is the same price as subscribing to NYT Cooking, which launched its paid subscription model in 2017. I subscribe to NYT Cooking but when I read the announcement email from Bon Apetit this week, my immediate reaction wasn’t to go and enter my credit card information.
In the last 10 years, Bon Apetit really boomed. They evolved with the growth of social media, attracting a new audience and making themselves present on every platform. I have followed it all from Youtube videos to Instagram accounts, newsletters, podcasts, and the physical magazine. They are literally everywhere. I contributed to their rise, watched the fall, and stayed around for the regrowth. Some of my all-time favorite recipes have come from BA/Epi but I’m not subscribing to their new online recipe subscription.
Something I used to do when I was in a creative rut and looking for inspiration was browsing food accounts online. At times I would come across a recipe that would spark an idea in me but a lot of times I was left in more of a rut. BA/Epi has been a huge inspiration for me over the years because their content is in my face all the time and on every platform. But what’s actually great for when I’m in a creative rut is logging off completely. One way is to hop in the kitchen and just cook. No agenda and not for content. Cooking purely to taste, experiment, and play around. Another option is to not cook at all and go out to eat!
When I started The Kitchen Club I stopped turning to these major publications as much because I knew the influence they had on me. Absolutely nothing wrong with being influenced to cook a recipe, I share their recipes here every week to influence you guys, but I wanted to start making recipes that were really true to me. Why would someone pay for my recipes if they are parallel to everything else out there? My constant goal is to add a little bit more Marcella into everything I make.
So although this wasn’t their intention, their announcement email was actually the push I needed to unsubscribe from their 5,762 emails a week and I won’t be paying for their very large archive of recipes. I follow along on Instagram, enjoy some of their Youtube videos, and subscribe to Bon Apetit in print but that’s all from me. If I didn’t love the physicality and experience of flipping through print media I would probably cancel that subscription too. You really truly see it all on Instagram nowadays.
From the beginning, I have been excited to be a part of this shift in food media with my consumption and contribution. I enjoy hearing directly from people that inspire and entertain me each week. The recipes have more personality and the content is refreshing. I’m looking forward to consuming more content I truly enjoy, sharing more of these creators with you in the Stuff To Read and Recipe Inspo sections, AND I am most excited to see how my recipes develop without constant influence from as much mainstream food media.
I am known for buying squash and forgetting about it for weeks (sometimes months) in the back of my pantry. I always love the idea of squash but it’s never my favorite thing to eat. Eventually, I get around to cooking it and if I’m not doing Curry Squash Noods I always do the same thing…
Slice, toss in a little olive oil, season with salt, and roast. High heat helps get a little color on the squash. Let’s say 425-450º. Cook time will depend on the size and thickness of the pieces. Check on them around 20 minutes. Look for browning and poke it with a fork to check that the flesh is tender.
When it’s done, let it cool on the counter for a few minutes. Spoon some greek yogurt, labneh, or any other plain yogurt on your serving plate. This is your base. Arrange the squash over the yogurt.
You need some texture and crunch with soft squash. Walnuts, pecans, pepitas, and sliced almonds are all good options. Give them a toast in the oven or in a pan on the stove in butter, my favorite. You can even add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to slightly candy them. The sweetness pairs well with the sweet notes in squash.
Add some chili flakes for subtle heat. Gochugaru, Aleppo…whatever you got but not too much.
Acid and herbs always! Tender herbs like cilantro, parsley, dill, chives, and scallions are good for finishing a dish. Chives and scallions are technically alliums but they work here.
And then finish the whole thing with some acid. A squeeze of citrus is my first choice but a yummy vinegar is great too. A little drizzle over the whole dish and a crack of black pepper. That’s it.
On ‘Plant-Based’ It would be a useful phrase, if everyone could agree on what it means.
Highly Anticipated Cookbooks Delayed Because … They Probably Sank
All about éclairs ft. triple chocolate éclairs + deep dive into choux science
Interesting listen from a former vegetarian who is now pro beef.
🚨 Dolly Parton and Duncan Hines collab alert! 🚨 I don’t usually (okay ever) buy box cake mix but this collaboration is everything. I want it all and it is sold out everywhere. Banana pudding cake, yes, please! Plus the pink box!! I don’t even really care about Dolly Parton but I am sold.
Next week in The Kitchen Club we are making those pink strawberry cookies you have seen all over my Instagram stories. A cute little treat to make for Valentine’s day.
See you then, M 💘