Lucky Peach

I’ve recently stumbled across toilet reading. I wasn’t morally opposed. It just seemed unnecessary: what could be more relaxing than having a good old poo? Why supersize the experience? (I have dabbled in privy guitar playing – because Jimmy Hendrix supposedly did. The acoustics are interesting, but it’s just a bit weird.) However, for my birthday, Dot bought me a copy of a new food quarterly from America, Lucky Peach.

I’ve never had much time for magazines: short attention-span reading, lots of not-very-interesting stuff (much like The Internet) that I can’t be bothered wading through in order to happen on something good. Food magazines are inevitably geeky, and largely boring. I like Nigel Slater in the Observer magazine but can’t be arsed with OFM – too much of an ok thing. But I’m really enjoying Lucky Peach. It’s a vehicle of Dave Chang, New York noodle bar chef/tycoon – I’d never heard of him or his Momofuku restaurants, but then I’m staggeringly ignorant about lots of things.  Initially I found it overbearing, in both its Anthony Bourdain-style, American gung-ho-ness and its veneration of famous chefs. Yes, it is geeky, but it’s rather snazzily well-written. There aren’t too many recipes, and there’s a story to them (which I like) and it’s funny, interesting… and annoyingly out of my league. I wouldn’t recommend reading it cover to cover, but it’s perfect to dip into in bite-sized portions… Don’t forget to wash your hands!

I particularly enjoyed the idea of a booze-addled crab-boil feast – newspaper tablecloth, gas station beer, and sweet crab sap dribbling down your chin! It’s on my to-do list; I’ll keep you posted...