Inside Diner Journal: An Ode to Summer Food

The fourth issue of Diner Journal, a magazine prepared in-house by the collective talent at Williamsburg restaurants Marlow & Sons and Diner, has just been released. The magazine is published quarterly and explores the benefits of a close farm-to-table connection between local suppliers and the home cook. Diner Journal also dotes on the benefits of seasonality and locality; the new issue is dedicated to Summer foods. Executive chef (at both restaurants) Caroline Fidanza has written a seafood primer that advises cooks to leave fish mostly unadorned and simple. She does some PR for the much-maligned and ignored bluefish (incredible when really fresh; Fidanza prefers baking bluefish filets to other methods). Another suggestion is that a pinch of smoked paprika goes a long way in a batch of homemade tartar sauce.

Food section provocateur (and Unfancy Food Show organizer) Tom Mylan contributes articles on beekeeping and the effective foraging habits of two highly successful foragers, including Prospect Park chokeweed eater “Wildman” Steve Brill. A cocktail cheat sheet and a few light dessert recipes cap everything off. At $7.50 for 24 pages, Diner Journal may seem a little pricey, but the magazine’s only real advertisements are for cheese-makers and heirloom vegetable growers. Also, it’s leaner and meaner than Gourmet. The magazine gets better with every issue, and is put together so thoughtfully, it may very well turn out to be all you need this summer for kitchen reading material.

Available at Marlow and Sons. A 1 year subscripton (4 iss.) is $30 + $4 shipping. Send check or credit card info to: Diner 81 Broadway Brooklyn, NY 11211 or call (718) 486-3077.