Chow Mag and energy bars

I ran into a new food magazine recently: CHOW. The style of it reminds me quite a bit of ReadyMade--modern typefaces with little variation from article to article, photos in natural light, the lowbrow transported to the high. The food photos are perhaps not as dazzling as in some mags, but there's something to be said about photographing food without wax and whatever else you need to make it look perfect. Anyway, seems like it has good recipes (haven't tried any yet), good tips, and interesting product suggestions. Their website also has good content (perhaps better): www.chowmag.com

They turned me on to LARA bars, which for an energy bar is actually quite tasty. The secret to the taste is a few basic ingredients (basically nuts, dried fruit, and some spices). They don't have that unfortunate taste typical of energy bars (not sure how to describe it, but if you've eaten many energy bars, you know what I mean). Also new and good on the energy bar scene is Clif's new line: nectar. Same deal here: just a few ingredients, primarily nuts and fruit. I haven't yet found them at outdoor stores, but you should be able to find them at natural foods stores. They're actually worth eating off the trail.

I know pictures of energy bars aren't quite food porn, but now you'll have easy product recognition should you feel the need to buy some. And really, I'm just entertained by my digital camera

And on a totally unrelated topic, I made a salad this week that I think everyone should try: greens with plums and marinated goat cheese (it's from Epicurious). Really delicious--the plums add amazing texture and tartness.

That's all the food news from me. I'll be sure to report on the thrills of British cuisine when I get back.