Despite its low page-count, Cook's Illustrated offers a ton of great information each and every issue. You'll find a highly empirical look at recipes, kitchenware, and ingredients. Think Consumer Reports, but with some soul. While the unusual format may leave some wondering if 30 black-and-white pages can stack up against glossy tomes like Gourmet and Bon Appetit, in the end you'll be glad that Cook's cuts out the empty calories of lifestyle advertising and just gets right to the main course. The April issue contains articles on pork chops, yeasted waffles, brownies, and a dark chocolate taste test.

Harold Check