Fire & Knives: Print, Resurgent

December 14, 2009, 3:55 pm 4 Comments

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Fire & Knives. Photograph: Raphael Brion/Eat Me Daily

We recently received issue number one of Fire & Knives, a new print quarterly of "new writing about food" out of the UK. In their own words: "We give established writers a place for work that would not be published elsewhere; new writers a place to show themselves and experts in other fields an opportunity to write about our favourite subject." It's a rather handsome and inspiring publication, lovingly-designed, all in a format (smaller, thicker stock than your typical magazine) that eschews the glossy.

Edited by food writer, broadcaster, and photographer Tim Hayward — you may know him from his writing for The Guardian — it's a bold move. Print! No advertising! No content online! Ostensibly subscriptions should cover the entire cost of the operation... the catch is that, for the time being, writers aren't paid. Which is unfortunate. That said, there's some of the best writing we've come across in a while. Standouts include the unpublished review of a Fanny Cradock book by Elizabeth David, pieces by Oliver Thring, Matthew Fort, Tom Parker Bowles,Tim Hayward himself, and a satirical restaurant review by "The Gastrician." One year's subscription is £20.00. Very, very well worth it.

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