BBC Good Food Magazine

I have been a subscriber of BBC Good Food Magazine since 1997. I live in Toronto and uptil last year did not have a problem with the delivery. However since last year the magazine does not arrive or las is often the case arrives 2 months after the issue date. I have tried contacting them, but it is of no use. I either get a reply that they will send out another issue, but good luck getting it on time. AS of today, April 15th, I have not received either the February issue or the March issue. If you take the subscription fees from a customer and then cannot ensure delivery of the magazine, it is cheating , pure and simple.

For the past 10 days I have been trying to renew the Good Food magazine for my sister using my Tesco Clubcard points, something I have done for the last 7 years. It has been a nightmare. I have rung the number on the renewal letter (Immediate Media) and have got through to America 4 times, South Africa once. They haven't a clue what I am talking about. I did get through once and the girl said she would email me back when it was sorted - she hasn't. Today I rang again at 16.30 (opening times say it is open till 2000) and options 1 (renewals) and 3 (general enquiries) are unobtainable and then disconnected. (They must have all gone home). This is the worst customer service I have ever had.

I used to love this magazine but the latest 'update' is such a disappointment. Fewer recipes, more reviews of things I'm not interested in, features on chefs I don't care about, etc, etc. It's clearly shifting from a magazine with great recipes to a magazine that talks about food in general. I'm not sure who was in the focus group when they starting planning this change but it doesn't feel like it was particularly representative of GF readers. I miss the recipes. I'm not sure I'll renew my subscription. Very sad. Feels like I've lost an old friend.

The latest "New look" magazine is a great disappointment. The recipes, restaurants and virtually everything else are geared totally to the south of England! I live in West Yorkshire and the ingredients are generally difficult to find ( if I wanted to cook these ridiculous recipes anyway). I have subscribed to this magazine for years but I think you have lost sight of the fact that there is life (and wonderful cooking) outside of the southeast. I do not think I will renew my subscription if this is how it is going to be.

Ordered this as a fathers day present. They took a twelve month subscription out in June - I have been chasing delivery of the magazine - they say it will be dispatched 15 August!! Buyer beware 8 weeks before you get your first magazine - naughty!! I had wanted it for the school holidays, for my husband to cook stuff with the kids... by the time its delivered they will be back to school!! Content will let you know if I ever receive it!!

I have had Good Food over a number of years and have been very pleased with the product.

I often give it a miss for about 3 years to await fresh input.

I have this year renewed, starting with the May issue.

I am very disappointed with it, it appears to be mainly concerned with diets and healthy foods and directed at the female reader.

Out of the last 3 issues, I have found only 2 items which were of interest. One was how to prepare a crab which was very interesting, as for the rest I found them not very interesting.

I will not be renewing again.

It's Good Food's Birthday - celebrating 25 years of the magazine, and as a consequence, everything in it this month has the number 25 at its heart. There are 25 new recipes, 25 game-changers that have shaken up the way we cook in the last 25 years, James Martin's 25 years in food, 25 top gadgets and a look back at the food landscape over the past quarter of a century. However, all of this fades into insignificance against the new fresh-look magazine with new features, interviews and trends. Good Food has thrown down the gauntlet to Olive and other food magazines with some great new ideas.

Among the new stuff, there's the 'Chef's notebook' - an interview with a leading British chef about their favourite places to eat and sleep. This month it is James Durrant, chef-patron of the Plough Inn in Longparish in Hampshire (not in London!). There is also more of a local and community emphasis with 'Community hero' and 'Great British producer'. A new 'Food lovers weekend' goes this month to New York with lots about food, retail, hotels and sights. 'Cannycook' is a new series providing new meal ideas for a busy family. What's new are the verdicts given by family members to the dishes on offer - very entertaining! 'My kitchen' - an idea copied from Olive magazine - so not originally new, features James Martin this month, in his kitchen at home. Nice photos and great comments from Martin make this a fun article. I look forward to following this in the future. As for 'Cake Club' - a new series that jumps on the Great British Bake Off bandwagon, there are some superb creations made by Edd Kimber.

Back to the 25 new recipes, I liked the look of the Steak and blue cheese en croute, the Moroccan-spiced cottage pie and Lobster rolls. I was less enthusiastic about the Cauliflower crust pizza or the Hot mocha puddings and as for the Spaghetti alle vongole, this is hardly 'new'. The '25 game-changers', features a host of interesting people, places and trends that have shaped our cooking, eating and talk of food. I agree with The River Café, Coffee shops, Couscous, Street food and MasterChef (my wife was a finalist, so I daren't disagree), but I don't accept that Heston, Online shopping, Chorizo and Nigella have been influential. Well, not on me!

Equally, 'Our Top 25 Gadgets' is open to debate amongst home-cooks. Yes, a Cuisinart mini chopper is a must in our kitchen, as is a good measuring jug, but not a bean slicer, I prefer to slice with a sharp knife. A cherry stone is also not a priority and neither is a folding stainless-steel steamer. See what you think?

It's a good magazine this month and there are all the usual features we are used. The 'Weekender' pages have some great recipes for Bonfire Night and for Halloween parties. I liked the Charred sweetcorn salsa and Crunchy smoked sweet potato chips. I love sweet potatoes. 'Cook school' prepares Confit of duck and shows readers how to prepare lemongrass. 'Eat Well' has some inspiring dishes like Roast autumn vegetables with spelt and sausage and Harissa roast chicken with quinoa and couscous salad. I have just discovered quinoa and this super-food is very tasty when mixed with pomegranate in a weekend salad.

Finally, there is lots to savour in 'Stars of the month' from the 'In Season' section, particularly the desserts of Treacle apple tart and Squidgy pumpkin and ginger loaf. However, try not to miss Venison meatball and wild mushroom stroganoff and Wild mushroom, potato and pancetta gratin. They look delicious and I can't wait to try them as soon as the clocks go back for winter, later this month. And finally, finally, according to Good Food, 67% of us watch TV while eating, Chinese food is the UK's favourite takeaway, 36% of us feel happy when cooking and 48% of families eat together everyday.

A nice little mag with good contend and well written.

The price is reasonable for the great content and reviews, looking forward to the new Christmas edition.

As a self-confessed food buff, I often read through national magazines trying to find more tips on food and recipes. I feel the BBC have done a great job here – and give a fairly balanced view of what it means to ‘eat healthy’.

I've been buying this magazine every month for about 10 years and look forward to every edition. In my opinion, it's still the best of the bunch.