Last week I read a piece by Meghan Daum, an author I love, that spoke to our obsession with technology in a witty, sarcastic way. The content itself was nothing new--nothing you haven't heard before. She spoke about our 'there's an app. for that' culture and our fixation and attachment to our mobile devices. The solution she jokingly came up with: create an app that effectively turns off your mobile device until self-reflection has truly been achieved, giving you an enforced breath of fresh air. Now while I can't guarantee the following publications will do just that, I will say there's something about print. And it delights me to no end that there are still small food publications out there doing their thing in this very difficult, very online media-driven society we now live in. So Happy New Year and get reading ya'll! Let's ring in 2011 by turning a few pages.

Image from 3191 Quarterly

1) Fire and Knives is dubbed "new writing for food lovers." Former Guardian food-blogger Tim Hayward's London-based quarterly gives established and new writers alike an outlet to write about and publish pieces on what they love most: food. And it's often difficult to find long-form stories these days in small print publications, but that's not the case here. You'll find long stories, great photo essays and random but endearing tributes and diatribes touching on a variety of food cultures. The publishers are adamant about not having an online version of the publication, but you can subscribe to the charming, small-sized, matte quarterly and get it in the mail. The old-fashioned way.

2) 3191 Quarterly It's a bit of a stretch to call 3191 Quarterly a "food publication" but I'm putting it here anyway because it's so much about our everyday life and food is so inherently intertwined within that. This publication is from Stephanie and Maria, the gals who bring you the brilliant blog, 3191 Miles Apart. The gist of the blog? Each woman is from Portland (one in Maine, the other in Oregon) and post images and thoughts every Friday "about simple living and our current inspirations". So it's not surprising that in their seasonal quarterly publication, you'll find beautiful photographs and pieces on domestic life, food and drink, travel, hopes/dreams, family, and the everyday minutae that make up our daily lives.

3) Sweet Paul began as a food blog and now they do a quarterly magazine which you can actually view in its entirety online (current Issue). For those of you paper-lovers out there (myself included), you can also buy a print version. Begun by Paul Lowe, New York food and prop stylist, the food photography here is, as expected, stunning and soulful. And the content is rich and inspired: the most recent issue covered everything from unexpected gift wrapping ideas to creating beautiful woven lamp shades or baking homemade treats for your pooch.

4) Anthology Magazine is another stretch in terms of food publications. It's not strictly about food, but I can't not include it. I absolutely must tell you about Anthology if you don't already know about it. They're firm believers that print is not dead and their first quarterly issue entitled "The Slow Life" has actually sold out. So apparently many of you agree. Thank god. The first issue had pieces ranging from an interview with Grace Bonney, creater of Design Sponge to a feature on Outstanding in the Field or a day at home with James and Caitlin Freeman (Blue Bottle founder and pastry-chef wife). From the moment I laid eyes on this publication, I fell in love with it and I'm a firm believer in their future success. We're all in good hands with California-based creators, Meg Mateo Ilasco and Anh-Ming Le. On their website, you can see a preview of the magazine with 16 color pages, but you really need to get your hands on this one.

5) Remedy Quarterly was created in part by blogger Kelly Carambula, of Eat Make Read, out of a admiration for community cookbooks and a love for food stories and unique recipes. It's a hold-in-your-hand publication that looks more like a little vintage cookbook than an innovative new food magazine (of which it is). And I love it for that. Past issues include the theme of Home and Cravings. Pick one up here or subscribe. I can't wait to see what the next one will bring.

For the fourth year in a row, Food and Wine magazine has published a book representing new and innovative drinks from around the country. Of approximately 150 drinks listed in Food & Wine Cocktails 2008, 21 are from the San Francisco Bay Area. If you were to try all of these drinks, you would travel from a bar at the San Jose International Airport to the Sir Francis Drake hotel in Union Square.

The Bay Area cocktail list is below. Some of these drinks are seasonal or are specials so are not always available. If you're intent on trying the exact cocktail, call ahead to check its availability.

Babylon Sister from Jonny Raglin of Absinthe (SF). A dessert drink containing kirsch, maraschino liqueur and crème de cacao in a glass rimmed with cocoa powder.

Strawberry and Ginger Cooler from Jeff Hollinger Absinthe (SF). A non-alcoholic drink with strawberries, ginger, orange juice, lime juice and ginger beer.

Northern Spy from Josey Packard The Alembic (SF). An apple-y drink with apple brandy, apple cider, apricot brandy and an apple slice.

Tommy Gun from Jacques Bezuidenhout of Bar Drake (SF). A tasty treat whose name harkens back to a Prohibition-era firearm. It contains ginger slices, apricot jam, Irish whiskey and Grand Marnier.

Puerto de Cuba from Dominic Venegas of Bourbon & Branch (SF). A rum drink with amber rum, Tawny port, and a vanilla flavored brandy liquer called Navan. Venegas left Bourbon and Branch but is still working in San Francisco.

Blackberry and Cabernet Caipirinha from Cantina (SF). This is a pitcher drink with blackberries, cachaca, Cabernet Sauvignon, orange and lime juice.

Alsatian Daiquiri from Duggan McDonnell at Cantina (SF). A drink from Duggan McDonnell featuring vanilla spiced rum, Gewurtztraminer, and peach bitters.

Thai Boxer from Scott Beattie at Cyrus in Healdsburg (Healdsburg). A beautiful drink made with all local produce. The long ingredient list for this drink includes basil, mint, cilantro, vanilla rum, coconut milk and ginger beer.

Off Kilter from Elixir (SF). The Off-Kilter was designed to show off Scotch and does so by combining it with Grand Marnier, nocino and heavy cream.

Filibuster Cocktail from Erik Adkins of Flora in Oakland (Oakland). A take-off on a whiskey sour, the filibuster cocktail adds egg white and maple syrup to the traditional recipe.

Fog Cutter from Forbidden Island (Alameda). A tiki drink with white rum, gin, brandy, orgeat and Amontillado sherry in its ingredient list.

Amberjack from Le Colonial (SF). A cocktail combining apple lambic -- a Belgian beer -- with vodka and scotch.
Jose McGregor from Jimmy Patrick at Lion & Compass in Sunnyvale (Sunnyvale). As with many flavor combinations, this drink started as a mistake. It contains Scotch and a citrus/vanilla flavored licqueur called Licor 43.

Vanilla-Cucumber Limey from Jay Crabb at Martini Monkey in San Jose (San Jose). Martini Monkey, located in the San Jose Airport, serves a drink involving cucumbers, mint, and vanilla vodka.

Bergamont Shandy from NOPA (SF). A drink with amaro, Grand Marnier and a lager-style beer.

Mi-So-Pretty from Elizabeth Falkner and Angie Heeney-Tunstall of Orson (SF). Newcomer Orson is represented in the book with a cocktail combining miso, grapefruit, toasted almond syrup, and tequila.

Green with Envy from the Poleng Lounge (SF). Poleng Lounge, an Asian fusion restaurant in NOPA, created a drink with apple, sake, and brewed green tea.

Green Lantern from Range (SF). Thomas Waugh created a cocktail with kiwi, gin, Viogner and lime juice.

Grapefruit Flamingo from Kieran Walsh at Solstice (SF). This drink combines grapefruit vodka with Campari and sparkling wine.

Zydeco Cocktail from Tres Agaves (SF). The Zydeco cocktail uses Absolut New Orelans -- a limited edition mango and black pepper version of an Absolut vodka.