10 Years of Food & Home Entertaining April covers

Avid readers of Food & Home Entertaining, you might recognise some of these. If you’re a new reader of F&HE, here’s a quick flash-back to the last 10 years of April covers. Enjoy!

April 2008 – “STYLE ON A PLATE” issue

From our 2008 editor’s letter:

This special issue of F&HE is a stunning selection of stylish menus that you’ll always refer back to, whether you’re having friends over for a casual supper in the kitchen (page 39) or going all out with a fashionable dessert party (page 68). As F&HE food editor Anna Montali aptly puts it in our 10-page menu special on page 32 – “entertain and enjoy!” Oh, and put her divine ricotta and chocolate tart (page 40) on your list of things to make this month – it’s a sure way to a man… or a woman’s… heart!

Get the 2008 cover recipe here: Caramelised fig and cambrieni stack

April 2009 – Lemon polenta cake, spicy lamb, Cheat’s tuna pasta

From our 2009 editor’s letter:

No matter what your religious leanings are, Easter is a time for family. School’s out and it’s a chance to step back from our busy lives and gather children, friends and family for special lunches, home-cooked dinners and relaxed get-togethers. F&HE brings you a selection of entertaining options this month that will satisfy both the traditionalists and modernists seated around your table.

Get the 2009 April cover recipe here: orange and vanilla upside-down cakes

April 2010 – SA’s award-winning olive oils, cooking with layers, biltong tartlets

From our 2010 editor’s letter:

We’ve been watching brioche for some time now. First there was the love affair we all had with muffins (and we still love them for their simplicity), then designer cupcakes (let them eat mini cakes, a nice idea) and now F&HE brings you brioche made (fairly) easy. Our talented food editor Anna Montali has been experimenting to create the tastiest recipe (page 74) and has worked hard to deconstruct the laborious methods involved in making this traditional French dough. It’s a bit more work than a muffin, but worth it when you taste the rich, buttery pastry. Make it for the people you love. This issue is all about family and spending quality time with friends, on public holidays and any other time too.

Get the 2010 April cover recipe here: Chocolate brioche with orange drizzle

April 2011 – THE AUTUMN ISSUE

From our 2011 editor’s letter:

It’s time to hone our own skills in the kitchen and this month we give you autumn inspiration with menus for both cool and warm days. Our cover tart got the team’s vote for yumminess and “My Big Fat Greek Easter” (page 40) is especially for comfort-food lovers. Whatever you do, please try the spinach. mushroom and ricotta pasta shells from our In Season mushroom feature on page 48, perhaps for a meat-free Monday?

Try the Greek lamb with pomegranate salsa recipe from this issue.

April 2012 – THE AUTUMN HARVEST ISSUE

From our 2012 editor’s letter:

We were discussing food trends around the world and one trend we are very happy about is the resurgence of the family meal. Fast food options seem to be on the out and cooking for the family at home seems very much an entrenched preference. We hope we can inspire you to invite the extended family around this Easter and get cooking with our delicious dairy special feature by Vickie de Beer on P40 and our fabulous figs which are now in season (P50). Rosanne Buchanan 

Get the 2012 April cover recipe here: Plum and apple crumble

April 2013 – THE ALFRESCO ISSUE

From our 2013 editor’s letter:

There’s nothing better than staying home for the long weekend, and it’s a good time to test new flavours and get into some serious baking. In celebration of the Easter break we have put together an issue that is jam-packed with ideas, both sweet and savoury, including food ed Leila Saffarian’s Easter DIY treats (p48), Donna Hay’s traditional lamb roasts (p80) and our Quick & Easy bakes (p78).

Get the April 2013 cover recipe here: Saffron-spiced poached pears with Gorgonzola walnuts

April 2014 – THE CREATIVE ISSUE

From our 2014 editor’s letter:

I don’t know which page to urge you to turn to first – the delightfully dreamy Easter eggs crafted by sister team Katelyn and Sarah-Jane Williams (p78), Jacques Erasmus’s artful dishes infused with tea – and his ridiculously gorgeous illustrations to go with them (p44), Leila Saffarian’s twilight feast that’s all about love, full-on flavour and twinkling lights (p84), or Andria Neophytou’s made-with-love-and-lightness meringues (p36). With these features and more for inspiration, may the upcoming holidays be filled with a little less work and a lot more whimsy. Enjoy!

Andrea Pafitis-Hill

Get the April 2014 cover recipe here: raspberry ombré mousse with candyfloss

April 2015 – THE EASTER ISSUE

From our 2015 editor’s letter:

With holiday indulgence in mind, we’ve put the ‘E’ into Easter this month – Luisa Farelo’s inspired twists on the hot cross bun (p46) are pure enticement, Dianne Bibby’s juicy lamb dishes (p52) serve up exotic entertaining and food ed Thuli’s infusion of cultural SA flavours into traditional fare (p58) offers exciting experimentation… what’s not to love? With all this and more, such as the scrumptious SPAR spread that awaits you (start from our back cover and drool your way in!), we have dished up a no-holds-barred, down-to-earth feast through and through – so, in the spirit of celebrating honest food, I have to leave you with this sage advice from, of course, Winnie-the-Pooh: “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like, ‘What’s for lunch?’” Happy Easter feasting!

Andrea Pafitis-Hill

Get the April 2015 cover recipe here: simnebun cake with Italian meringue & caramel-chocolate sauce

APRIL 2016 – THE EASTER ISSUE

From our 2016 editor’s letter:

It’s a time of year that signals the start of retreating back indoors again, of lifting well-loved casserole pots out from the depths of kitchen cupboards and of earthy flavours dominating dig-in-deep dishes. Add to this the warm and fuzzy feel of Easter and what’s not to love about April! If you need any more convincing, just check out our food ed Claire’s autumn harvest table on page 68 and the ridiculously talented Katelyn Williams’ Easter feast on page 98. We’ve also taken a leaf out of nature’s palette this month and rustled up an array of delicious dishes using orange ingredients – do take a look, as there’s even a grrr-eat recipe for home-made dog biscuits! Barking mad, you say? No, we’re just trying our best to please everyone in the house.

Andrea Pafitis-Hill

Get the April 2016 cover recipe here: tangy lemon tart with yoghurt and granadilla

APRIL 2017 – THE EASTER ISSUE

From our 2017 editor’s letter:

Take our gloriously whimsical cover cake (page 10); the vitality of fresh produce bursting through our vibrant seasonal dishes (page 49); the nostalgic nod to the comfort of a pie in the oven (page 58) and the cheeky charm of our Easter treats with a twist (page 66) as just some examples of the fun-loving spirit of this issue… it’s plain to see that reinvention is literally at your fingertips when you use a little imagination – just reach for the child within. Here’s to being a happy bunny!

Andrea Pafitis-Hill

Get the April 2017 cover recipe here: nesting layer cake with cream cheese icing and lemon curd drizzle

APRIL 2018 – THE HOME-MADE WITH HEART ISSUE

Read our April 2018 editors letter – why you have to buy our April 2018 issue

Our April issue is on shelves from 12 March – 15 April 2018.