On newsstands 25 June, it follows on the success of the November 2011 debut readers’ issue, with more pages of readers’ food tips and comforting recipes that are as easy to prepare as they are delicious.

“Our first readers’ issue last summer was a resounding success,” says Taste editor, Sumien Brink who had no reservations about producing a second one. “Mimicking the incredible popularity of user-generated content in the virtual world, readers respond extremely well to the ideas of their food-loving peers. While Taste’s food editors always strive to develop their recipes with feet firmly grounded in the ‘real world’, somehow, one’s fellow readers’ recipes are deemed more ‘doable’ when ‘home-tested’ and created with the ‘real-life’ budgetry and time restrictions. As a result, the so-called ‘intimidation factor’ disappears completely, and, because the outcomes are so impressive, readers are more confident with giving them a go.”

“It’s three times the work of a normal issue, but really worth it,” Brink adds. “The trick is striking the right balance between reader submission and editorial control, so that our featured readers’ recipes are as accurate and picture-perfect as our regular Taste content. It requires incredible teamwork to produce these issues, but we are fortunate to have both abundant inspiring readers who shared their best with us, and sterling online and editorial teams, who pulled it all together in brilliant Taste style.”

Taste food editor, Abigail Donnelly concurs: “It’s a wonderfully interactive process that puts us in touch with our readers – their practical needs, their challenges and their tastes – more than anything else we do. We get to forge real relationships with these valuable people, which we draw on throughout the year when we require a sounding board for ideas.”

The July readers’ issue of Woolworths Taste is available at Woolworths stores, as well as selected Exclusive Books, CNA, Dischem and Engen outlets from Monday, 25 June.

For more information or to download Woolworths Taste recipes, log onto www.tastemag.co.za and follow @Tastyones on Twitter.