We don't recall ever subscribing to America Express' Food and Wine, but it arrives in the mail every month, sure as the AmEx bill.

Unlike the bill though, F&W tempts with fine imbibables and appropriately-paired digestibles that we have yet to encounter. And every now and then we also find some interesting shelter ideas covered.

The May issue issue has a few good ones in store:

• Experimental Kitchens covers new materials for the cook room, all of them a breath of fresh air after the oppressive vogue of granite. We're wowed by architects Desai/Chia's use of Corian and resin, including the Japanese shoji screen made from the latter material.

• Ratha Tep's The Global Kitchen has a round-up of tasty new products, including pierced bone-china and gold-leaf bowls from British ceramicist C.J. O’Neill, which can double as sconces, and Mepra's colorful Fantasia Millennium flatware.