Figure 5: An assortment of recipes from Playboy Magazine; clockwise from top left: The Kindest Cut, November 1961; Playboy at the Salad Bowl, July 1956; Viva Pizza, May 1959; Food on a Sword, August 1956; The Gourmet Frankfurter, September 1960.

In almost every issue food writer Thomas Mario includes a series of recipes to be prepared by the Playboy.  Hearty, masculine foods (loins, cutlets, and roasts) as well as lighter fare (soups, salads, and fish) reflect the social anxieties surrounding masculinity in food space through their written articles and required ingredients.  The text serves as a direct affront to domestic methods of food preparation and emphasizes the performative, more masculine aspects of cooking as a social activity.  The ingredients used also appeal to the Playboy as they are often non-perishable, easy to use, and easier to market.