I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook
before 1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here
ever ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308

TIA!

"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
...
> I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook
> before 1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here
> ever ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:
>
> http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308
>

I haven't seen that particular book, but I find the folks at Cooks
Illustrated a bit annoying. Sometimes it seems like they go out of their
way to make things complex.

If you are looking for cookbooks in general, or baking books in particular,
you might consider joining the "Good Cook" book club. For $16.05 you can
choose FOUR books ( $1 each + shipping) from hundreds of titles. You have
to buy two more books within a year, but you can get one of them for half
price if you buy it as part of the original order. The last book to fulfill
your obligation could be one of their low priced titles for under $10.
Cookbooks make great gifts.

Here is a link to the site:
http://tinyurl.com/8zzqf

Vox Humana wrote:

> "deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook
>>before 1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here
>>ever ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:
>>
>>http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308
>>
>
>
> I haven't seen that particular book, but I find the folks at Cooks
> Illustrated a bit annoying. Sometimes it seems like they go out of their
> way to make things complex.
>
> If you are looking for cookbooks in general, or baking books in particular,
> you might consider joining the "Good Cook" book club. For $16.05 you can
> choose FOUR books ( $1 each + shipping) from hundreds of titles. You have
> to buy two more books within a year, but you can get one of them for half
> price if you buy it as part of the original order. The last book to fulfill
> your obligation could be one of their low priced titles for under $10.
> Cookbooks make great gifts.
>
> Here is a link to the site:
> http://tinyurl.com/8zzqf
>
>

Thanks - that was very helpful. I kinda thought so. I'm so glad it's not
just me who thinks Cooks Illustrated goes out of their way to make
things overly complicated.

"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
...

> > If you are looking for cookbooks in general, or baking
> > books in particular, you might consider joining the "Good
> > Cook" book club.
> >
> > Here is a link to the site:
> > http://tinyurl.com/8zzqf

> Thanks - that was very helpful. I kinda thought so. I'm
> so glad it's not just me who thinks Cooks Illustrated goes
> out of their way to make things overly complicated.

Add me into your informal survey. I'm not a fan of their magazine or
books, either. And I also heartily endorse the Good Cook Bookclub. I
*love* them and greatly increased my cookbook collection through them.
Their bonus points system is very generous, too. Pity they don't ship
overseas; otherwise I would've been happy to continue my membership.

-j

I enjoy many of their recipes. I feel that their books are rather
over-priced. They use a lot of space in the books explaining how they
tested the recipes. I bought their Grilling & Barbecue book. It had
half as many recipes as I was expecting--they listed each recipe
twice--once for the gas grill and again for the charcoal grill instead
of doing a general description of the differences to cook on the two
different heat sources. If I had known how few original recipes it had,
I would not have bought it!

"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
...
> Vox Humana wrote:
>
>> "deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook
>>>before 1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here
>>>ever ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:
>>>
>>>http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308
>>>
>>
>>
>> I haven't seen that particular book, but I find the folks at Cooks
>> Illustrated a bit annoying. Sometimes it seems like they go out of their
>> way to make things complex.
>>
>> If you are looking for cookbooks in general, or baking books in
>> particular,
>> you might consider joining the "Good Cook" book club. For $16.05 you can
>> choose FOUR books ( $1 each + shipping) from hundreds of titles. You
>> have
>> to buy two more books within a year, but you can get one of them for half
>> price if you buy it as part of the original order. The last book to
>> fulfill
>> your obligation could be one of their low priced titles for under $10.
>> Cookbooks make great gifts.
>>
>> Here is a link to the site:
>> http://tinyurl.com/8zzqf
>>
>>
>
> Thanks - that was very helpful. I kinda thought so. I'm so glad it's not
> just me who thinks Cooks Illustrated goes out of their way to make things
> overly complicated.

Just a thought, perhaps Cook's Illustrated started the new fad of
'deconstructed' recipes.
Dee Dee

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...

> Just a thought, perhaps Cook's Illustrated started the new fad of
> 'deconstructed' recipes.
> Dee Dee

That is a good description of what they do. Sometimes I think that it is
appropriate. However, I get the feeling that Cook's Illustrated and Alton
Brown sometimes reverse engineer things to justify their particular niche.
It is a matter of goal inversion. At first it reasonable to deconstruct
things to illustrate a point of fix a problem. Later, the deconstruction
takes place just because that is what they do. I have see them do things
and justify the use of weird equipment that makes things harder, or at least
seems to have a very, very small incremental return for the amount of effort
and/or expense exerted.

"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
...
>I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook before
>1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here ever
>ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:
>
> http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308
>
> TIA!

I haven't ordered from CI, but I have bought their books. I bought the one
that is on sale for $17.50 at Costco a few years ago, but I see it now there
for around $22-$23.
I don't know what CI's S&H is on this book, but I usually choose a book that
is delivered to my door, IF I know the book well.
Dee

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 16:47:16 GMT, "Vox Humana" >
wrote:

>
>"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
>
>> Just a thought, perhaps Cook's Illustrated started the new fad of
>> 'deconstructed' recipes.
>> Dee Dee
>
>That is a good description of what they do. Sometimes I think that it is
>appropriate. However, I get the feeling that Cook's Illustrated and Alton
>Brown sometimes reverse engineer things to justify their particular niche.
>It is a matter of goal inversion. At first it reasonable to deconstruct
>things to illustrate a point of fix a problem. Later, the deconstruction
>takes place just because that is what they do. I have see them do things
>and justify the use of weird equipment that makes things harder, or at least
>seems to have a very, very small incremental return for the amount of effort
>and/or expense exerted.
>
I like the reverse engineering that they do (Alton Brown)
Most of the time it shows cooking basics and shows what can be
changed with the recipe without having undesired results.. ie: the
recipe needs acid, so if you don't have or like this in it, you need
to add this to increase acid level, otherwise this will happen..
Sometimes they go overboard with the gadgets (which I end up buying)
Past 6 weeks: French coffee press, micro plane, measuring cup plunger
thingy..
Chuck (in SC)

I haven't been keeping up with Usenet news lately. Hope all of you
have been and remain well.

In article >,
jacqui{JB} > wrote:
= "deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
= ...
=
[...]
=
= > Thanks - that was very helpful. I kinda thought so. I'm
= > so glad it's not just me who thinks Cooks Illustrated goes
= > out of their way to make things overly complicated.

Really? It's been some years since I've read their magazine
but I haven't found that to be true of their TV program (via
PBS). Indeed, I've found the processes described there to be
quite straightforward and clear and often quite good.

And, while the recipes taken from their web site are not always
identical to the processes described on the TV show, I haven't
found anything "overly complicated" about them.

Could you be a little more explicit about what you've found
"overly complicated," deepeddygirl?

= Add me into your informal survey. I'm not a fan of their magazine or
= books, either. And I also heartily endorse the Good Cook Bookclub. I
= *love* them and greatly increased my cookbook collection through them.
= Their bonus points system is very generous, too. Pity they don't ship
= overseas; otherwise I would've been happy to continue my membership.

I haven't checked them lately.

Clearly, the advantage of such sources is that there is such a
diverse selection available. That's especially true for me since I
live in a small town in a state with only one "big town" (and that
"big town" not overly so). I do a great deal of shopping on-line
and a fair amount via mail-order (via the phone as a rule).

One thing that I find annoying about "clubs" is that one must
return the card to prevent receiving the monthly selection (or go
to their web site to do so in this day and age -- as a book junky
I order many books quite a few CDs but I just hate having to remember
to send back the card or go to the web site.

While I do belong to a book "club" and a CD "club," one of the
things that I find very annoying about them (and with other on-line
and mail-order businesses) is that many charge a "handling" fee in
addition to shipping charges.

1. That allows them to quote artificially low prices for their
merchandise and make it up in the handling fee.

2. Every merchant must handle the merchandise that they sell.
Local merchants don't have a separate handling fee. The cost of
handling is reflected in the cost of their merchandise, a much
fairer and above-board approach, in my opinion.

3. Yes, on-line and mail-order businesses do have to package the
merchandise for shipment. Big deal. Local merchants have the
overhead of a store where the customer actually visits and clerks
to wait on them. A wash, in my opinion.

Not related to the handling fee, is the fact that so many on-line
businesses (and mail-order as well) are so infatuated with the
parcel services (UPS, FedEx, etc.) that they won't even consider
shipping via USPS Priority Mail to my POBox address. I guess they
have enough customers that they don't need me.

Aside from the problems I've had with the parcel services over the
years, Priority Mail is simply faster -- much faster -- and, so,
I prefer it and would do even if USPS delivered to the house.

BEGIN Rant:

I've had nothing but problems with both UPS and FedEx over the
six-plus years that I've lived at this address.

1. Unless one is willing to pay through the nose for 2nd day or
"next day" delivery, they are *SLOW*. It typically takes a week to
receive a parcel shipped via UPS. (See comparison with Priority
Mail below). And, on the rare occasion that the parcel arrives at
the Albuquerque depot a day early, it is held there until the
"estimated delivery date" instead of simply putting it on the truck
for local delivery. And, with the exception of their high-cost
service, a Saturday delivery is out of the question. Nor do their
trucks or aircraft move during the week end so the parcel sits in a
stationary truck or in a depot somewhere for two whole days of the
week.

2. Both leave my parcels at my gate -- it is not locked -- at the
public road some fifty yards from my house instead of bringing it
to the door like civilized human beings. Yes, if it's raining or
snowing *when* *they* *leave* *it*, they put it in a plastic bag.
But the weather here can change in a very short time so what may
have been a beautiful sunny day when they leave the parcel may turn
into a downpour of rain or snow before I notice that the parcel is
there. (Not to mention the possibility that it may be stolen
although -- to my knowledge -- that hasn't happened yet -- touch
wood.) They typically arrive in the late afternoon so, in winter,
there's a good chance that it will be dark when they leave it and,
so, even if I look towards the gate, I won't see it. If it's a
small parcel, I may not see it even in daylight until I go to the
gate for some other purpose.

3. If the parcel requires my signature, they pull up to the gate
and sound the horn on their truck which I can't hear from inside
the house unless the door is open and I'm standing near it. When
I don't appear at the gate to sign for and collect my parcel, they
put one of their "Sorry we missed you" PostIts on my gate to be
blown away by the high-plains wind. At best, if I see it before
it blows away, it means that at least another day -- three days if
it's a Friday -- will pass before I get my parcel. At best, if
I'm lucky enough that the merchant provides me with a tracking
number, I must stay home and hope that I'll see the truck when it
arrives. Sans tracking number, I must guess which day it will
arrive and so, I'm required to remain at home for several days
hoping to see that truck. And, while late afternoon delivery is
typical, I can't depend upon it so I must stay home all day waiting
until eventually it arrives -- if I see them.

4. I have, on rare occasion, been able to train a driver to come
to the door but it seems that as soon as I have done, they transfer
him to a different route and I'm right back where I began.

5. By way of contrast, I've never had a parcel shipped by USPS
Priority Mail take longer than three days from/to anywhere in the
country -- *and* I can't recall an instance where it took longer
than two days after the parcel was put in USPS hands. And they
deliver on Saturday. And, apparently, their trucks and aircraft
move during the week end. I once mailed a parcel to my daughter at
about 11:00AM on Saturday via Priority Mail; she received it on the
Monday morning. That's from the small-town post office at Edgewood,
New Mexico to Wheeling, West Virginia -- some 1600 miles as I drive
it to visit family.

6. USPS do not deliver to the street address in my small
community. One may either have a USPS box at one of various
locations along the streets and roads or may rent a POBox.
I do the latter but, in either case, if a parcel arrives, it is put
into a lockbox (either near the road-side boxes or in the PO lobby)
and the key is put into one's box allowing one to pick up the
parcel (which is protected from the elements) at one's leisure,
24x7. If the parcel arrives on Saturday, it is put in the lockbox
on Saturday, it doesn't sit in the back somewhere until Monday.

7. Some on-line/mail-order merchants will condescend to ship via
USPS to APO or FPO addresses but refuse to do so to a POBox
address. What's the difference? Many of the few (e.g.
barnesandnoble.com) who will ship via USPS use a mailing service.
Their service was exemplary before they began doing so; now it's
lousy. The parcel travels quickly once in the hands of USPS but
takes a long time from Barnes and Noble to USPS via the service.

8. Oh, yeah... Priority Mail shipping boxes and envelopes are
available at no cost from the USPS and, if I read their web site
and their posters correctly, they'll even deliver them to the
business. With such a container (or one's own container plus
stickers) it's only necessary to affix the proper postage and put
the parcel with the other outgoing mail. I doubt that there are
many businesses of any size that don't have a postage machine.
I doubt that there are *any* of any size that don't have outgoing
mail picked up by the mail man.

END Rant.


--
Charlie Sorsby

Edgewood, NM 87015
USA

In article >,
Dee Randall > wrote:
= Just a thought, perhaps Cook's Illustrated started the new fad of
= 'deconstructed' recipes.

I *have* been away for a long time! What are "'deconstructed'
recipes"?


--
Charlie Sorsby

Edgewood, NM 87015
USA

Taking all the ingredients of one particular recipe, say, the spanish tomato
soup gazhapo and put them separately on one dish/plate is an example.
Dee


"Charlie Sorsby" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Dee Randall > wrote:
> = Just a thought, perhaps Cook's Illustrated started the new fad of
> = 'deconstructed' recipes.
>
> I *have* been away for a long time! What are "'deconstructed'
> recipes"?
>
>
> --
> Charlie Sorsby
>
> Edgewood, NM 87015
> USA

"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
...
>I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook before
>1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here ever
>ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:
>
> http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308
>
> TIA!

I've been a subscriber for years. I bought one edition of the book and felt
it was only a restatement of the previously published magazine. If you have
read the magazine and keep it, don't buy it. Why buy it twice? The magazine
is well indexed, so you shouldn't have to. It will only confuse.

On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:23:39 -0700, "Kent" > wrote:

>
>
>"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
. ..
>>I just got an offer in an email to save 50% if I order this cookbook before
>>1/1/06. It's normally $35 so it would be $17.50. Has anyone here ever
>>ordered one of the "Cooks Illustrated" cookbooks? Here is a link:
>>
>> http://www.cooksillustrated.com/book...il.asp?PID=308
>>
>> TIA!
>
>I've been a subscriber for years. I bought one edition of the book and felt
>it was only a restatement of the previously published magazine. If you have
>read the magazine and keep it, don't buy it. Why buy it twice? The magazine
>is well indexed, so you shouldn't have to. It will only confuse.
>


I happen to agree on this. Nothing new offered in the books that
wasn't in the magazines.

Boron

they are wonderfuly made but I always felt that there would be an
endless supply vailable re/ veggies, meat etc, I lied hem,but did not
fall for the pitch. Steve