Anyone a member of Cooking Club of America?

[Missi]

I got some mail from this today. Apparently, you get to preview certain cooking items (utensils, etc.) and get a newsletter. Not much money($12 a year) but says something about "previewing other special items" that sounds like the old Oxmor trick. Interested to hear from anyone who has joined this. TIA

[Melman]

I haven't heard specifically about Cooking Club of America but it smells suspicously like some other "Clubs of America" that have been around for awhile. They charge $12 for a year's subscription, say you may be selected to "test new products", have chances to "win big prizes", and then you're bombarded with those *books*...the books that really don't have such great information at all....in a spiffy format. I fell for it once and was in some kind of gardening club....the magazine was no good...ha, I *NEVER* was selected to test new products...NEVER won any of their big prizes....and the gardening books really were so-so at best. It took several months to finally get rid of them once and for all. In one of my letters to the company customer relations group, I specifically spelled out that I did NOT want to be a member any longer, that I did NOT want to receive any more of their books, and that I WOULD keep any future books that were sent. After receiving (and keeping) one more book, I finally convinced them to please go away.

I have a friend who was in a comparable cooking club (don't know if it's the same one who sent you mail). I looked at a couple of the magazines. They're nice and bright and easy enough to read...and the pictures are nice....but....how many dishes do you make that are based on Cream of Mushroom/Chicken/Celery soup?? :-) That's not an ingredient you see very often (ever???) in the CL magazine or on this board.

In other words....beware! :-)

[aliwally]

Oh dear, I just signed up to Cooking Club of America - guess I got sucked into their marketing spin. Sounds dubious - I'll make sure to read all their letters in detail in case I end up committing to something more if I don't reply.

Thanks for the tip.

[Missi]

Thanks for your reply, Melman. That was exactly what I was afraid of. I should know better by now not to get convinced by junkmail! It's going into the trash can as I write this. Thanks again!

[jwilliford]

I'm a member. I joined several months ago and the only benefit I've come across is the monthly publication Cooking Pleasures, which isn't all that impressive. In order to try new products you have to fill out a survey which I've never been able to do. They don't include them in your membership package and I haven't taken the initiative to contact them. I haven't been bombarded by books to purchase, but they will ask for annual dues several times a year it seems. I've been asked to pay the dues that I've already paid three times now. I would forgo this little club. It doesn't seem at all worth the time, money or effort. I plan on letting my membership 'expire'.

[Janet K]

Like Melman we (well... not me it was my husband) signed up for the gardening one a year or so ago. I warned him not to. Never did look at the magazines. We did recieve one book they were trying to sell you. Also we did receive a couple free things to review. Nothing great or even worth the $12 he paid. I believe it was a cheapo pair of pruners, which were nothing special. Also a pathetic little trowel which bent in half right away. Oh and a package of seeds.

We've gotten about a million renewal notices already and i keep shredding them before he even knows about them. I definitely would not recommend it or any similar program.

[Beth]

I am a member, and have been since the first issue. The first issue was wonderful, but since then some are goood and some are so-so. Not unlike other cooking magazines. They do review cooking products, but I have never seen a negative comment publiished. I would like a more balanced presentation when less than fabulous products are reviewed. I reviewed a champange stopper. You do have to sign up to be a tester, but you can do it with a call to an 800 number or on-line.

About 3 years ago, I got an invitation to become a life member. In addition to a life subscription to the magazine, I got and apron with my name embroidered on it, a coffee mug, a trivet and a set of knives in a knife block. I figured that as long as I got several years of the magazine, it was worth the gamble -- so now I'll have it as long as we both are around.

The magazine is nicely done, and I have never noticed a recipe based on cans of condensed soup. In fact, I have posted a couple of recipes here from that magazine. It does not tend to have a high number of vegetarian dishes. Here's a sample of the roughly 45 recipes in the August/September issue:

Gingered Pear Sorbet
Mango Crisp with Star Anise and Cardamom Cream Sauce
Jalepeno-Tequila Marinated Shrimp
Lamb with Colorful Peppers
Curried Pork with Pineapple-Chipotle Chutney
Peppered Pork stuffed with Orange and Tarragon
Chicken with Mangoes and Rum
Garden-Fresh Basil Chicken
Grilled Tuscan Vegetable Salad
Roasted Beet Salad with Orange-Cumin Vinagrette
Apple-Beet-Horseradish Jam
Carmelized Onion-Garlic Jam
Curried Butternut Soup
Green Beans and Tapenade

They have a website. www.cookingclub.com It is mainly for members, but there is a place to click if you are not a member, and if you go into the different selections there, it will let you sign up for a free 3-month trial membership (that won't be long enough to test products, but you'll get the idea). It may or may not be your cup of tea, the odds of winning a major prize don't assure you'll win something, but it's not a hoax.

I should probably menttion that the price shown in my magazine is $24/yr so the $12 sounds like an intorductory special -- equals the price of only 3-4 issues of most magazines bought at the newstand. The free trial membership above includes the option of a year at $12 if you like it. I'd say checking it out for yourself would be hard to pass up on that deal.

[Kristilyn1]

I know this is an old thread--but I wanted to comment that this is not a lame hoax of a deal. My neighbor has belonged for a couple years and has tested a couple of products. I've reviewed several months of the magazine and found their recipes to be intriguing. I've made two this week that were easy and excellent......

Melting Belgian Chocoate Cakes
Balsamic Cranberry Pork Chops (can't remember EXACT NAME)

I just signed up myself and for the price--I thought the magazine alone was worth it---anything else will be a bonus I figure!

Kristi