CCA

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
America". Having

suffered

Quoted message said:

through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
responding but . .

.

Quoted message said:

anyone out there heard of/joined/been [censored] by CCA?

Thanks,

Marc

Yeah, they tell you you'll be testing $hundreds$ worth of
kitchen equipment, but then you test some pot holders or
measuring spoons. They also send you books very often to
review/buy, sometimes every few weeks so you have to go
through the hassle of returning them. I don't think it's
worth the money, but that's just my opinion. Others may have
had better luck.

Suzan

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
: Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
: America".
Having suffered
: through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
responding but . . .
:
: anyone out there heard of/joined/been [censored] by CCA?
:
: Thanks,
:
: Marc
========

Hi Marc,

I'm a lifetime member. I like them just fine. I've tested
some pretty neat things and have actually learned a thing or
two plus got some great recipe ideas from them. I also got a
free, beautiful set of encapsulated SS cookware - I already
had 2 sets of cookware so I donated them to a family in need
from our church.

My husband is also a member of the HCofA. He enjoys the mags
and has gotten a few ideas from them as well.

--
Cyndi <Remove a "b" to reply

<snip>

Quoted message said:

========

Hi Marc,

I'm a lifetime member. I like them just fine. I've tested
some pretty neat things and have actually learned a thing
or two plus got some great recipe ideas from them. I also
got a free, beautiful set of encapsulated SS cookware - I
already had 2 sets of cookware so I donated them to a
family in need from our church.

My husband is also a member of the HCofA. He enjoys the
mags and has gotten a few ideas from them as well.

--
Cyndi <Remove a "b" to reply>

Really?? You got the cookware free? Or is that the cookware
you get after paying for the lifetime membership?

Suzan

Orion said:

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040508202458.17730.00001236@mb-
m16.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
America". Having

suffered

Quoted message said:

through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
responding but . .

.

Quoted message said:

anyone out there heard of/joined/been [censored] by CCA?

Thanks,

Marc

Yeah, they tell you you'll be testing $hundreds$ worth of
kitchen equipment, but then you test some pot holders or
measuring spoons. They also send you books very often to
review/buy,

I read the fine print, it's an opt-out at the time of
joining program. If you elect not to receive those mailings
they'll stop.

Speaking as one who had enough trouble convincing Columbia
House I wanted to quit, I'd opt out of that CCA program.

Quoted message said:

sometimes every few weeks so you have to go through the
hassle of returning them. I don't think it's worth the
money, but that's just my opinion. Others may have had
better luck.

Agreed. And I know whereof you speak in terms of the crappy
testing items from HCofA.

I'm not broke but I gave up my subscriptions to fishing,
woodworking, and cooking magazines quite some time ago -
just didn't have the time for 'em.

Lately I've got a bit more time on my hands, at least for
reading. At $12/year this is low-risk for me.

Anyone care to comment on the quality of the magazine and
the member's buying program, the one that allegedly offers
special discounts?

Thanks,

Marc

Rick & Cyndi said:

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040508202458.17730.00001236@mb-
m16.aol.com...
: Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
: America".
Having suffered
: through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
responding but . . .
:
: anyone out there heard of/joined/been [censored] by CCA?
:
: Thanks,
:
: Marc
========

Hi Marc,

I'm a lifetime member. I like them just fine. I've tested
some pretty neat things and have actually learned a thing
or two plus got some great recipe ideas from them.

Interesting. How would you rate their magazine content
against, say, Gourmet or Bon Appetit? I stopped buying both
of those simply because they got a little too far away from
the food (travel, restaurant blurbs, etc).

Quoted message said:

I also got a free, beautiful set of encapsulated SS
cookware - I already had 2 sets of cookware so I donated
them to a family in need from our church.

Nice. Any comment on the kind of stuff they send for
testing, or the members-only buying program?

Quoted message said:

My husband is also a member of the HCofA. He enjoys the
mags and has gotten a few ideas from them as well.

I was a member for 2-3 years. I found the magazine useful,
in a limited sort of way. The tools they sent were small
handtools, ranging from a crappy Chiawanese steel multi-
bit ratcheting screw driver (already had one) to a fairly
decent Stanley utility knife with a no-tools blade change
mechanism. That was a keeper, it's in tool box #3
(plumbing tools).

Thanks Cyndi.

Best,

Marc

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Orion said:

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040508202458.17730.00001236@mb-
m16.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
America". Having

suffered

Quoted message said:

through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
responding but

. .

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

.

Quoted message said:

anyone out there heard of/joined/been [censored]
by CCA?

Thanks,

Marc

Yeah, they tell you you'll be testing $hundreds$ worth of
kitchen

equipment,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but then you test some pot holders or measuring spoons.
They also send

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

books very often to review/buy,

I read the fine print, it's an opt-out at the time of
joining program. If

you

Quoted message said:

elect not to receive those mailings they'll stop.

Speaking as one who had enough trouble convincing Columbia
House I wanted

to

Quoted message said:

quit, I'd opt out of that CCA program.

Quoted message said:

sometimes every few weeks so you have to go through the
hassle of returning them. I don't think it's worth the

money,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but that's just my opinion. Others may have had
better luck.

Agreed. And I know whereof you speak in terms of the
crappy testing items

from

Quoted message said:

HCofA.

I'm not broke but I gave up my subscriptions to fishing,
woodworking, and cooking magazines quite some time ago -
just didn't have the time for 'em.

Lately I've got a bit more time on my hands, at least for
reading. At

$12/year

Quoted message said:

this is low-risk for me.

Anyone care to comment on the quality of the magazine and
the member's

buying

Quoted message said:

program, the one that allegedly offers special discounts?

Thanks,

Marc

I've tried to opt-out, and am getting less, but still
getting them. As far as the mags go, I'm much happier with
my 'cook's illustrated'. Not to say that the CCA mags are no
good, just not as good.

Suzan

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Orion said:

"MrAoD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040508202458.17730.00001236@mb-
m16.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
America". Having

suffered

Quoted message said:

through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
responding but

. .

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

.

Quoted message said:

anyone out there heard of/joined/been [censored]
by CCA?

Thanks,

Marc

Yeah, they tell you you'll be testing $hundreds$ worth of
kitchen

equipment,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but then you test some pot holders or measuring spoons.
They also send

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

books very often to review/buy,

I read the fine print, it's an opt-out at the time of
joining program. If

you

Quoted message said:

elect not to receive those mailings they'll stop.

Speaking as one who had enough trouble convincing Columbia
House I wanted

to

Quoted message said:

quit, I'd opt out of that CCA program.

Quoted message said:

sometimes every few weeks so you have to go through the
hassle of returning them. I don't think it's worth the

money,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but that's just my opinion. Others may have had
better luck.

Agreed. And I know whereof you speak in terms of the
crappy testing items

from

Quoted message said:

HCofA.

I'm not broke but I gave up my subscriptions to fishing,
woodworking, and cooking magazines quite some time ago -
just didn't have the time for 'em.

Lately I've got a bit more time on my hands, at least for
reading. At

$12/year

Quoted message said:

this is low-risk for me.

Anyone care to comment on the quality of the magazine and
the member's

buying

Quoted message said:

program, the one that allegedly offers special discounts?

Thanks,

Marc

As far as mags go, the CCA mags are a lot of gloss and very
little usable substance. For more bang for the buck, go with
Taste of Home. No adverts and actual recipes you can make at
home. -Ginny

"MrAoD" & Cyndi" wrote:
: >: Hokay, just got a solicitation from "Cooking Club of
America".
: >Having suffered
: >: through the onslaughts of HCA I'm disinclined to bother
: >responding but . . . anyone out there heard
: >of/joined/been
[censored] by CCA?
: >:
: >: Thanks,
: >:
: >: Marc
: >========
: >
: >Hi Marc,
: >
: >I'm a lifetime member. I like them just fine. I've tested
some
: >pretty neat things and have actually learned a
: >thing or two
plus
: >got some great recipe ideas from them.
:
: Interesting. How would you rate their magazine content
against, say, Gourmet
: or Bon Appetit? I stopped buying both of those
: simply because
they got a
: little too far away from the food (travel,
: restaurant blurbs,
etc).
: >I also got a free, beautiful set of encapsulated SS
: >cookware - I already had 2
sets
: >of cookware so I donated them to a family in need from
: >our church.
:
: Nice. Any comment on the kind of stuff they send for
: testing,
or the
: members-only buying program?
:
: >My husband is also a member of the HCofA. He enjoys
: >the mags
and
: >has gotten a few ideas from them as well.
:
: I was a member for 2-3 years. I found the magazine
: useful, in
a limited sort
: of way. The tools they sent were small handtools,
: ranging from
a crappy
: Chiawanese steel multi-bit ratcheting screw driver
: (already had
one) to a
: fairly decent Stanley utility knife with a no-tools blade
change mechanism.
: That was a keeper, it's in tool box #3 (plumbing tools).
:
: Thanks Cyndi.
:
: Best,
:
: Marc
============

You're welcome.

Rick didn't test out too many products - most of them small
gadgetry like you said. For CCofA though, I have a beautiful
maple cutting/carving board that retails for about $60; I've
tested out a wild rice blend that was quite nice and I was
glad later, because I needing to make a wild rice dish and
(blah, blah, blah) - found the same mix in the store and got
some because I knew it would be good... I've also tested out
a dishwashing wand (by Oxo) that was pretty cool and I just
received this week a bottle opener. So far, I haven't been
able to use the opener for what it's intended for - well
sort of. It won't help me open milk jugs - which is mostly
what I need help with. I guess it will rate a little low
because of that. It has a little flipped up appendage that
is supposed to help you open the flip tops of cans but it's
too thick to reach under the rim of the serrated part of
milk lids. Bummer. I dislike having to dig out the church
key for the odd gallon og milk that decides it doesn't want
to be opened.

Back to the CCA magazine - they have a tips section where
I've actually picked up a new trick or two and have
become inspired by a few of their recipes. I now make a
KILLER Chocolate Zucchini Loaf that I've adapted from
their magazine.

They have interesting articles... while they are not Cook's
Illustrated - I like them FAR better and quite frankly,
never renewed by subscription to Cook's after my initial
trial with them.

But hey, that's me.

--
Cyndi <Remove a "b" to reply

(MrAoD) said:

Thanks to all for their input. On balance I think I'll give
it a miss this time. We'll see if they're as persistent
with their "one-time only" membership offers as HCofA was.

;-)

ObFood:

The boy and I took Mom to Eastern Market, a combination
flea market and farmer's market in SE DC.

Quoted message said:

Marc

the eastern market is nice. i'm [censored] though, because much
of it is not wheelchair accessible.

your peg-leg pal, blake