I've been a CI subscriber on and off over the years and their recipes have usually worked for me. I like the fact that they'll tell me I can use regular Persian limes instead of key limes in the key lime bars.
But man, do I find Kimball himself insufferable, and this piece does nothing to change that.
I guess I like my scientific and intellectual curiosity fused with a little joy, like Alton Brown, Mythbusters, or even my introduction to such things: Mr. Wizard.
I can't warm up to Kimball at all and as Watts said, he's just an insufferable man.
And I really, really dislike their web model for the CI website. I was looking for one of the recipes I'd seen on "ATK", so I registered. What I wasn't aware of is that their 14-day free trial isn't exactly free. I unregistered before the monthly access charge hit my credit card and while $5 a month isn't going to bother me, there's absolutely no way in hell he's getting 5 bucks a month from me.
I was totally delighted by the description of testing out the perfect soft-boiled egg. And I will always be grateful to CI for those amazing brown-butter chocolate chip cookies. If you haven't tried them, you must. They are really, really excellent.
I was glad that the article talked about the CI business model. I love the ad-free nature of the magazine and wish that more magazines would adopt the same model.
Good lord, it is a drudge (and not always easy) to get dinner on the table every night, but if it wasn't creative and fun, then there's no way I would do it everyday. I love my family, but that's a lot of work if I don't also get something out of it.
BUT, getting to the point where last night I made a great roasted squash risotto with fried sage leaves without looking up a recipe, on a weeknight, while talking with a visiting friend? I probably wouldn't have gotten there without starting with CI.
I've been a CI subscriber on and off over the years and their recipes have usually worked for me. I like the fact that they'll tell me I can use regular Persian limes instead of key limes in the key lime bars.
ReplyDeleteBut man, do I find Kimball himself insufferable, and this piece does nothing to change that.
I guess I like my scientific and intellectual curiosity fused with a little joy, like Alton Brown, Mythbusters, or even my introduction to such things: Mr. Wizard.
I can't warm up to Kimball at all and as Watts said, he's just an insufferable man.
ReplyDeleteAnd I really, really dislike their web model for the CI website. I was looking for one of the recipes I'd seen on "ATK", so I registered. What I wasn't aware of is that their 14-day free trial isn't exactly free. I unregistered before the monthly access charge hit my credit card and while $5 a month isn't going to bother me, there's absolutely no way in hell he's getting 5 bucks a month from me.
Because it's the principal of the thing, dammit.
I was totally delighted by the description of testing out the perfect soft-boiled egg. And I will always be grateful to CI for those amazing brown-butter chocolate chip cookies. If you haven't tried them, you must. They are really, really excellent.
ReplyDeleteI was glad that the article talked about the CI business model. I love the ad-free nature of the magazine and wish that more magazines would adopt the same model.
Good lord, it is a drudge (and not always easy) to get dinner on the table every night, but if it wasn't creative and fun, then there's no way I would do it everyday. I love my family, but that's a lot of work if I don't also get something out of it.
ReplyDeleteBUT, getting to the point where last night I made a great roasted squash risotto with fried sage leaves without looking up a recipe, on a weeknight, while talking with a visiting friend? I probably wouldn't have gotten there without starting with CI.