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Cooking Club of America,

I had signed up for some stuff that involved cooking and recipes so my name got on a mailing list. When the invitation to join the club came in the mail, I thought it looked like a good deal. $12 dollars a year for membership (that might have gone up), you get to test products, get their cooking magazine (Cooking Pleasures). It all sounded good. So I sent the reply card back. They sent some blank recipe cards, a refrigerator magnet, a sponge and other junk with the bill. They wanted me to pay for two years, that was the first thing that made me wonder if they were for real for or just swindling people. But, me being me I want ahead and paid for two years. I figured if I get to test products and keep them it will even out in the end.

It took a few weeks for me to hear from them after I sent the money order. When I did get something from them, it was my membership card and the sign up form for the product testing. It said that you could only test one product per year. They did not say that when you signed up. That confused me since I have got some other little things, nothing at was worth more the two dollars though.

The first thing they sent me to test was one of those flexible pans. I got the cookie sheet liner. It works well. I made a pizza and a piece of fish at the same time to see if the flavors mixed, since that is what the liner was supposed to prevent. They aren't lying. My pizza tasted like pizza no fishy taste. After you have played with your new thing, you have to fill out the survey card that comes with it. I ran out of room on mine, they do not give you enough space to write a good review. I just used a piece of paper.
I was hoping for a more expensive product but I ended up liking what I got. I have hit the one-year mark so I should be getting another product to test.

The magazine is ok, I am not sure if it is supposed to come every month or every other month. I don't seem to get it on a regular basis. In the magazine, they put the member's reviews of stuff that was tested. Yours might be the one they use. You can enter the Cook's Giveaway online or by mail. There is usually a bunch of cool stuff to win. The Ask the Expert section is another opportunity to get free stuff, if your question is printed they will send you something. What they send changes from month to month. They have other ways to win stuff like by sending in recipes in and/or sharing a tip. It has a good balance between dessert and dinner recipes. Most are reasonable, they do not call for some special hard to find ingredient.
There are many ads in the magazine; I don't like that too much.

You also get to preview cookbooks; they paid to ship it back if you do not want to buy it. I like the books that I have already previewed. I have only bought one since they are expensive.

They keep sending me stuff trying to get me to buy a lifetime membership. Offering a rebate of club dues, I have already paid. It does not seem to be a good offer, since you will be paying $24.00 a year for like five years something like that. It might be worth it if you knew that they would be in business for your lifetime.

As of now, I don't think I will re-up my membership with them. It would be a good gift for someone that likes to cook.

Learn more about this author, Tiffany Nicholson.
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