Cookaholics Bulletin Board

And to save you some link clicking:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R95TGXY

It's just a bunch of informational questions about when, how and for whom you cook.

Some of the questions are bafflingly vague though. "Who do you share your cooking with?"

Speaking of Penzey's (hijack alert!), while I like their spices, Bill Penzey's "whimsy" irritates the shit out of me. The catalogs look like they were laid out by a junior high yearbook editor, the "recipes" from readers are laughable (did you see the banana salad one?), and his solioquies are even worse than CK's.

I tear the coupon off the front and throw the rest in the recycle bin before my blood pressure gets up. (yeah, I let things get to me). I think it annoys me because I do graphic design (just finished a 204-page motorcycle parts catalog!).

Anyhoo, thought I'd share. Oh, and I picked up a groovy bumper sticker last time I was in Penzey's (about 2 weeks ago). It has a yellow crayon-drawn heart, over which are the words "Love People. Cook them good food." No mention of Penzey's. Weird way to promote your business when you don't have the kind of recognition for just a catch phrase (i.e. "just do it").

Howabout, "Love people. Cook them well!

Darcie,

It would be wonderful to be a fly on the wall at the Penzey family reunion, if they have one. It's one of those typical stories of the 2nd or 3rd generation growing up with too much money and no common sense. Bill, his sister are kind of competitors and don't get together....

The best issue of his catalog was the one that celebrated his second marriage to a 30something hottie. The editorial content was a precursor to his semi-ho style magazine.

Given his considerable ego, it amazes me that he places stores in new/improving neighborhoods and hires really good people to staff the stores.

CC

Just cut off the "food" part.

My Californian brother tells me people cut the "B" and "R" off of bumper stickers that read:
IN-N-OUT
BURGER

Tim, Darcie,

I get the feeling that, unlike BCP, Bill hires good businesspeople to run Penzey's ... and then lets them run it and doesn't interfere.

And, frankly, even though you and I find the Penzey's catalog infantile, it may actually be a shrewd piece of marketing. Experienced gourmet cooks like us don't need motivation to buy expensive premium spices. More average home cooks do, and I think Penzey's is deliberately catering to the Cuisine At Home crowd in order to expand their market.

After all, even though we find the catalog stupid, that doesn't mean we stop buying the spices, does it?

You've got a great point.

And I always get good service when I'm in the store. They will honor expired Penzey's coupons - even several months past the expiration!

I got to finally visit a store in Buffalo in November. Very friendly and helpful folks running it, with some great suggestions on how to use some spices. Lovely store too!