Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

They sent me a book after I had emphatically told their telephone solicitor not to send it. Even though I was not legally obliged to return it, I sent it back at my own expense, along w/a letter of complaint. I never got a response, let alone an apology or repayment of the postage.

A year later, they sent a second unsolicited book, this time without any preliminary phone call. This time, I kept it, and sent a second letter, basically telling them to go to hell.

Except for the occasional email, I haven't heard from them since. The sleaziness of their sales operation alienated this formerly loyal reader.

I'm really delighted to see this thread. I stopped eating fish skin in restaurants several years ago, because I was thought that other diners and wait people might snicker something like: "What a rube! He ate the fish skin! Bet he drinks from the finger bowl next." (Not that I habituate restaurants w/finger bowls....) Good to know I can go back to fish skin eating w/o committing a social faux pas.

"Do you shut down the title that's beautiful and smart with good writing, the employee asked, and go for the title with recipes and pictures of cheeseburgers?"

Hmmm. If you look at the next most recent entry on today's Serious Eats, you'll find a picture of cheeseburger.

"Konichiwa what's up guys s'Joe."

The first sentence of the video--no, the first WORD of the video--tells you everything you need to know about the reviewer. Nothing to see here.

I dropped CI because of terrible customer service.

1. When I first subscribed, they sent me 2 copies of the same issue.

2. One of their telemarketers called me to offer a book "on approval." I told her--twice--not to send it, but she did anyway. I returned it w/a complaint letter.

No apology from CI. No reply of any kind.

I thought the issues were both useful and beautifully produced. Same for the web site. But not worth the irritation.

Red Hot & Blue isn't just a Texas chain.

Click the "outside Texas" button on the linked site, and you'll find it in a number of other states. I'm in Washington, DC, and regularly visit a Virginia branch. This write-up made me realize I'm overdue for another visit.