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It was fascinating and fun to get a “behind the scenes tour” of “America’s Test Kitchen”, one of the most popular shows on Public Television, and the offices of “Cooks Illustrated”.

I have to hand it to Chris Kimball, the owner and founder, while most publishers of books and magazines are nervously watching their advertising and readership decrease due to the web, Chris is gleefully recruiting new subscribers, “Cooks Illustrated” has about one million subscribers!! He self-publishes all his own books. Look for “America’s Best Lost Recipes” which will be coming out in the fall.

Chris and I go way back and it’s been pretty fascinating to watch him establish his media empire. I still remember the old “Cooks Illustrated” which he started in Connecticut back in the eighties. The magazine was QUITE different. those were the days when he allowed advertising. I was one of the first writers to do an article, on the Chinese cabbage family, for the magazine after he relocated in Boston with a handful of staff and NO advertising.

He has come a LONG way- as you’ll see in the video. The test kitchens are quite amazing and WE WERE SO LUCKY TO BE THERE ON THE DAY THEY WERE TESTING RECIPES FOR THE BEST BROWNIES EVER!!! Sorry, you will have to wait for the January issue…. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay to try all the samples, but the kitchen staff took pity on me and allowed me a little taste. Yummy!! Stay tuned for Part II…

Tags: spicesoflife, ninasimonds, americastestkitchen, chriskimball, cooksillustrated, cook, cooking, tv, publictelevision, food, health, lifestyle