FREE/BARGAIN - Cookbooks - 2014

[KyBunnies]

I have downloaded several Encore books but not looked at any of them. Have you looked at them GtrsRGr8? Have you checked to see if the recipe is posted somewhere else? It would not surprise me. Seems like Encore was not around last year and I see they have already published 93 books. Does seem strange.

[gabby98]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

.... But then I checked to make sure that it was self-published (to those other than Koland: it's against the MR rules to post them). Encore was the publisher, so I didn't post it. If Encore is really misbehaving, enough people will "get wise to" them and it will ruin them.

I asked before that they take that it off the first post for this thread and the children's cause to my knowledge we've never cared about that in the cooking thread. I know I don't for the kids one.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by KyBunnies

I have downloaded several Encore books but not looked at any of them. Have you looked at them GtrsRGr8? Have you checked to see if the recipe is posted somewhere else? It would not surprise me. Seems like Encore was not around last year and I see they have already published 93 books. Does seem strange.

No, I haven't checked myself. I trust Koland.

Encore wasn't around last year . . . hmm . . . well maybe they just have some very prolific writers. Barbara Cartland (novelist) supposedly has written some 700 books; Isaac Asimov (science fiction/science author) wrote around 500. So, it's possible. (hahahahahaha!)

[Laurablue]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

It appears to me that the reviews may have been removed, because I don't see any.

Could you provide a link to what you are referring to please?

Just out of curiosity I skimmed through reviews and found this rather detailed review on Amazon.com of The Empanada King cookbook.

[koland]

Hmm...some reviews seem to have been removed. But, here is one of the better written ones:

"Encore Books is at it again -- a fake author redo rip-off book with new fake author but same dishonest publisher."

http://www.amazon.com/The-Empanada-K...owViewpoints=1

Well documented criticism, also, with links to where some of the original recipes come from. Same person wrote up review of their catfish cookbook (same plagiarism issues): http://www.amazon.com/Catfish-Recipe...owViewpoints=1

Also, many of the ones still remaining talk about the poor formatting and instructions. My favorite of their reviews, though, are for their three-ingredient book:

23) Buttered Sweet Potato with Pork Toppings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ready In: 60 minutes
INGREDIENTS: Sugar, 1 serving diet soda, 1 package regular white cake dry mix

http://www.amazon.com/Ingredients-On...owViewpoints=1

(I'm pretty sure that won't work and would not make much of a potato/pork meal, even if you had proportions to work with).

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Laurablue

Just out of curiosity I skimmed through reviews and found this rather detailed review on Amazon.com of The Empanada King cookbook.

Originally Posted by koland

Hmm...some reviews seem to have been removed. But, here is one of the better written ones:

<snip>

Well documented criticism, also, with links to where some of the original recipes come from. Same person wrote up review of their catfish cookbook (same plagiarism issues): http://www.amazon.com/Catfish-Recipe...owViewpoints=1
. . . .

Very good documentation. Thanks for doing the digging to find it.

There are several sites which archive websites (one that comes quickly to mind is the one at archive.org) and if someone was inclined to, he or she might be able to find pages with the now-removed reviews intact.

Well I feel like I've wasted some money. I don't cook now, but plan to do a lot in the future. I actually have bought quite a few Encore cookbooks for future use, based on the ratings and reviews. And, the pretty pictures on and in the books of the finished food. ha

I always, or most always got them at a good price, though, so I don't feel completely ripped off. And maybe most of the recipes are good ones--Koland's sweet potato recipe notwithstanding. I really don't care where recipes come from, as long as they are good and someone hasn't done something illegal or unethical to get them. But, the thought that keeps running through my head is that these "authors" might have (probably did) just go through websites and books, and grab recipes pretty much "willy-nilly."

Maybe, if Encore is truly guilty, they will get their just desserts (no pun intended. ha). Maybe it will come from the law. But, if Amazon banned them, that probably would mean the end of their little operation, too. Unfortunately, hucksters have a way of going "out of business" under one name, etc. and then quickly reopening under another one. I'm rambling now, from thinking out loud. I'm quitting.

[GA Russell]

Thanks Laurablue and koland!

The empanada review you cite indicates that the recipes are not only plagiarized, but are unreliable (and therefore worthless) as well.

[Little.Egret]

Budget Cooking for One - Supper Dishes: Budget Recipes for One - The Art of Cooking for Yourself by Penelope R Oates

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JT8BJPE/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JT8BJPE/
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00JT8BJPE/

Budget Cooking for One - Vegetarian: Vegetarian Dishes (Budget Recipes for One - The Art of Cooking for Yourself) by Penelope R Oates

http://www.amazon.com/gp/B00KHV1V4Q/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B00KHV1V4Q/
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/B00KHV1V4Q/

[GA Russell]

Little.Egret, I found Budget Cooking for One - Vegetarian with this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Budget-Cooking...+Vegetarian%3A

[GA Russell]

The 50 Greatest Bacon Recipes of All Time - 99 cents

http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Bacon...ZB81B1DF73K9HQ

[GA Russell]

I, and I suspect many others, received a smoothie maker for Christmas.

I see that Amazon US has many smoothie cookbooks for free today.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st_re...rt=review-rank

[GA Russell]

Speaking of smoothies...

Juicing For Beginners - 99 cents
[Affiliate tag - MODERATOR]

Sorry, Don! Let's try this!
http://www.amazon.com/Juicing-Beginn...+for+beginners

*****

Juicing for Weight Loss: A Simple Four-Week Plan - 99 cents
http://www.amazon.com/Juicing-Weight...H7NQ9GVN7N4EXE

[Difflugia]

HarperCollins is having a sale on Christian books and the landing page has a cookbook section. Other than The Daniel Plan, I'm not sure how the others got labeled as "Christian" (The Southern Foodie's Guide to the Pig?)

The "Buy Now" buttons link to various ebook stores. Note that the links resolve to URLs with affiliate tags (HarperCollins', not mine), if such things offend you.

[koland]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

HarperCollins is having a sale on Christian books and the landing page has a cookbook section. Other than The Daniel Plan, I'm not sure how the others got labeled as "Christian" (The Southern Foodie's Guide to the Pig?)

The "Buy Now" buttons link to various ebook stores. Note that the links resolve to URLs with affiliate tags (HarperCollins', not mine), if such things offend you.

Thomas Nelson is under the HarperCollins Christian Publishing imprint, but publishes a line of cookbooks that would not otherwise be included in any religious genre classification.

ETA: Zondervan is, oddly enough, grouped under HarperCollins Publishing instead of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, yet everything it publishes, including cookbooks, is of a more religious/christian tone.

Here's one that is one sale:
http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Delicio...dp/B00A9UMLGW/

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by koland

Thomas Nelson is under the HarperCollins Christian Publishing imprint, but publishes a line of cookbooks that would not otherwise be included in any religious genre classification.

ETA: Zondervan is, oddly enough, grouped under HarperCollins Publishing instead of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, yet everything it publishes, including cookbooks, is of a more religious/christian tone.

That's interesting. I hadn't worked out the intricacies of HarperCollins' slew of holdings.