Hi,
"These days, online surveys allow the magazine’s editors to communicate with readers in minutes; no story idea gets into the running unless it surveys well, and no tested recipe is complete unless at least 80 percent of those who tried it at home — thousands of uncompensated volunteers known as Friends of Cook’s — say they would make it again."
Is this proof that CI communicates with Frank about chili? Or not?
"The corollary is his belief that empirically rigorous testing always leads to the best preparation, just as blind tastings — another staple of Kimball’s products — will always winnow out the best brand of crunchy peanut butter or microwave popcorn."
That reminds me of the 2001 top rated DaVinci extra virgin olive oil. DaVinci oil was "Highly Recommended" and shilled again in 2006. They were also a CI corporate customer (paid or paying?) that had Cook's Illustrated advertising tags on their bottles. That same year, Consumer Reports held a double blind tasting of olive oil experts naming the DaVinci as the lowest rated. In fact, the oil had changed that year from Italian olive oil to a bottled in Italy oil. The appearance of a conflict of interest must be coincidental.
Tim