Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Has anyone else ever noticed those people who, when a recipe is published on an online recipe forum, will rate it and comment, but in their comments they will tell all the ways that they changed it to the point that it isn't even the same recipe, and seem to think they're rating the recipe that was published when they're rating a recipe that bears no resemblance whatsoever to it?
What is going on with that? What are they thinking? Are they trying to show what a great cook they are but they don't have the courage to actually post their own recipe on there for others to rate?
It's a little thing, but one of those things that makes my brain hurt when I see it, and it seems to be very common in those forums.
Has anyone else ever noticed those people who, when a recipe is published on an online recipe forum, will rate it and comment, but in their comments they will tell all the ways that they changed it to the point that it isn't even the same recipe, and seem to think they're rating the recipe that was published when they're rating a recipe that bears no resemblance whatsoever to it?
What is going on with that? What are they thinking? Are they trying to show what a great cook they are but they don't have the courage to actually post their own recipe on there for others to rate?
It's a little thing, but one of those things that makes my brain hurt when I see it, and it seems to be very common in those forums.
I never would have let this enter my mind. I enjoy reading others recipes and yes, how they can be changed to meet certain people's taste. Some people enjoy following recipes exactly, others put a twist on them. I don't think anyone is trying to show their superiority in cooking, they just enjoy the exchange of ideas.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
2,308 posts, read 4,121,934 times
Reputation: 5025
Quote:
Originally Posted by nmnita
I never would have let this enter my mind. I enjoy reading others recipes and yes, how they can be changed to meet certain people's taste. Some people enjoy following recipes exactly, others put a twist on them. I don't think anyone is trying to show their superiority in cooking, they just enjoy the exchange of ideas.
Some of us don't have access to the ingredients and although I don't make published changes, I certainly must change some and have no qualms about it. I don't, however, share my changes/exchanges because I just want to turn out good food and not try to change the original recipes.
I read the reviews, substitutions are especially helpful when it is seasonal or protein related. I just get inspired and I kind of thought that was was reason for recipe sharing sites.
The issue the OP has, is the same issue I have. When people make changes to the recipe, they're not giving a review on the existing recipe. They're exchanging ideas, as though the review option were a discussion forum. Reviews are not discussions. They're reviews.
You don't review a restaurant and say "well, I told the waiter to wait on someone else's table, and brought in my own waiter. And then I brought in a painter to change the color of the walls, and I told the chef that instead of Indian food, I'd like to have couscous with lime. Once I made all those changes, it was awesome!"
And when you review a play, you don't substitute the lead actor for your own choice. You review what is already being presented to you.
When you review a trip to California, you don't change planes in Denver and head to Puerto Rico instead, and rate California on your experience with Puerto Rico. You go to California, and review your experience there.
People who are searching for actual reviews, are -not- looking to see what changes people are making to existing recipes to call them their own. They're looking for input and feedback on the existing recipes. People who think their idea has merit, post their own recipes.
Recipe #1 = post your idea of how something will taste great, if people make it the way you make it.
Review = post your opinion on the above.
Recipe #2 = if you want to change recipe #1, then write recipe #2. Don't use review to suggest things that make recipe #1, no longer recipe #1.
In a review, you can always suggest varieties of the original. But the point of a review, is to critique the original. So like, for the classic Mac & Cheese..
"This recipe is outstanding! I love the use of gruyere, it made for a slightly nutty aftertaste. And the grated asiago mixed with the breadcrumbs is pure genius. I would have preferred it a little less clumpy, perhaps if they suggested a thinner roux, or whipping the cheese in slowly it might've been smoother.
One thing I particularly like about this recipe, is that you can customize it for your own family's preferences. You can add chicken or tuna, I've tried it with both and they've stood on their own really nicely. Adding bacon didn't work out so well, but kitchen mavens can probably experiment. It's a great base for turning into a meal with more protein, and a perfect side-dish, exactly as is."
That is a review, with suggestions for varying it.
Just like when a critic checks out a play, they'll critique the play -as is- and then say something like "I think Betty White would've been a better choice for the role of Erma"...or "the set design was missing something, perhaps a brighter background, or new stage curtains would've made the furniture in scene three pop a little better."
AnonChick, that's it exactly. I enjoy seeing what variations people have made, and I enjoy playing with recipes myself, but when they then go on to say that it's the same dish, when they used salmon instead of chicken, mustard instead of mayonnaise, Creole seasoning instead of salt and pepper, and five other major changes, and rate the recipe at a five out of five, that's ridiculous. They haven't even made the recipe, never mind knowing if it's any good as written.
Love your example of a review with suggestions, by the way. As well as your analogy to the restaurant - that's EXACTLY what they're doing!
Has anyone else ever noticed those people who, when a recipe is published on an online recipe forum, will rate it and comment, but in their comments they will tell all the ways that they changed it to the point that it isn't even the same recipe, and seem to think they're rating the recipe that was published when they're rating a recipe that bears no resemblance whatsoever to it?
What is going on with that? What are they thinking? Are they trying to show what a great cook they are but they don't have the courage to actually post their own recipe on there for others to rate?
It's a little thing, but one of those things that makes my brain hurt when I see it, and it seems to be very common in those forums.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonChick
The issue the OP has, is the same issue I have. When people make changes to the recipe, they're not giving a review on the existing recipe. They're exchanging ideas, as though the review option were a discussion forum. Reviews are not discussions. They're reviews.
You don't review a restaurant and say "well, I told the waiter to wait on someone else's table, and brought in my own waiter. And then I brought in a painter to change the color of the walls, and I told the chef that instead of Indian food, I'd like to have couscous with lime. Once I made all those changes, it was awesome!"
And when you review a play, you don't substitute the lead actor for your own choice. You review what is already being presented to you.
When you review a trip to California, you don't change planes in Denver and head to Puerto Rico instead, and rate California on your experience with Puerto Rico. You go to California, and review your experience there.
People who are searching for actual reviews, are -not- looking to see what changes people are making to existing recipes to call them their own. They're looking for input and feedback on the existing recipes. People who think their idea has merit, post their own recipes.
Recipe #1 = post your idea of how something will taste great, if people make it the way you make it.
Review = post your opinion on the above.
Recipe #2 = if you want to change recipe #1, then write recipe #2. Don't use review to suggest things that make recipe #1, no longer recipe #1.
Yes and yes! It is so irritating when people write that they didn't have salt so they substituted sugar. They didn't have wine so they substituted vinegar. They wanted to cut the fat, so they left out the cream and then complain that the recipe was tasteless.
I always make the recipe as stated the first time. I may tinker around with it later but unless I follow it correctly the first time, I have no idea if it is a good recipe or not.
I always assumed the reviews were based on the original recipe, and the suggested changes were based on tinkering with the recipe afterward.
I usually can't just look at a recipe and think that this, that, or the other ingredient might make a nice difference. Usually I have to taste the original first and THEN I can think of changing some things to make it more appealing to me.
So I might rate a recipe three out of five, and submit ideas I thought made it even better, if that makes sense.
Yes and yes! It is so irritating when people write that they didn't have salt so they substituted sugar. They didn't have wine so they substituted vinegar. They wanted to cut the fat, so they left out the cream and then complain that the recipe was tasteless.
I always make the recipe as stated the first time. I may tinker around with it later but unless I follow it correctly the first time, I have no idea if it is a good recipe or not.
Or even, "I thought it would be better with vinegar, so without even trying it the way it was made originally, I changed wine to vinegar, salt to sugar, and left out any oils or fats, and substituted salmon for chicken and I rate the recipe at 2 stars because it didn't turn out well."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
