Criticising recipes

[Garp]

Yes indeed, the basis of this whole forum is sharing recipes tips and help for free, not criticising abusing trolling and making members leave or feel they can

[Madrasandy]

Here comes the 3rd member
Remember Gon

[romain]

So the forum is moving towards a ban on saying anything the slightest bit negative or critical about recipes which they've tried and weren't very keen on?

Here's two recent examples (compare and contrast):

1. Livo recently tried a recipe which I posted in 2005 from an outline kindly drafted by Ghanna for chicken korma. Livo was very critical and said he planned to throw it in the bin. I was disappointed but there you go. Nobody sent me messages of support, like they worried I might be devastated.

2.  A few days later I tried Romain's recipe for chicken dhansak. I said I thought it was poor compared to the dishes served by a half-decent BIR. Should I have lied and said it was delicious? Romain went ballistic and started laying into me. He said he'd received numerous messages of support, presumably suggesting he ignore me because my opinion counts for nothing.

I don't know who all these long standing members are who criticise any recipe published here by a newbie. I suggest it's nonsense. It can't include me because Romain's dhansak was the first recipe I've tried and commented on from this forum in several years.

Conclusion - everybody needs to feel like a winner. No negative comments whatsoever are allowed from now on. If so, this forum has lost the plot.

I did not go ballistic on you. You would know if I went ballistic on you. You seem to pride yourself on being forthright and calling a spade a spade so I am going to take the same liberty here. Not ballistic. Just forthright.

This started because Dee posted a couple links to recipes on my blog that he(she?) felt were the best they had ever tried. You were quick to judge one of them as poor without having tried it. You are free to like or dislike my recipes. Everyone is. That's the nature of the internet. People who contribute nothing hide behind their keyboards and take shots.  You want to play in the open you have to expect and accept that. There's a name for people like that and it's easy to tell who they are.

Calling me out as pretentious, highly irritating and unknowledgeable is what started this. I'm sure you did it secure that it would just be another case of you pontificating on the state of the universe for the benefit of one and all. And it would have been except I am here.

Interestingly several people (public and private) tried to help me (the newbie) understand the source of this opinion. And, as you noticed, people didn't come to your defence here or in your previous example. You really should pause a moment to consider why that is. It certainly cannot have anything to do with me. I don't know these people. I have been here for a very short time.

I dislike a few people here as much as they dislike me. The reason I don't post recipes, or even cooking techniques here is that I'm not prepared to let these people into what I regard as significant discoveries.

OK - sounds to me like the argument of a child but sure, why not.

I've been thinking about this after one or two people correctly pointed out that I don't post recipes on this web site, or anywhere else, actually.


I could do that, at risk of getting into serious legal trouble for copyright infringement.

That is just nonsense. Research recipe copyright law before you hide behind arguments that simply don't hold water.

Which is it? I'm still waiting for any evidence of your credentials BTW. I have put mine forth. Where are yours?

[curryhell]

Romain went ballistic and started laying into me.

Really?  I just re-read the thread and see no evidence of him going ballistic but he did take exception to your normal overly abrasive tone, which really is not surprising.  Maybe Romain has deleted this to cover his tracks 

He said he'd received numerous messages of support, presumably suggesting he ignore me because my opinion counts for nothing.

I am sure he did, given your attack on him.  And yes George, for once we agree.  Your opinions do count for nothing, at least in my opinion anyway.  I've yet to see anything from the 3129 posts you have made over the years to suggest that people can take anything you say on the subject of BIR with any seriousness, as there is a distinct lack of any empirical evidence.  Ah, I have just remembered why:

The reason I don't post recipes, or even cooking techniques here is that I'm not prepared to let these people into what I regard as significant discoveries.

But for the cooks among us prepared to share our recipes and put them on the forum for public scrutiny and feedback, we'll curry on for the benefit or those still here and who are interested.

[romain]

Which is it? I'm still waiting for any evidence of your credentials BTW. I have put mine forth. Where are yours?

Actually, please disregard this last comment. Someone (Phil, Yousef, other) will point out this I have been fueling a flame war that is not aligned with the goals of this forum and they will be right. Yousef - I apologize for bringing this mess to your house...

[Secret Santa]

I suppose what it really comes down to is whether the criticism is constructive or not? Constructive criticism has to be allowed in my opinion.

[livo]

One significant difference George, is that I posted comment about Ghaana's Korma after I'd cooked it. I just looked back to your first post regarding Romain's Dhansak and confirmed my recollection. You hadn't tried it before you made comment on its quality from your reading of the recipe. You had not yet tried it.  I can't find where you wrote you've made it till just now.

Why you would be upset by me commenting negatively about Ghaana's recipe is beyond me.  You liked it, I didn't.
I ended up not binning the Korma as I dislike waste and I posted how I converted it into an edible meal.

[curryhell]

I suppose what it really comes down to is whether the criticism is constructive or not? Constructive criticism has to be allowed in my opinion.

100% correct Santa and it helps if it's delivered as being such 

[romain]

A bir chef who showed me a learning method which works to get bir flavours told me that " A good bir cook can get good results from a poor recipe but a bad cook will not get a good result from a good recipe.
Whats occuring with some here is frustration so only response is.
It must be the recipe

If I post the method I was taught on this forum will it be subjected to the same condemnation ? Yes I believe so

NobleOx - your chef friend is a wise man. I, for one, would love to hear what else he told you. I am here to learn.

Livo - I would also love to hear your naan secrets.

I'll be waiting hopefully for a PM at least.

And I will share (although I think I've already shared this one). I am a big fan of blooming spices in oil. It takes more attention to what you are doing but I find that powdered spices in hot oil really makes a difference. I always go with lots of oil, followed by the whole spices and then the big chunks (onion, pepper). I add the garlic ginger paste next and fry it until it stops sizzling. After that all the ground spices at once and bloom for around 30 seconds, then I add the tomato and finally the first ladle of base. The trick is to make sure you have enough oil in the pan so by the time you get to the powdered spices they fry rather than stick or clump up or worst of all burn.

Of course not all ingredients are in every recipe but I do stick to the overall flow. I find adding powdered spices after the liquid (base, tomato paste etc) results in a less developed flavour (boiled spices) and sometimes even a gritty texture. You can get away with it if you use a LOT of oil and evaporate most of the liquid of course but I find it easier just to go with the workflow above.

I do this for anything that calls for dried spices in any serious quantity - restaurant style Indian, traditional Indian, Mexican etc.

YMMV of course - that's just how I do it...

[romain]

I suppose what it really comes down to is whether the criticism is constructive or not? Constructive criticism has to be allowed in my opinion.

100% correct Santa and it helps if it's delivered as being such 

Also agree 100%.

"The first time I made this recipe I followed it to the letter. The second time I tried adding a couple whole black cardamom because I think a tarka dal really benefits from a hint of smoky flavour. That really made it sing. Of course that's my personal taste so YMMV." is worthwhile feedback and helps everyone evolve their cooking.

"This recipe is just rubbish" is somewhat less helpful and can lead to people feeling bullied or intimidated to the point where they simply refuse to post anything for fear of public ridicule.