Food absolutism is incredibly stupid.

r/

When I mean food absolutism, I’m talking about when someone uses the “wrong ingredient” in some dish. (flour tortillas for enchiladas for example) If the dish tastes better or appeals to more people, it should be considered the standard recipe. Disregarding a meal or calling it sacrilegious is incredibly short-sighted, especially if you enjoyed the meal and are then commenting on it afterward.

Comments

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  2. Even_Pressure_9431 Avatar

    Do what suits you

  3. NegativeBee Avatar

    This might be one of the best unpopular opinions I’ve seen.

  4. Considered_Dissent Avatar

    I completely agree with OP; all vegan dishes should include meat as the standard recipe, because it tastes better and appeals to more people (and the vegans decrying it as “sacrilegious” are the problem).

    Wait let me guess, suddenly the original intent/purpose and integrity of the dish becomes important? : D

  5. zachomara Avatar

    Two words: Raw chicken.

    Chicken tartare has got to be the nastiest possible food on the planet, and no “standard” or variant recipe can make it better.

  6. King_Soyboy Avatar

    I like eating frozen potstickers dumplings, instead of doing it the traditional way, I make it how my mom used to make it for me.

    After straining the water my mom would have the dumplings in the pot with the soy sauce, heat it together and caramelize it. I like how my mom makes it, reminds me of home now that I’m moved out and stuff. But when my friends see it they say that I’m doing it wrong and I should make it the “right way” and the intended way.

    I didn’t realize I was making my food for them.

  7. kvakerok_v2 Avatar

    I think you wanted to say “absolutely stupid”, but then recognized the irony. There are ingredients that are key to the dish though. There’s no guac without avocado, no beat soup without beats, no chilli without beans.

  8. Templarofsteel Avatar

    I think that in generak theres a good point to this, but if the meal is connected to a religious aspect or similar then the intent has grrater impact. Experimentation is good bur intent is important too

  9. HikeSkiHiphop Avatar

    Do what you like and you’ll like what you do when do it

  10. Shiftymennoknight Avatar

    Cooking is art, baking is science

  11. Iowa_Phil Avatar

    Concept of a standard recipe is more the problem imo. Food is transient. People have been moving and adapting forever. Like the United States is new, so food made by Chinese immigrants is very different from food found in China. But it’s not like the same things weren’t happening in China for centuries.

  12. Firm-Boysenberry Avatar

    I have one bit of advice for you, don’t cook for family or in-laws unless they specifically request your recipe.

  13. mavadotar2 Avatar

    Nah, fuck mob rule.

  14. SparkleSelkie Avatar

    Having a standard recipe the first place is dumb as shit. All food comes in variations

  15. TrainerLoki Avatar

    The only places that should have Standardized Recipes is dining establishments, tho you better be prepared to make some foods certain ways for in-laws, especially those who at 2nd or 3rd gen immigrants.

  16. Sufficient-Berry-827 Avatar

    I mean, people can do what they want. If anyone ever serves me enchiladas with flour tortillas I will simply never speak to them again. Or those mfs that use frozen burritos and canned enchilada sauce and call it an enchilada casserole. Jail.

  17. hollandaisesawce Avatar

    Except chilli jam in fried rice.

  18. No_Meringue_8736 Avatar

    Food is a huge part of culture. When you’re cooking at home or asking for accomodations for your own plate at a restaurant then do whatever you want, BUT if we’re talking about food from a culture and you’re sharing recipes and using the original name and it’s not authentic then I think people have a right to be a little upset about their culture being misrepresented. There’s also the fact that it’s factually wrong. If you order a pizza you expect pizza, if you order tacos you expect tacos. When we can change the meaning of words based on an individual’s taste then the words lose meaning. 

  19. rosscoehs Avatar

    People who argue that it’s not real chili if it has beans in it are insufferable and can go fuck themselves.

  20. Final_Boss_Jr Avatar

    Subby made something the wrong way for someone and didn’t like the criticism.

  21. Informal_Accident418 Avatar

    I don’t totally disagree with what you’re saying. However, anybody making enchiladas with flour tortillas needs to go straight to jail.

  22. Digi-Device_File Avatar

    Say you’re from the US without saying it.

  23. blastmorepipes Avatar

    My eyes roll to the back of my head when some fartknocker that has zero qualifications to be judging food thinks they are spitting the gospel because of where they are from or where their grandparents are from or their race.

  24. Shotgun_Rynoplasty Avatar

    For me, I see both sides. To one degree, I think there’s something to doing things traditionally. Especially when there’s a nostalgia to it. Like I have my moms chocolate chip cookie recipe and will provably make it til I die just like she did because I think about her every time I have one. That being said, I also see no reason not to change something if it suits you better. I may not go with flour tortillas for enchiladas but you do you. I also didn’t think I’d be blown away from homemade flour tortilla chips but I was proven wrong

  25. Pixel_Owl Avatar

    There are some reasons to follow a recipe by the book:

    1. If someone wants a consistent output. This obviously matters more in restaurants than home cooking

    2. If someone wants to try replicate the same flavor as the recipe. Substitutes for ingredients and technique can obviously still make similarly delicious food, but sometimes following the recipe by the book can give a very specific and unique taste that a person might prefer or would like others to try.

    But yeah, people who are “uhm akshually you should be using XYZ ingredients” when I’m not aiming for the reasons above are cringe af

  26. Opaldes Avatar

    Sometimes a single difference makes another dish, so basic recipes are the lingua Franka of cooking or going somewhere to eat. If you are making a Bolognese Sauce and don’t use minced meat and a mirepoix and use beetroot as a base instead of tomatoes you basically gave misleading information. Especially allergic people and vegans would like to know if you meddled with a recipe, because I can see Nuts could go well with a carbonara and some vegan sauces are easier done with eggs.

  27. Intelligent_Pop1173 Avatar

    Lol I saw the flour tortilla thing yesterday for cinco de Mayo “HOW DARE YOU IT’S NOT MEXICAN HAHAHAH SO STUPID SO WHITE” lol like congrats on feeling superior. I get the choice at all of my local Mexican restaurants to choose corn or flour. But sure, I’m inauthentic and I also don’t give a shit. I actually always got corn tortillas until a Mexican dude I dated always used flour.