Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Since you obviously have such ribald wit and far more creativity than the rest of us: here is an idea--why not create a new line of topics, rather than complaining about the current offerings? If people don't pick up on the ideas you find interesting, try another board.

Also, to be honest, some of the most interesting discussions often happen on the seemingly most 'pedestrian' topic lines, depending on who responds.

@tmj529 ~ It would appear you need to get laid.

Wow. You could start your own blog and approve all topics before they are posted; that way it would only be about what you want to discuss. Go for it. Have some fun.

@chiff ~ I guess I missed something. When did you move away from Florida? All good points btw. I wish I had the ability to be prolific first thing in the morning. Or anytime for that matter. ;-D

chiff ~ you are too kind, but seriously........

Atlanta is a great city! I never pass up an opportunity to visit. Although it has been a couple of years, we are about due for a trip down. Last year we were in Savannah. (it's nice having a hubby who travels for a living)

I think TMJ has a point. By example, someone on TV cooks with ramps, people start buying them, other people start writing about them, and before you know it, every contestant on Top Chef is using them in a farmers' market challenge. How has it become that the "collective conscience" was more a formula for increativity?

TMJ, I'd like to be part of the solution. Have you tried Alinea at Home, Blymire's blog? Also, Michael Laiskonis has a good one, and I really like Line Cook and 19 months. I haven't popped in on Ruhlman in months and it's just fine by me.

@Chelley ~ You are scream out loud funny this morning!!

@Chell ~ No! Go for it. I am going to Brunch in a couple of minutes and my first order of business will be champagne. Love the bubbly. I am glad my holidays are peaceful!

@Chelley you go girl woohoo!
@iza I started my day off with mimosa it is better than sliced bread.

You come to a place and read what the theme is and then have the oysters to complain about it makes you just a giant asshat. A normal person of moderate intelligence would say "wow not for me" and just go someplace else on the www. The internet is a big place enjoy visiting it. Find someplace more palatable.

Predictability isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've had plenty of completely unpredictable things in my life (which includes living in Israel for a couple of years, where at the time, more often than not, when leaving my flat in the morning, I wasn't certain that I would make it back in peace. And in one piece -- as in those unpredictable days, you never knew what's going to be blown up next and where. My worst nightmare was actually not so much getting killed in a bombing, as being injured and losing limbs - which is why when on a bus, I kept my arms and my legs as "together" as possible. Silly, I realise it), so I have to tell you, I find it rather comfortable that some things in life are predictable.

Besides, I love cooking with passion, and I reckon it's human nature - we can talk forever about things we're passionate about, even though same things make look as boring and mundane to someone who doesn't share the same passion. Which is why I don't post on a board devoted to American football (why you even call it "football" when it's not played with one's feet is beyond me, but please don't kill me for saying that:-)).

@chiff - congrats on your move! I do remember how you wanted to be in a place where "stew made sense", so I'm really pleased to hear that you got your wish! Isn't autumn marvelous?

we might be sheep....but you're a douchebag

hahaha, I love all of you guys! And everything we talk about. And you are all cracking me up right now.
That's why we're here right?
I always say; don't complain if things seem boring, exciting doesn't always mean good. And I don't find this life boring at all.
I don't imagine trollmj, as jerzee so aptly tagged him, was expecting such solidarity.
@tmj, that's TMI. Move on.

Now, I'm going to have some turkey soup and leftover stuffing while I start my cookie list.
Oh yeah, and a drink. Clink!
Baaaaaaaaa-Cheeers

(Somebody's grouchy.)

early responders. i hate when that happens. yes it's very aggravating.

that's the spirit

Lamb recipes?

@dearrie, db and iz~ I love you guys, you're cracking me up.

So anyway, there I was...

Haha! But that's my favorite!

@iz~ the really funny part is you have no idea how many times I've heard that throughout my life!

tucking the pants into the bottom of your socks was the worst.

@dearrie ~ I am trying to do a visual here. "tucking the pants into the bottom of your socks" How does that work? How do you start with the bottom of your socks?

forgot about those. we used to love the bike shorts with a tee. my sister used to have a flock of seagulls hairdo. i still call her flocky.

Let's all get laid!!!

I already did that today. I call it Birthday Week Nookie.

No dhorst. What do they say?

tmj529: from your very sweet post about your daughter cooking you a steak and from your pointed but good post about being a guest at a dinner party at someone else's home, I think you're clearly a person capable of reason, empathy and tact. You showed none of those in this post.

The way to avoid lemmings is simple; don't be one. Read different things than you've been reading.

carol is in rare form today. I envy her ability to call bullshit. You go girl!

Thanks for the feedback.

The first thing you should know is that I wasn't referring to SeriousEats or the specific threads here -- it was a comment about food blogs in general. I consider SE/talk to be a message forum -- not a blog.

And to be honest, I primarily hang out here these days, precisely because of the diversity of ideas and opinions and topics. So yes, I click (or not) on each thread, as I see fit.

So to those who think I was referring to SE threads -- HeartofGlass, Chisai, ChelleyD01, Jerzee, mongoose -- when I specifically said blogs --well, you're wrong, but perhaps I should've been more clear that I was referring to the blogs (not message boards) I visit.

My simple point was that they all seem to coalesce around the same damned themes. Tradition? Fine. But great writing and photos, all predictably directed to the same topics? Meh.

Was this post designed to shake people up? Of course.

Was it designed to spawn some new ideas on food blogging in general (NOT on SeriousEats commentors)? Yes.

Was it designed to criticize SE or its members?

Of course not.

LunaPier, I was bummed to see your comment on another thread implying I'm snooty. A few weeks ago, I posted a comment about how I'd discovered your blog and devoured the whole thing -- and loved it. Never heard from you then (not that that matters) -- but if you'd seen my comment, based on the blog you write, you'd know I'm no snob.

I'm surprised that so many might think I'm a "troll." Obviously, they didn't do any homework (except for ccbweb, apparently).

If I need to clarify my post as I have above, I'm fine with that.

But I won't apologize for it, because I wasn't intending to insult any of you.

BTW, thanks for all the name-calling. @XX*&F from MissCarol, douchebag from another, "needs to get laid" from izatryt, and "asshat" from Jerzee.

I just explained myself here, in the face of some SE folks I thought were very talented and classy.

With few exceptions in this thread, it's pretty sad to see peoples' knee-jerk reactions and crazy definitions of what is a blog, a post, a message board, and a thread.

You call me a troll -- the track record indicates otherwise.

But your true colors have shined. Thanks.

Actually, when I saw this topic last night, I had mixed feelings. I suspect I may get flamed for this, but here goes...

@tmj, I think you are neither a troll nor a snob. But, while I do think the points you've raised are spot on in a very general sense, I have also noticed that you do have a tendency to come across as negative and/or condescending. Please believe me when I say that I do not mean this as a personal attack. It's intended as a friendly observation. The lack of facial expressions, body language and vocal tones when writing can make what comes through on a post quite different from what we mean to convey (most of us have fallen victim to this, as we've discussed at SE in the past).

I can understand why this particular post was taken by other SE Talkers as inflammatory. HOWEVER that in no way makes it appropriate for people to call you names (way too much of this at SE lately), hijack your thread (way, way, WAY too much of THIS at SE lately), and/or fail to take their own advice by choosing NOT to post on a topic they find lacking.

Folks, if you think somebody is a troll, there are only two appropriate responses: (1) either refuse to take the bait by IGNORING the post, and/or (2) send an email to the SE admins requesting intervention. Otherwise, you're just part of the problem.

Anyway. In general, I think @tmj's point is valid if not well-stated. I look at very few blogs because they DO tend to be unoriginal, repetitive, not particularly well written, and often written only for the blogger (rather than his or her desired audience). In a nutshell, with a few truly stellar exceptions, most food blogs DO tend to be boring. That's why I don't blog. I know it's best left to "experts" who have the talent to do it well.

As far as Serious Eats is concerned, although @tmj wasn't discussing this particular blog, I actually think some of the points are relevant to SE.

I myself have been feeling less compelled to participate in SE Talk. Although I haven't been here quite as long as some (Jerzee, JEP, et al), I am certainly among the SE old-timers. There's definitely been a major change in tone, subject matter and style on the TALK side of SE lately. Of course, if the majority of SE Talkers prefer this current tone and style, then it's a great thing. For me, not so much. It seems to be going in the opposite direction from what made SE Talk so attractive when I first started hanging out. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this feeling, because I've been noticing that more and more of the other old-timers are showing up less and less often, or not at all. Some of their recent posts seem to suggest similar feelings.

Anyway. Regardless of the current SE Talk culture, I do totally agree with @tmj regarding the *real* blogging on the SE websites compared to the vast majority of other food blogs. SE's family of blogs are exceptionally well-executed with terrific content and a great style. People who are interested in being bloggers should look to the SE blogs for inspiration and excellent models of what makes a good blog. Keep up the great work, SE team!

Ok, I have to say something...

tmj, you do realize that you are a blog reader. Since this site is classified as "A Food Blog & Community."

I also find it very hard to believe that you were not talking about SE and the members. Your rant was posted here as a topic to comment on based on talk topics you know others have stated on this website. This is illustrated since you were kind enough to put those threads in quotes. So, you can't be surprised you got the reaction you did.

That said, maybe this site is not for you. I love food in all its seasonal glory. And so does everyone in this community. And I could read/talk about the same type of topics over and over again. As brooke said-it's part of the passion for food. Instead of mouthing off about how bored you are with this site, maybe you should find what you are looking for elsewhere. That way it's a win-win. You won't be bored and this community won't feel like they have to defend themselves.

Now, can someone pass me the Mashed Potatoes please?

Well, I'm off to therapy. My meds have worn off and I am completely confused. :-O

"Bloggers -- and Blog Readers -- are Sheep"

@tmj529, right there, in the title of this thread, regardless of whatever lengthy excuses you may come up with, you insulted myself and my friends.

And then, "Food bloggers and sites are making this world a little boring."

Not some. Not a few. But instead, a broad and insulting generalization, aimed at all of us who write about food.

We're a nice community, self-policing and all that. What I'm seeing here from you though is, "I'm right, it's the rest of you who need to change."

"But I won't apologize for it, because I wasn't intending to insult any of you."

Too bad. Because regardless of what you may think, that's exactly what you did.

Allow me to help with that back, iz. LunaPierCook is my hero.

Oh, and to be specific, this was the message I offered to LunaPier on November 1.

Yeah. So call me a "blog-hater."

Course, there was no response until he responded to my thread above. Make of that what you will.

Happy birthday, LPC! And I swear I'm not lying: since my daughter went to a sleep-over, I browsed around online, discovered your blog (!), and literally read every recipe.

That is one darn fine blog, Mr. LPC -- we have very similar tastes in/ideas about food, fwiw.

Oh, and then later I made a sirloin/chuck burger with sharp cheddar and caramelized onions. :)

The answer to this is the same as the answer to the question "Why Sandra Lee and Rachel Ray?"

It's the marketplace.

There are more people at the beginning levels of cooking than there are people like "us." So there is a lot more media attention targeted towards that vast herd of beginners.

And that's just the big media. When it comes to bloggers, many of them are passionate beginners themselves who have just discovered the wonders of cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the family, or getting that rum cake to release from the pan. So they write about it. And other people read.

So yeah, the vast majority of stuff is going to be a little simple. As far as talking about seasonal stuff, I don't know if I'll ever get past enjoying that. I hope I never do. It's part of what makes life fun. In the spring, I'm joyous when I see new shoots coming up, and I can't wait for the first fresh greens of the season. In the fall, I want to hunker down and bake and braise things.

The difference between the me, now, and the me (mumble-mumble) years ago is that now I'm answering a lot of questions based on my time in the kitchen, rather than asking a lot about the simple stuff. On the other hand, I absolutely love when I find a new kitchen tool, technique, ingredient or recipe that I didn't know about before. Because no matter what I know, there's always more to learn, and I learn a lot from beginners as well as from the seasoned cooks who can sometimes be set in their ways.

If you didn't mean any offense to SE posters, then I'm not going to be offended. That's easy enough.

If you really want to converse about things that are more interesting to you than seasonal foods and whatnot, then you can start your own blog dedicated to the things you want to write about (and I don't mean that in a mean way. I mean, start a blog and have fun with it) or you can come up with topics you're interested in, and post them here and at all of the other blogs you read. See of others have the same interests you do.

As the OP, I consider this now closed -- unless somebody else wants to say something, of course. :) Not my job to close it -- I just don't wanna go on rambling, and I am sure you're all bored with this now, too.

I hope I made my point over time. Certainly, I failed on the first attempt, apparently. Thanks to all of you, I have also learned some mighty lessons, too, and I appreciate that.

Name-calling aside, these comments have, I think, made me a better person, foodie, poster and commentor. We shall see. But for that, i thank you.

To those who'd rather just continue with name-calling -- meh.

LunaPier, I actually didn't leave the comment on your blog, but here on SE/Talk. However, I can totally undestand how you didn't see it, cause I'd left it at the end of a fairly "burned-out" thread. My heart was in it, however. I love blogs that feel home-grown and genuine, and yours felt like that. And yes, literally, I read every post.

And sure, I'd love to start my own food blog. I know it seemed like I was criticizing every blog, but I wasn't -- my personal faves include (but are by no means limited to):

Anne's Food
I'm Mad and I Eat
Leite's
NolaCuisine
MeatHenge
Ruhlman
The Amateur Gourmet
Slice (SE)
A Hamburger Today (SE)
Accidental Hedonist
The Pioneer Woman Cooks
A Hunger Artist
Homesick Texan
Bitten

Sure, they all often pick-up on regular memes, but the voice and the diversity just keep me coming back. Not just recipes or ingredients but other stuff, too. A few humble ideas (I know some have been done):

- Interview a local farmer
- Interview a trucker about how they handle produce/meat
- Interview the produce guy at Safeway
- Have a talk with your oldest living relative about cooking and cherished family recipes -- chronicle it
- Interview the local food critic
- Find out why a slow-cooker works, and where it's weaknesses, strengths are
- Ask your kids/family about how you approach the kitchen. How territorial are you? Better yet, ask your SO to interview them -- then just post it.
- Film inside a Williams-Sonoma store the weekend before Christmas -- post whatever happens
- Catch people right outside of a McDonald's, offering them a healthy salad -- film it, ask their reactions
- "Cook My Street" -- go up and down your street and ask each if they'd be willing to let you sit in on dinner -- and blog it
- Call up an eBay seller and ask them about their most common reactions to different items (eg, coppper, cast iron, brands, etc.)
- Interview a 5 year old, a 12 year old, and a 16 year old -- then do it again a year later, and see what's changed

To see those posts spiked in, in lieu of some of the "easy" seasonal ideas, would keep a blog fresh.

Why don't I start one? Meh -- I just don't think I'd be very good at it (or I'd piss people off quite a bit).

Anyway, that's all. Thanks to all with the constructive and polite comments.