Chickencheese Thread: Lemme peep dat chickencheese

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > Chickencheese Thread: Lemme peep dat chickencheese

bartolimu: Nov 25, 2002

Okay. I think this has probably gone on long enough to let all the factions have their say and make their case. It's time for a little bit of policy statement. I'm speaking here for Happy Abobo and for myself, because we're the mods of GWS and ultimately responsible for the kind of forum that develops here. You can assume we speak for the admins inasmuch as they care about individual forums "drama" since if they felt otherwise they'd find someone else to moderate the place. Any of them are welcome to comment further if they feel I've spoken out of turn.

First, to this post:

toplitzin posted:

I'm not at all painting everybody with the elitist brush. I'm just saying how i feel about GWS sometimes. I agree that GWS is an amazing resource. It just sometimes feels like do it right or don't do it at all.

This is a valid criticism. If someone posts a thread with rudimentary cooking skill, it's a 50/50 shot whether they get encouraged or hosed in the rear end with a microplane. I don't think it's overstating the case to say GWS sometimes has a negative reaction to newbie cooks, regardless of their intent when they post. Honest enthusiasm is met with withering commentary or unfunny lampooning. That discourages contribution, which leads to forum stagnation.

MasterFugu posted:

This is exactly the point that ricola, HH and various others have been making. when the thread is so narrowly focused, there's nowhere to go but down.

Abobo may disagree here, but I don't see this as a problem. I posted a thread a few months ago talking about my trip through Jalisco touring tequila distilleries. That was a narrowly focused thread that didn't develop into anything other than me posting photos and talking about what I'd learned. Then the thread died and it's on its way to archives. There's nothing wrong with that.

In fact, I'd argue it's healthy for a forum to have a number of small, focused, short-lived threads. A bit of thread turnover makes things more interesting, and it keeps people clicking the forum header instead of just going to their subscribed threads page of the control panel to browse the 2-3 things they find interesting.

angerbot posted:

There's nothing wrong with salsa chicken

The 'bot has spoken. CE felt the same when he was a mod, and so do your current moderators. Get used to it.

For some people dumping salsa and chicken breasts into a crock pot and turning it into food is literally a miracle. Are they idiots? Sure. But they're the best kind of idiots: the kind we can teach to do better.

Yes, idiotproof recipes are simplistic and can be improved. That doesn't mean we should poo poo on idiotproof recipes. They serve their purpose: they get people started cooking, and from there they get curious and start reading more. These kinds of thread will never be the backbone of GWS posting, but they need to exist without being trolled into oblivion. Please.

Semisponge posted:

I think the way this thread riles people up is loving hilarious.

Confession time. I have taken a perhaps unseemly delight in the amount of apparent rage this thread has created. Rest assured I will continue to do so should people decide to post angrily about silly, entertaining things that have some culinary merit as well. If no other justification will prevent you from trolling, then let the knowledge that not trolling will reduce the joy in my life be your guide.

Finally, lest I be accused of being completely partisan in this:

Doh004 posted:

No thank you, I respectfully decline. I would get absolutely demolished

But thou must.

No really. I must insist you go forward with a challenge of your choosing against the venerable and skilled Ricola. You've shown the ability to prepare food without killing yourself and photograph it adequately. That's all the skill that is required. To turn down this challenge would be unthinkable. I say this as someone who has recently been challenged and beaten soundly: do it. Choose your terms of engagement and give it your best shot. You'll be glad you did.

# ¿ Nov 2, 2012 05:26

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 20:32

bartolimu: Nov 25, 2002

Toast posted:

I'd argue that's incredibly different than the same recipe and variations on the same 12 photos over and over.

Yes, it is different. Not every thread featuring an elementary recipe like chickencheese is going to evolve in the same way. That said, one of the things I like most about GWS is that posts sometimes directly inspire other people to eat what we're eating. The "what did you eat last night" thread is particularly great for this, but not the only contributor. While the samey-ness of photos might get a little boring in here after a while, I think this kind of collaboration and sharing should generally be encouraged.

# ¿ Nov 2, 2012 05:51

bartolimu: Nov 25, 2002

Steakandchips posted:

Scarycactusjunior.

Scarycactusjunior was banned because she stiffed someone for GWS Secret Santa, not due to her (admittedly bad) posting.

Which reminds me, do y'all want to do the Santa thing again this year?

# ¿ Nov 4, 2012 18:20

bartolimu: Nov 25, 2002

Oh hey, I actually thought this WAS the chat thread. Oops. Further discussion of Christmasy stuff can go there I guess.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2012 21:06

bartolimu: Nov 25, 2002

Before sending this thread on its merry way, I felt compelled to make a contribution of my own. There was something missing in this thread, a certain je ne sais quoi that I hoped to remedy.

This was going to be part of an ICSA Curry entry, but sadly the gods of time have prevented me from completing the whole thing in time. Instead, I'll let this dish live in the thread that spawned its mad genius.

Of course, it all starts with chicken.

Brown those chicken bits up, then throw them in a pressure cooker until fork-tender, about a half hour.

While that cooks, make a curry paste. Thai green in this case.

We've got cumin, coriander seed, white peppercorns, garlic, galangal, lime zest (khaffir would be better), lemongrass, shallot, a few Thai bird chiles, and that little jar?

Why, that's just a bit of shrimp paste.

Toast the spices. Peel the lemongrass and shallot. Put everything in a food processor with some cilantro stems (roots if you can get them).

Hit it like FGR hit Pr0k's mom: 'til there's nothing left but a thin gooey paste.

Time to build the curry.

More Thai bird chiles. Indian eggplant because they were fresher than the Thai ones at the market. Onion. Raw sugar (~1 Tablespoon; palm sugar or jaggery would be better). Coconut milk (1 can). Fish sauce (~1 Tablespoon with more to taste).

Chop the eggplants and onions. Mince the chiles.

Throw some of that curry paste in a saucepan with some peanut oil (if you have good quality coconut milk, use the coconut cream for this instead) and make it sizzle.

Add the onion and chiles and cook until the onion's translucent, then throw in the coconut milk and eggplant. Cover and simmer for a bit.

Make a loaf of bread. Cut it in some manner that amuses you.

Chop up the chicken bits. Throw them into the curry when the eggplant's done, after about 20 minutes.

Prep the bread with a little cilantro. Unless you're one of those genetically-inferior types who thinks it tastes like soap. Then don't.

Thicken the curry with a bit of cornstarch if you like, otherwise it'll be a little runny. Pour it onto the bread.

Get a nice little piece of pecorino romano from your cheesemonger. Sheep's milk is richer than cow's or goat's, making it a better choice with something unorthodox like curry. Pecorino romano is also quite acidic, which helps match the complex salty/sweet/fattiness of the curry.

Shave cheese over sandwich. Throw it under the broiler if you like, or just eat it as-is. The pecorino will melt a bit from the heat of the curry, making it soft but preserving the slightly-crunchy crystals that form in a well-aged cheese.

Eat dat offal chicken cheeese.

...and now I give this thread to the rest of the forums as an ambassador of GWS goodwill. Or pretentiousness. Or something, I don't even know. Just take it! :gonk:

# ¿ Nov 14, 2012 02:52

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 20:32

bartolimu: Nov 25, 2002

I'll wait for the judging of the writing contest, and then this fine thread will head off to the big golden chicken coop in the sky. Thanks to everyone who contributed. It's been magical.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2012 18:24

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > Chickencheese Thread: Lemme peep dat chickencheese