# Recipe variations that ruin a dish for you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676 "2017-08-25T18:54:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/101 "2017-08-28T01:29:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Very similar, but no veggies on a French Dip. I also assume the jus is perhaps more neutrally spiced? You actually don’t have to get peppers on your Italian beef sandwich (it’s actually an upcharge at Al’s, which I thought was crazy, until I discovered other beef places do it, too. My local one didn’t. To me, an Italian beef must have either sweet peppers or giardiniera, but apparently it’s extra. I’ve literally never seen anyone order one plain. But it’s an extra sixty cents at Al’s, IIRC.) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/102 "2017-08-28T01:29:25Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Anything in cornbread just makes me not want to eat it. Cheese, chilis, sundried tomatoes, little nubbins of corn … no thanks. I’ve grown up to the point where I can handle nuts and dried fruit in yeast-risen wheat breads. I still can’t handle adulterated cornbread. I agree. I’ve yapped about cornbread more than any other Yankee on this board, but to reiterate: it contains white cornmeal, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, buttermilk, and an egg, and should be baked in a skillet. I like to add a little black and red pepper, because I am a Rebel. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/103 "2017-08-28T01:33:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I also assume the jus is perhaps more neutrally spiced? You actually don’t have to get peppers on your Italian beef sandwich (it’s actually an upcharge at Al’s, which I thought was crazy, until I discovered other beef places do it, too. My local one didn’t. To me, an Italian beef must have either sweet peppers or giardiniera, but apparently it’s extra. I’ve literally never seen anyone order one plain. But it’s an extra sixty cents at Al’s, IIRC.) [An explanation of the French Dip.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Ixr1s8TrE) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/104 "2017-08-28T01:41:59Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [An explanation of the French Dip.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Ixr1s8TrE) Oh, hell yeah. That place is exactly up my alley. I had no idea it was available in variations of beef, lamb, ham, turkey, and pork. Definitely on my bucket list now! But, yeah, looks more similar to the Italian beef than I was aware of. My conception was just a roast beef sandwich (with Swiss cheese), served dry and a bowl of jus to dip it in. Phillipe’s is much more similar to an Italian beef than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/105 "2017-08-28T01:50:47Z")
That’s the way most places serve it because they aren’t set up to serve 4000 sandwiches a day. 😉 Even my favorite The Hat serves it that way, along with a pastrami dip. But enough with derailing the thread…what I hate is pumpkin-flavored anything. Except maybe pumpkin. Stop throwing that flavor into my coffee, pastry, burrito and motor oil! ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/106 "2017-08-28T02:41:41Z")
Mushrooms… ewww! Fungus is not food. Would you eat Athlete’s Foot? Of course not! It’s vile and disgusting. Mushrooms added to anything only means extra work removing them. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/107 "2017-08-28T02:45:57Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > That’s the way most places serve it because they aren’t set up to serve 4000 sandwiches a day. 😉 > > Even my favorite The Hat serves it that way, along with a pastrami dip. > But enough with derailing the thread…what I hate is pumpkin-flavored anything. Except maybe pumpkin. Stop throwing that flavor into my coffee, pastry, burrito and motor oil! And beer. Don’t forget beer. No beer has been improved with the addition of pumpkin to it. (Or, more usually, pumpkin pie spices.) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/108 "2017-08-28T03:44:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > And beer. Don’t forget beer. No beer has been improved with the addition of pumpkin to it. (Or, more usually, pumpkin pie spices.) [Au contraire](http://www.heartlandbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SmilingPumpkin.png). Although, to be honest, this one was designed to be a pumpkin ale from the ground up. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/109 "2017-08-28T04:31:48Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > I like my Mac and cheese just like that, macaroni and cheese. Please do not put vegetables or anything else in it. I don’t care if you serve other things on the side, but do not mix anything in with the Mac and cheese. We’ll have to agree to disagree on this. Because I love lobster mac and cheese. Is it traditional? No. But it’s a variation I approve of. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/110 "2017-08-28T06:39:50Z")
Not exactly a recipe variation but a cooking variation, when people make instant ramen noodles using a microwave instead of boiling water on a stove. The people who simply boil the noodles and water together are the worst because the noodles become super soggy and flavorless. People who boil the water in the microwave separately are also pretty bad though because microwave water always tastes weirder than stove-boiled water and I can’t really get over it (though that’s personal preference) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/111 "2017-08-28T08:18:14Z")
When it comes to French dip, my personal peccadillo is places that put the jus in a cup on the side. That’s _not_ how it’s meant to be done! You ladle the jus onto the bread before you pile the meat in. I’ll pass on the cheese, though I will confess a liking for french-fried onions and hot mustard. On the flip side of the coin - calzones should _not_ have tomato sauce in them. The sauce goes on the side for dipping or spooning on top. All that should be inside is cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta mixed, so it’s creamy rather than stringy) and whatever meats and veggies you want to add. Fettucine alfredo should _never_ be made with cream. You can make pasta with cream sauce, but don’t call it alfredo. Alfredo is butter, cheese, and a bit of spice, tossed with the pasta so it all blends together. And if you’re selling me an Italian hoagie, or grinder, or hero, or whatever you want to call it, it should have some pepperoni on it. I don’t care that pepperoni isn’t authentic Italian - it adds spice and flavor. If all you’ve got is salami and prosciutto and capicola, it’s far too mild and bland. Chili cheese fries should be made with shredded cheddar cheese - not American, and certainly not cheese sauce. Carne asada and fajitas should _always_ be served well-done. Sorry, rare snobs, but the entire point of slicing the meat as thin as you do do for good carne asada is so that you can cook it through quickly _without_ drying it out. And heaven help me the next time I catch someone sullying a perfectly good pastrami sandwich by putting mayo on it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/112 "2017-08-28T11:49:36Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Not exactly a recipe variation but a cooking variation, when people make instant ramen noodles using a microwave instead of boiling water on a stove. > > The people who simply boil the noodles and water together are the worst because the noodles become super soggy and flavorless. People who boil the water in the microwave separately are also pretty bad though because microwave water always tastes weirder than stove-boiled water and I can’t really get over it (though that’s personal preference) There’s a difference in flavor of microwaved water? I find that difficult to believe. Maybe if your kettle is giving the stovetop water a metallic flavor or something. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/113 "2017-08-28T11:56:53Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And if you’re selling me an Italian hoagie, or grinder, or hero, or whatever you want to call it, it should have some pepperoni on it. I don’t care that pepperoni isn’t authentic Italian - it adds spice and flavor. If all you’ve got is salami and prosciutto and capicola, it’s far too mild and bland. Interesting. I’ve never had an Italian sub with pepperoni (and I’m not even sure I’ve ever even seen one.) Some spicy sopressata or hot capicola, maybe. Regardless, if your sandwich is lacking spice and flavor, it’s not the fault of the lack of pepperoni. An Italian sub made with quality meats packs a flavor punch. Hell, just a plain salami sandwich is plenty flavorful, if you use some good salami. And don’t you dare ruin my prosciuttio and mozzarella sub by adding anything else! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/114 "2017-08-28T12:22:38Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Anything claiming to be one thing but not actually being that thing. For example, a Reuben is a very specific recipe calling for a very specific set of ingredients, prepared in a specific way. If I order one, I’m expecting a hot, grilled sandwich with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, on rye bread. If you bring me some bullshit with turkey and French dressing on a kaiser roll and try to tell me it’s “your” version of a Reuben, I’m going to tell you to shove it up wherever your species traditionally crams things. Another vote for ^^^^ this! Reuben is my favourite sandwich, hands down. It’s supposed to be made in a very specific way, and goddammit, don’t try to healthy it up. Also, when you make it, you rinse and press-drain the sauerkraut. Then, when you serve it, you put the sauerkraut side up so the damn bread doesn’t get soggy! I’m very specific about Reubens. > [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > Nuts in anything. Ditto, especially if the “normal” version doesn’t have nuts. I’m allergic. A slice of Key Lime Pie made with a nut crust almost killed me once. That date ended awkwardly. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/115 "2017-08-28T12:54:22Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Maybe it’s the South American version of Parmigiana? Argentineans bread and fry cheap steak, but they also revere their Italian forbears. I’ve had this dish (alongside pasta) at many Argentine steakhouses, and it is delish. But it is not chicken fried steak by any means. I’ve had this as well, and it’s amazing. No pasta where I went, though, which was fine; the steak was bigger than the plate. And it had a thin layer of parma ham, a layer of cheese, and sauce _inside_ the breading. The steak was deliciously marinated. Seriously, one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. It’s not southern US chicken-fried steak, no. But it’s damn good. > [@pulykamell](#): > > And beer. Don’t forget beer. No beer has been improved with the addition of pumpkin to it. (Or, more usually, pumpkin pie spices.) I don’t normally drink beer, but tried a couple of sips of a friend’s “autumn” pumpkin-spice beer. It tasted EXACTLY like 1989, when all us new wave/goth/punk kids were smoking clove ciggies and drinking beer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/116 "2017-08-28T15:20:03Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > [Au contraire](http://www.heartlandbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SmilingPumpkin.png). Although, to be honest, this one was designed to be a pumpkin ale from the ground up. No, not even your favorite local pumpkin ale. If it tastes of any pumpkin spices, it’s right out for me (and the descriptions of it sound like it does.) There was a very brief time when I was slightly insane and morally bankrupt and enjoyed a single Southern Tier Pumking ale (and only a Pumking ale) in the fall, but I’ve wised up and found God since then. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/117 "2017-08-28T15:23:44Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I like to add a little black and red pepper, because I am a Rebel. So are you a Yankee or a Rebel? Now I don’t want to eat your cornbread. NO PEPPER. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/118 "2017-08-28T15:39:41Z")
A Cobb Salad must contain: chicken bacon eggs blue cheese avocado Substitutions are not allowed. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/119 "2017-08-28T18:19:01Z")
Odd to get worked up over a side item. I mean, don’t put the jam ON the Monte Cristo, but in a cup on the side. Take it or leave it. It’s not even like a deli pickle that can leave its flavor on a sandwich by proximity. But DO batter and deep fry the thing. The first time I ever ordered one, what I received was a greasy, pan-fried grilled cheese sandwich with ham. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676/120 "2017-08-28T19:16:29Z")
Sweet potatoes are great. Sweet potatoes with a layer of marshmallow on top is just wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-variations-that-ruin-a-dish-for-you/794676.md?page=7)