I wanted to surprise my husband with a special dinner and when I searched for the recipe I had in mind, I thought about all the cooking blogs I follow. Sure enough, I would find what I was looking for.
Without knowing a recipe, it’s smart to go by comments and likes, that’s at least what I thought. The higher-rated they are, the better my chance to create a decent meal must be.
I opened a few kitchen blogs, read the statements, and quickly got discouraged. So many LIKES for everything but the meal itself. Praised was the look of the dish, the ingredients, the photograph, some stated it sounded oh, so good. So many LIKES for the idea and creativity. People left comments they would try the meal -one day. But as we all know, that’s one day that doesn’t come by too often.
Frustrated and discouraged, I went to a cooking website we ALL know so well. Readers there at least try the recipe before they leave a comment. No doubt in my mind, there I would find what I was looking for.
I wanted to cook a delicious lamb stew, preferably not tomato-based. I don’t eat meat very often, so when I do, it better be good.
Quickly I found what I was looking for and luckily enough, I had most of the ingredients at home. I got a cup of tea and read the comment section. The highest rated first, the lowest would never see the daylight on my screen.
Holy Moly! Hold your horses!
One review stood out: 300+ People found the comment helpful:
This is a great recipe we will make it again. I didn't have lamb in the freezer, so I used chicken instead. We didn't have guinness at home either, so I used the rest of last night's red wine. My husband doesn't like peas, I used mushrooms instead. In the last five minutes I added some heavy cream to it, to thicken the gravy. It was delicious. We will definetly have it again, it's a keeper. I served it with potatoes.
What the heck happened to the lamb?
So you take a recipe, take the lamb out and you use chicken instead, you change all the ingredients, and Voila, you are the most helpful review! WTH?
Am I getting too old for this world? Do I expect too much?
Can I please get my lamb back?
I am not sure if I am more puzzled because a simple lamb stew recipe was altered into a chicken and dumpling recipe -without the dumplings of course- or am I more fascinated by the fact that 300+ people thought it was a helpful review.
Social media at its best -or worst?
I don’t even know if I am right or wrong anymore.
Oh my, a lamb recipe that substitutes chicken? I had lamb once many years ago, but I would not call them interchangeable. The most surprising thing though is that there were so many calling that helpful. If they want chicken, alter a chicken recipe a little. Don’t substitute an entirely different flavor and meat. We are a strange society anymore… just leaves me shaking my head!
This is hilarious! But I have to tell you that I have a story from my own mother that fits this. When I was a child she made a really good recipe she called chicken almond. It was rice and meat and one of the Campbell’s soup mixes, I think. There was celery and sliced almonds. I haven’t had it in decades, but I remember how much I love it. Not that long ago I went looking through all her old recipe cards and found it. There it is, titled Chicken Almond! But when I read it, the meat wasn’t chicken at all. It was sausage. I laughed until I cried. After I thought about it long and hard I remembered that the flavor I was recollecting was probably the sausage. I have NO idea the background on this recipe, but it sure did make me laugh! And I hope your lamb stew, with lamb as the main ingredient, was wonderful! 🙂
Ok that’s funnier than the lamb that turned into a chicken. I assume they tricked us quite a bit when we were kids. I remember a dish called “fake rabbit” and I loved it. I was too young to really think it all through and to this day I am not really certain what my grandma served but it wasn’t rabbit.
The tastes and smells in our minds. I wish I could taste some of her secret recipes today. I wonder if you would like “Chicken Almond” today.
Funny and relatable. Great recipe, helpful comments IF you’re looking for a lamb stew minus the lamb, add chicken. Then, perfect 🙂
It made me laugh -after I was done shaking my head.
People always need to add in their 2 cents instead of just moving on. Loved this!
I am glad you liked it.
Thanks for a good laugh 😀
You’re welcome.
I laughed heartily!!! Indeed…social media….in all its irregular dimensions!!!
Scary and funny, isn’t it?
That is a terrific comment – change ALL the ingredients, and voilà, what a fabulous recipe! This post has made my day.
I am glad. I laughed hard when I read the comment, it made my day as well. I ended up using a stew recipe that I found in the NYT and loved it.
No help at all if you’re specifically looking for a lamb stew 🙁 I have no problem in substituting ingredients when trying out a new recipe.
I think most of us know what we can substitute or we adjust recipes to our liking. I do it as well, but re-writing a recipe completely, as it was done with the lamb stew, was not very helpful at all. I found it comical.
I can let you have a vegan version of this lamb recipe. I’m sure you’d enjoy it!
It surely beats the chicken 🙂
You have hit a social media nail on its head – spot on!
So it seems. I never paid too much attention to it, but the cooking blogs surely are an eye opener.
Hilarious
I am glad it made you smile.
I know your confusion shouldn’t be funny. — I found this article very helpful and will share with all my friends. I’ll just replace the lamb with fish and let it simmer in white wine in the oven.
You are very helpful. Now I take my meds and go back to bed again. 🙂