Why is there no moderation on the Starbucks post? July 29, 2016 12:21 PM   Subscribe

Seems like the post went into an instant derail and didn't really recover.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a to MetaFilter-Related at 12:21 PM (122 comments total)

I agree that that thread needed some better pruning, but I'm also totally sympathetic to the huge challenge moderating the assorted political threads has been. This is probably the least unfortunate outcome of those conflicting priorities.
posted by tclark at 12:25 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


There was in fact a bunch of moderation work done in that thread early on, focused mostly around one specific bumpy user-digging-in interaction that was threatening to take over the thread until goodnewsfortheinsane cleaned a bunch of stuff up.

That said, there's also a hodge-podge of internet culture touchpoints built into the post by nature of its topic, and a not a super clear "this is the obvious core point of discussion" through-line like we see from some posts. So I can totally appreciate if you feel like the post didn't go in which ever direction you were most interested in, but a lot of the time this stuff comes down to people going where they're variously inclined to go with a thread.

It's been an extraordinarily busy couple of weeks on the blue, and if this were something that had come up in more of a drought of activity it might have gotten a little more all-hands treatment than it did, but, yeah, this is where we are: resources have been pretty tapped based on the big peak period in US electoral process and people being riffy or grouchy or insufficiently wonky in a post about corporate mandate + infamous internet hat isn't as high of a priority as it otherwise might have been. But it wasn't ignored, either.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:29 PM on July 29, 2016 [6 favorites]


Could you be a little more specific? There was a derail about "cuck," but the thread long ago recovered from that. Otherwise it's about hats and coffee, both of which are on topic.

And on that topic: hats are great! Fedoras are great! Trilbys are great! I have lots of hats and I'm not ashamed!
posted by languagehat at 12:34 PM on July 29, 2016 [25 favorites]


On non-preview:

> There was in fact a bunch of moderation work done in that thread early on, focused mostly around one specific bumpy user-digging-in interaction that was threatening to take over the thread until goodnewsfortheinsane cleaned a bunch of stuff up.

Oh.
posted by languagehat at 12:35 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


I will also note for clarity here—again, extraordinarily busy couple of weeks—that this MetaTalk initially came in during a very busy period yesterday evening and was, like the immediately preceding mefimail pony request, deferred until we were head above water again.

Most if not all of that early moderation work had nonetheless been done by the time the post hit the queue, but worth stating in case that colors or clarifies where the poster was coming from vs. having just submitted it now.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:38 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


What exactly is the derail you are seeing? The post itself is about a dress code at Starbucks, and most of the discussion that I've seen in that thread is about hats. The title for the post is about hats. The link text in the FPP is about hats. The pullquote in the FPP is about hats.

What exactly is the derail you are seeing?
posted by hippybear at 12:41 PM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


Why is there no moderation on the Starbucks post?

Have some faith in the mods, okay? Things may not have gone how you wanted and maybe they could have been directed better here or there. But it's a rough week to be a mod. Maybe don't lead with, "why aren't you doing your jobz??!?!"
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:32 PM on July 29, 2016 [6 favorites]


Nice hat language, languagehat!
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:54 PM on July 29, 2016 [13 favorites]


Having only recently returned to MetaFilter after a few months of walks in the countryside and trying to avoid the slow-motion nightmare that was, and is, Brexit, I was gobsmacked to find that the frequency of commenting on (US) election threads had somehow increased and not, as I was expecting, decreased. Plus, there was one super thread per day per national party conference. I have zero idea how the mods cope, as from last spring remembering how stretched (and stressed) they were when an election thread got busy, which was frequently.

Guessing that moderation will be stretched for the next 3+ months here (possibly 6, till after the next POTUS is sworn in), especially around the time of the Clinton/Trump debates and the actual election itself. It is as it is. Just hoping that the mods (who are people, not superheroes) practice self-care. A relatively unmoderated and raucous thread on MetaFilter is still a heck of a preferable place to supposedly moderated threads on various other forums out there on the World Wide Web.
posted by Wordshore at 2:59 PM on July 29, 2016 [22 favorites]


Pony Request:

Mods. In Cars. Drinking Coffee.

Video Podcast.

It could be a thing.
posted by zarq at 8:19 PM on July 29, 2016 [23 favorites]


Maybe don't lead with, "why aren't you doing your jobz??!?!"

So what do you suggest? I not ask about why a normally moderated derailed post was just allowed to go on and on? I didn't post the MetaTalk after one comment, and even waited a bit to see if things calmed down.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 8:30 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


Seconding hippybear that I don't really see what the "derail" is, or what it should be re-railed to. Are you talking about the thread as it is now or as it was at an earlier point in time?
posted by en forme de poire at 8:35 PM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


Yeah, I've been thinking the mods should have a read-only weekend or something. Everyone can go catch up on all the election threads.
posted by frecklefaerie at 8:48 PM on July 29, 2016 [5 favorites]


Seconded. All functions frozen except the ability to contribute to the Mod Recreational Substance Fund.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:05 PM on July 29, 2016 [6 favorites]


cortex: "It's been an extraordinarily busy couple of weeks on the blue,"

It's amazing how it's sucked the oxygen out of FanFare.

frecklefaerie: "Everyone can go catch up on all the election threads."

Ya, not everyone is interested in doing so.
posted by Mitheral at 9:16 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


Everyone can go catch up on all the election threads.

Fuck that noise...
posted by Confess, Fletch at 5:43 AM on July 30, 2016 [7 favorites]


It's amazing how it's sucked the oxygen out of FanFare.

Instead of catching up on election threads, people could catch up Angie Tribeca and talk about how funny it is over in FanFare.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:26 AM on July 30, 2016 [6 favorites]


So what do you suggest? I not ask about why a normally moderated derailed post was just allowed to go on and on?

I suggest taking on board that at least a few people who have read the Starbucks thread, and who have read this thread, aren't at all clear on what it is that you see as a problem, then acting on that information by making a more specific expression of your complaint.
posted by Ipsifendus at 7:16 AM on July 30, 2016 [7 favorites]


It's amazing how it's sucked the oxygen out of FanFare.

I literally haven't watched anything other than political convention coverage for the last two weeks and I'm sure that I'm not alone in that. You can't comment on what you haven't seen yet. I'm sure that I'll get a chance to watch Stranger Things at some point.
posted by octothorpe at 7:30 AM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


I literally wrote a witty (to me) and derailing (for everyone) comment for that thread which I had the good sense not to post. Looks good to me as it stands, hats and Starbucks. Not suggesting that this Meta isn't worth having though 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a.
posted by comealongpole at 8:33 AM on July 30, 2016


So what do you suggest?

Modding is always a judgement call. The mods calls may not look right to you, but it's theirs to make.

If I see a thread where I think a mod could be paying more attention, IMO at least, I'll flag the comment. Sometimes, very rarely, I'll send them a mefi mail (contact link at the bottom of the page).

And then I'll let them decide. Because they, for better or worse, are the ones who arbitrate site norms. But by drawing attention to what I think is a trouble spot, I've done all I can.

Now if you don't like those norms, then post to metatalk. That's the safety valve. So then your question would be something like "I don't agree with the moderation of this thread. Can we talk about what's ok or not?"

That's a different conversation than "Do your jobs!", and one more likely to allow you and the mods and everyone else who wants to beanplate this come to a consensus. Which should be the point of a moderation metatalk post, in my opinion.
posted by bonehead at 8:52 AM on July 30, 2016 [5 favorites]


You can't comment on what you haven't seen yet.

It's also Summer TV now. In August I'll probably make a total of *checks TV Calendar* ... 5 posts. One Full Frontal episode, one full season for Documentary Now and three Halt and Catch Fire episodes (although the premiere is a double header, and I might just make one for both).
posted by lmfsilva at 12:18 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


I saw the thread when it was first posted, and I saw comments in there that were later deleted. I'm glad they were. What remains is sort of a sigh-inducing detail, but it's not the thread that could have been.

Thanks mods! I can only imagine how grueling the past few weeks have been.
posted by teponaztli at 1:10 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


Also I've been practicing more of the "flag it and move on" approach, and if something I flag isn't deleted, it's ok. I could personally do without election stuff creeping into every single thread on the site, but I'm not going to expect the site's moderation staff to cater to all my personal preferences just because something annoys me. Same with the cuck detail. I'd rather it not be there, but it's not the end of the world, and they deleted the really objectionable stuff.

This is all just part of my own personal attempt at interacting with the site differently.
posted by teponaztli at 1:14 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


Sorry, now I'm worried that came across as really preachy. But also maybe this is an example of why I'm writing comments about being able to just walk away from threads... I'm getting too beanplateish. This site brings it out in me, I swear.
posted by teponaztli at 1:19 PM on July 30, 2016


Sounded good to me, compadre.
posted by languagehat at 1:23 PM on July 30, 2016


Maybe you could tell us more about why you think the thread didn't work as you expected?
posted by zachlipton at 1:26 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


I mean, I found that thread a little difficult with how it went in "lol fedorakin" ways. But I also want to stress the mods have been doing such, such, heavy lifting in the politics threads that I think maybe cutting them some slack is important. Those threads have been insane and I'm impressed that they're not all gibbering wrecks. I know I am.
posted by corb at 2:03 PM on July 30, 2016 [9 favorites]


The main linked article in that post was about Starbucks adopting a new dress code, that dress code including a multitude of hats (which would be worn indoors, since Starbucks staff usually work indoors), and ridiculing the various hats, with an emphasis on fedoras, but also ridiculing other hats.

So that article would have the following "rails": the Starbucks dress code, the wearing of hats indoors, the reputations of hats, which hats look ridiculous and which do not.

From what I read of the thread it was totally on the rails, so I also don't really get which part is being seen as a derail.

I could understand a request for just outright deleting the post, because what's the point of another "everybody on MeFi insults everybody else on MeFi about inconsequential matters of taste" thread, but if the post is allowed to stand, the resulting thread, as it appears now, seems very railed.
posted by Bugbread at 2:12 PM on July 30, 2016 [9 favorites]


Since this post's tags are "starbucks" and"cuck", I assume the OP is referring to the cuck derail. That one ground to a halt within a couple of exchanges, though, and the rest of the thread has stayed pretty much on track.

The OP is being exceptionally coy about specifying what the actual problem is despite repeated questions. So who knows? As long as everyone's just making educated guesses what derail we're talking about and whether mods could have taken more action in general, this is all a giant waste of time as far as discussing the community norms and mod practices is concerned.
posted by Omnomnom at 2:33 PM on July 30, 2016 [6 favorites]


this post's tags are "starbucks" and"cuck"

They are indeed. I too was completely confused as to what this thread is about. But if it's about "cuck", then everybody was just pointing and laughing at the word? And it peters off rather quickly and then nobody cares anymore.

I'm kind of glad that the various novelty expressions don't show up on mefi all that frequently. SJW has of course established itself, with its deserved mockery. Most of the rest don't really make it over here. "Cuck" was just mocked and that's all. I saw someone use "regressive left" in all seriousness in one of the election threads, but that was just a one-off. But that one is probably as obscure as "cultural marxism" I suppose.

I'm happy with this situation.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 3:29 PM on July 30, 2016


Pyrogenesis: The cuck derail consisted of some people getting weirdly heated at the start of the discussion about how long the term has actually been around and, um, how well attuned to internet lingo they personally are? Or something. It's not worth reiterating but it's there if you want to read up. I'd assumed it didn't get deleted because by the time modd got to it, the thread had already gotten back on track after a strong rebuke by another commenter.
posted by Omnomnom at 3:44 PM on July 30, 2016 [2 favorites]


I'm amazed that of all the posts about which to complain about moderation that it was such a trivial and pointless one.

There's no meaningful discussion to be had on the top of the post. Starbucks has a dress code. Yippie shit.
posted by GuyZero at 4:47 PM on July 30, 2016 [2 favorites]


I'm glad I'm not the only person bewildered by this MeTa...
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:08 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


And on that topic: hats are great! Fedoras are great! Trilbys are great! I have lots of hats and I'm not ashamed.

Languages are great too!
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:14 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


Ranches are pretty awesome as well!
posted by Night_owl at 5:44 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


STRIGIFORMES AFTER DARK
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:49 PM on July 30, 2016 [3 favorites]


brain, um, layer?
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 6:11 PM on July 30, 2016


Night_owl: "Ranches are pretty awesome as well!"

Blasphemy! Ranches are the devil's work!
posted by Bugbread at 6:22 PM on July 30, 2016 [3 favorites]


When I die I'm going to have a version of the eternal flame erected above my grave but it will be a ranch dressing fountain.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 6:44 PM on July 30, 2016 [7 favorites]


"but it will be a ranch dressing fountain."

I am intrigued by your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:49 PM on July 30, 2016 [11 favorites]


As an experiment we bought a bottle of Green Goddess Dressing, it was terrible. Rather than just throwing it out I rolled our pickup truck over the bottle. This produced a rather hilarious fountain/ejaculation of dressing out into the street and left a disgusting oily stain for several months.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 7:49 PM on July 30, 2016 [6 favorites]


(((((everyone))))))
posted by infini at 7:56 PM on July 30, 2016


I'm amazed that of all the posts about which to complain about moderation that it was such a trivial and pointless one.


if rules are not across the board, then why have rules?
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 8:01 PM on July 30, 2016


The beauty of an organic, human, community like Metafilter, which predates "social" media and assumptions that simply "linking" to another constitutes a relationship, is that it, like human beings, is flexible and reciprocal, along with negotiable and social. This is what makes it one of the uniquely successful human interaction systems out there.

Give and take is a human quality, and there no algorithms here.
posted by infini at 8:08 PM on July 30, 2016 [6 favorites]


if rules are not across the board, then why have rules?

If guidelines are not applied on a case-by-case basis, then why have guidelines?
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 8:24 PM on July 30, 2016


I wish that derail continued to explore the etymology of 'cuck'. As it stands, there is way to little discussion of Shakespearean use of the term. Also the sexual fetish. There surely is a longer history than 4chan, and I would like to see that derail explored or at least forked off into another FPP.
posted by kittensofthenight at 8:45 PM on July 30, 2016


922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a: "why have rules?"

Topics exist on a spectrum of required railliness. A post about fluffy bunnies playing soccer? It can probably venture over hill and dale like a prancing goat kids without invoking work for the mods or pissing anyone off. A post on the difficulties encountered by Palistinians accessing housing on the West Bank? That sucker needs to stuck to the rails like Shinkansen lest it leave a gaping hole rivalling the mystery Siberian craters in the site of angry members and stressed out mods.
posted by Mitheral at 8:53 PM on July 30, 2016 [4 favorites]


if rules are not across the board, then why have rules?

For that topic, there is no rail. A thread about a trivial, uninteresting piece of corporate ephemera has no essential heart to discuss. If the mods deleted everything that wasn't about the central topic of the OP there's be no comments at all.

Clearly the mods must delete abusive comments or ones that otherwise break community norms, but the notion that the thread was "derailed" - derailed from what? Starbuck's corporate dress code for baristas? There's no there there.
posted by GuyZero at 9:03 PM on July 30, 2016 [2 favorites]


Exactly. A handful of people had something to say specifically about Starbucks dress codes or the broader employee morale problem that apparently exists at Starbucks, which is great, but if you're dissatisfied that we didn't all have a serious discussion about ethics in barista hats, I'm not sure what to tell you.

And since you keep coming back to this thread but have never specified exactly what behavior you're complaining about despite repeated requests, I'm not sure what you're hoping to achieve here.
posted by zachlipton at 9:37 PM on July 30, 2016 [4 favorites]


fee fi fo fum I smell a fedora
posted by infini at 9:54 PM on July 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


I smell someone creating a MetaTalk thread and then not participating in good faith.
posted by hippybear at 11:07 PM on July 30, 2016 [8 favorites]


No need to make a fedoral case out of it.
posted by nom de poop at 12:20 AM on July 31, 2016 [23 favorites]


922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a: "if rules are not across the board, then why have rules?"

I don't know if you haven't picked it up by now, but just in case you're actually here in good faith, let me be clear:

Nobody knows what you're talking about.

If you can, tell us what rule you think is being broken and point out a few specific comments in that thread that you see as having broken that rule.

Right now it's like we're watching this protest.
posted by Bugbread at 1:58 AM on July 31, 2016 [10 favorites]


Doesn't seem so bad to me?
posted by Justinian at 2:01 AM on July 31, 2016


So what do you suggest?

People are suggesting that you use your words and explain what you are asking for with this Meta. Are you talking about the cuck derail, the lazy lolfedoras jokes (guilty), attempted social enforcement of gender norms (guessing it's not this one), maxsparber's bowler, systemic oppression by Metafilter of men who wear non-religious hats indoors?

if rules are not across the board, then why haverules?

What rules are you talking about? I realize that you posted this Meta to the queue before the mods made some deletions, but you made this cryptic comment after several people asked you to clarify what it is that you are asking for from this thread.

That post has people talking about hats, the difference between fedoras and trilbys and whether or not there is a modern hat etiquette. There are people who used to wear hats, people who currently wear hats and people for whom hats are aspirational. There are links to pictures of hats There is talk about race and class signifiers and cloches. People are talking about clothing color palettes, corporate uniforms and someone seriously suggests that there is something obviously wrong with a man wearing a purple shirt. There are former Starbucks employees talking about the dress code from their point of view and one who linked to a shirt that they wear to work at Starbucks. There was a teenager who wore a fez to the opera.

Somebody said Hatters gonna hat!

I don't wear a fedora and I don't buy my coffee at Starbucks (blatant pandering!) I really enjoyed that thread for some reason. I do know the reason, that's a fun thread. It reminded me of the Ask where someone was soliciting opinions about wearing a cape. And it's a reminder that lazy snark (guilty) can hurt feelings and maybe it's okay to do that less often.

Or is there something else? I know that this can be a rough room, but I'm pretty sure that whatever your issue is, there is probably someone who agrees with you. This is where we talk about site rules and site norms, please give us a little more to go on.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 2:14 AM on July 31, 2016 [6 favorites]


For what it's worth, I only derailed over two amazing hats. You should have seen all the hat links I ended up not posting because I was afraid of hatalytizing. (including my pick for the perfect hat for all head-having humans, which I ended up not linking to because I was suddenly afraid everyone in the thread might actually buy said hat, causing it to become the next much-maligned fedora, and inevitably ruining my ability to enjoy my favorite hat).
posted by Mchelly at 5:14 AM on July 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


I have favourited Mchelly's hat photos before. I would do so again.
posted by infini at 5:42 AM on July 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


I appreciated carsonb weighing in, being an actual *$ employee.
posted by zamboni at 7:18 AM on July 31, 2016


This Is what a hat derail looks like.
posted by rtha at 9:34 AM on July 31, 2016 [11 favorites]


Ranches are the devil's work!

My client neither confirms nor denies this.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:35 AM on July 31, 2016 [12 favorites]


King Hat
posted by Room 641-A at 10:09 AM on July 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


Hatracks. They could put them near the whipped cream dispenser, and color code them per days of the week--Red Hat Mondays, double sugars gets a double stamp. And straw trilbies. Fedoras, if you insist. See, the baristas could roll their hats down their arm and then do a soft-shoe slide to the counter with your beverage. It's epic. They'll get applause from the people standing in line.

I know I should have said that in the original thread, but I just couldn't get past the trilby haters. Okay, fedoras. I'm just saying.
posted by mule98J at 10:52 AM on July 31, 2016


This is a puzzling thread but I love Hats.
posted by mintcake! at 11:36 AM on July 31, 2016


So what's the verdict on pork-pie hats? I've been wearing a straw (or fake straw) pork-pie lately and it seems to work for me but I'm in my fifties so I look more like an old guy in a hat more than an ironic hipster.
posted by octothorpe at 11:58 AM on July 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


Nah. Just had a busy weekend, and with the comments I was talking about removed, my memory of them is fading. I've noted that I did this wrong and will strive to be better next time.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 12:02 PM on July 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


So we can close this up, then.
posted by hippybear at 12:07 PM on July 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


Unless we're ever going to be told what it was that you felt was happening and should not have been happening. Which would be a Nice Thing to do. I've been wondering about that all weekend.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:09 PM on July 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


Nah. Just had a busy weekend, and with the comments I was talking about removed, my memory of them is fading.

To be clear, no new comments had been removed since about 18 hours before you originally submitted the MetaTalk. I sympathize about a busy weekend, but I want to echo the general sense of confusion over what specifically you were concerned about in terms of lack of moderation. I'm happy to talk over what has or hasn't happened with a thread and why but I need to actually know what the purported issue is in order to do so.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:15 PM on July 31, 2016 [11 favorites]


This produced a rather hilarious fountain/ejaculation of dressing out into the street and left a disgusting oily stain for several months.

When I had kids who were 1, 4, and 7, I threw a whipped cream party in our front yard. We filled a wading pool, which our 1-year-old delighted in. The 4 & 7 year olds never really liked messes so they mostly played in the sprinkler, but they got their share. The kids they invited all had a great time.

The easiest way to get the whipped cream was to buy it in spray cans. The cheapest way to do that was to buy cases of spray cans at a restaurant supply store. Fake whipped cream was even cheaper, so I bought that.

OMG. That stuff is just about pure oil. I basically re-invented waterproofing by letting my kids roll around in it in cotton short and t-shirts. I can't remember if I was ever able to restore the clothes or had to pitch them.

Some kids wore swimsuits. It wasn't any easier getting the oil out of those.

ProTip: Kids will love a whipped cream party. Use real whipped cream, and do the laundry before it starts stinking.
posted by not that girl at 1:12 PM on July 31, 2016 [4 favorites]


Creme fraiche vs. cool whip.
posted by clavdivs at 1:38 PM on July 31, 2016


Okay, maybe someone needs to ask it point-blank.

922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a , please answer yes or no. Is this MeTa about the people talking about "cuck"?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:32 PM on July 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


Do they still use nitrous oxide as propellant for aerosol whipped cream? Back in the day you could get all lost in the supermarket huffing the cans without shaking them. And then you put the can back and somebody buys it, returns it, the. returns mount until supermarket complains to distributor who complains to the manufacturer who assembles crack team to find out why the propellant is escaping in a bizarre geographical spatter of locations.

There. Hope I cleared up something for thread-viewers. Not what you came for. Best I could do.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 5:18 PM on July 31, 2016 [4 favorites]


I have never done what you describe Mr. Yuck, but I can confirm that that is definitely still the propellant of choice for canned whipped cream manufacturers.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 6:04 PM on July 31, 2016


All the cool mfers will be wearing furry fezzes by the end of year thank me later
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:19 PM on July 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


Maybe we can back away from interrogating 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a now. Let's respect their feelings about not being up for entering the fray and focus on more fun things like hats and whipped cream.

I'm a lady and I have a lilac fedora with a purple ribbon around it. I wear it proudly.
posted by phoenix_rising at 7:01 PM on July 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


I think 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a meant that they can't read all the comments to refresh their memory, and it's been a long weekend, so they're going to let this go and try to be more specific next time. Personally, I'm not offended that someone posted a meta thread and chose, for lack of memory or interest or whatever, not to get specific when pressed. I agree that this doesn't need to turn into an interrogation.
posted by teponaztli at 7:47 PM on July 31, 2016 [3 favorites]


So, we can close this up now, then?
posted by hippybear at 8:54 PM on July 31, 2016


I think 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a meant that they can't read all the comments to refresh their memory

Yeah that could be what they meant -- not sure I interpreted correctly. Whatever the reason, I agree it should be cool if they want to leave it alone.
posted by phoenix_rising at 8:57 PM on July 31, 2016


I mean, does it matter if we close a thread as long as the thread lives on inside each of us?
posted by teponaztli at 9:14 PM on July 31, 2016 [9 favorites]


Is there any point in continuing the MeTa discussion when the person who posted the MeTa has stated clearly that they aren't going to address the actual postings that caused them to post the MeTa in the first place? I mean, we can make it a joke thread or an alphabet thread or something, but is there any purpose related to the original post? I can't see one. And that's the point where MeTas have been closed in the past.
posted by hippybear at 9:45 PM on July 31, 2016


We could hold hands around the bonfire and have a community sing a long?

Recipes?
posted by infini at 10:02 PM on July 31, 2016


Some recipe threads are quite useful.

There also hasn't been a recipe thread in a while.

Unless anyone thinks there's still an outstanding issue that needs to be discussed, maybe we can repurpose this thread for something like that?
posted by en forme de poire at 10:05 PM on July 31, 2016


QUATRE-QUARTS AUX POIRES
GERARD ALLEMANDOU
(Gerard Allemandou's pear poundcake)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for buttering the cake pan
2 or 3 large ripe pears (for a total weight of 1 1/2 pounds) peeled, quartered and cured, with each quarter cut into 4 slices
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (see note)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
2 tablespoons pear brandy or eau de vie.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Butter the inside of a 10 1/2-inch springform cake pan or a tart pan with a removable bottom. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of vanilla sugar.

3. Arrange the pear slices in a circle just inside the outer edge of the pan, slightly overlapping them. Fill in the interior ring with remaining overlapping slices. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pear brandy.

4. In a medum-sized bowl, cream the butter and the remaining sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing until well blended. Add the flour and mix just until the ingredients are combined. Mix in the remaining one tablespoon of pear brandy.

5. Spoon the batter over the pears in a thin layer. Do not be concerned if the batter does not completely cover the pears, because it will spread out as it bakes.

6. Bake until the cake is firm and nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool. To serve, unmold the cake and serve it as is, or with a dollop of whipped creme fraiche.

Yield: Eight servings.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:42 PM on July 31, 2016 [6 favorites]


Oh excellent, I have to go away now as its early Monday morning but will return with an easy stir fry recipe I've discovered
posted by infini at 10:45 PM on July 31, 2016


The vagueness of this Meta makes me think the mods would be well within their rights to reply with a simple:

"Because."

(But they won't as they're far too professional) (and this is why I'll never be a community forum mod of any kind again)
posted by Wordshore at 5:19 AM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Why must we close up MeTas?

To keep them from going rogue. This thread, you see, knows too much.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:30 AM on August 1, 2016 [2 favorites]


SUPER GREAT AJI SAUCE I MADE THIS WEEKEND
six or seven freshly roasted whole jalapeños
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or other salty cheese (I used queso fresca)
a garlic clove, minced, or about a teaspoon minced garlic from a jar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Roast the jalapeños, I stick them on a baking sheet at 250 for an hour or so, then chop off the stem but keep the seeds and ribs.
Blend the jalapeños, cheese, cilantro, garlic, oil, vinegar, and lime juice until they make a paste. Then blend in the mayo until it's smooth. Store it in a bowl in the fridge - it lasts about a week. You can use it on anything but it's amazing on chicken or turkey sandwiches.

Beware - this is a spicy condiment! It burns! If you want it less burny, use fewer jalapeños and don't roast them first.
posted by winna at 7:28 AM on August 1, 2016 [8 favorites]


Before I jump in with my recipe, can I just say I want a new flag "Asshole" to be added pls? Now that that's out of my system let us continue
posted by infini at 8:43 AM on August 1, 2016


It could be a thing.

As could Your Favorite Band Sucks Uber Karaoke...
posted by y2karl at 9:06 AM on August 1, 2016


Stir fry anything with this sauce

Sauce

1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp water
few dashes of pepper
half teaspoon sugar
half teaspoon sesame oil

mix well and keep aside

My usual stir fry

1 pack vacuum packed "fresh" udon noodles
4 or 5 fresh white mushrooms, quartered or sliced
half medium sized chinese cabbage OR an equivalent amount of bok choy if you have it - about 3 or 4 adult ones
An inch of ginger, thinly sliced
chicken, cut into small pieces (I used boneless, skinless breast fillet)

At this point in time, place pack of udon in a bowl of hot water

Prep

Chicken - marinade when entering kitchen with soy sauce and some flour - about a spoonfull, not a batter. mix well and keep aside
Wash and cut chinese cabbage - a couple of times lengthwise, then horizontally - separate teh green leafy part from the white crunchy parts - Bok choy works better and you don't need to separate
mushrooms quartered
ginger sliced

Cooking

Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in wok - this timing/rhythm is given for electric stovetops which heat and work differently from gas
Throw in chicken, rapidly stir, let most of it go white, do NOT cook, remove and keep aside*

Scrape anything off wok and add another spoon of oil, let heat
stir in ginger slices till they give off a faint smell - a couple of mins
throw in crunchy half of chinese cabbage or all of bokchoy
stir mightily
throw in mushrooms and the chicken
stir etc
are teh leaves going limp?
throw in sauce, lift wok to take off heat for a few seconds so that sauce doesn't immediately sizzle and dry up
put it back and go to the noodles STILL in their packet in the hot water
pull them out - I like to cut them up as well
throw them in when water coming out the rest of the veggies
stir everything till you figure its nicely cooked to your dente level

slide off into suitable bowl, come back to metafilter - see how chopped noodles are easier to eat while reading this thread?

*that thing you do to the chicken is what makes it "velvet chicken" - seals in the juices and it stays soft when you're cooking it through later
posted by infini at 9:10 AM on August 1, 2016 [4 favorites]


Texas Hummus (Hummus bi Golly)

Other Texas hummus recipes simply substitute black-eyed peas for chickpeas, while leaving in exotic ingredients like tahini. I wanted a truly regional recipe, something that could be made with ingredients from Food Lion.

1 15-oz. can black-eyed peas, drained
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise*
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1-2 tsp. Crystal hot sauce
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Serve with corn chips.

4 servings

Per serving: 135 calories; 6g protein; 5g fat; 17g carbohydrate; 0mg cholesterol
Source: Original recipe, Spring 2007

*To make it vegan, I use grapeseed oil mayonnaise. Regular mayo will work (and satisfy the Food Lion requirement), but tofu mayo won't.

PDF
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:54 AM on August 1, 2016 [4 favorites]


If we're going with recipes, can I put in a request for how to make candied/crystalized herb leaves when you kind of don't know what you're doing?

I have two things:

1. A nearly-empty jar of candied lemon verbena leaves, picked up as a "hey, that's a weird thing" impulse buy while on a recent vacation (and the reason it is nearly-empty is because I tried one and discovered that HOLY CRAP I LOVE THESE), and
2. A very healthy and big lemon verbena plant that I could use to make my own candied verbena leaves.

However, my first attempt was a glorious failure; the recipe I had said to mix up a thickish sugar syrup, let it "cool to the touch" and then dip the leaves in and let them dry. However, the first couple leaves I tried, the syrup was still too hot, and the leaves shriveled instantly; then when I let the syrup cool a bit more, it cooled to the point that it wasn't liquid enough to dip things in.

Clearly I do not know what I am doing.

So I need one of the following two things:

1. A foolproof recipe for candied lemon verbena leaves, or
2. A cheap resource for buying them. (I priced them in a couple places and it's something like twelve bucks an ounce.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:52 AM on August 1, 2016


I flagged the first recipe because I thought we weren't doing that anymore. I also favorited infini's stir fry recipe because I want to try it this week.

I am large,
I contain mulitudes.
Of stir fry.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 1:05 PM on August 1, 2016 [6 favorites]


I'm letting the recipes be in here because I'm not fundamentally anti-recipe and if folks don't get into an ongoing reflexive habit across multiple threads then I'm not gonna spoil some self-contained throwback fun.

I share your complicated feelings, basically. Maybe later I'll sum up the cracklin' chicken recipe we've been doing lately because man it's stupid easy and tasty.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:20 PM on August 1, 2016 [6 favorites]


Srsly, we're trying to figure out why there's no moderation in this thread
posted by infini at 1:29 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


shhhhh!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:49 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


but I'm trying to get back on topic - see post title
posted by infini at 2:00 PM on August 1, 2016 [3 favorites]


Winna's aji sauce reminded me of my favorite thing to do with jalapenos: Chop and roast 'em with a bunch of chopped onions (red onions are good), then add olive oil, salt, pepper, and lime juice and let it all marinate for at least a few hours. Deeeeelish.
posted by Lyme Drop at 2:00 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


(Actually you don't need to roast the onions.)
posted by Lyme Drop at 2:03 PM on August 1, 2016


Have you tried that with strawberries as well, Lyme Drop? It is pure gold deliciousness.
posted by winna at 2:09 PM on August 1, 2016


Empress, can you try painting leaves with beaten egg white and dredging them in sugar? A lot of candied or crystallised things are done that way (violets!).
posted by glitter at 2:13 PM on August 1, 2016


never mind, then
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:14 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Empress, can you try painting leaves with beaten egg white and dredging them in sugar?

The recipes I saw seemed to have mixed opinions about how long they'd last that way. I'm looking for something I don't have to refrigerate, and will be shelf-stable for a good long time.

The ingredients on the jar I have claim to use Gum Arabic, if that helps...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:17 PM on August 1, 2016


Maybe later I'll sum up the cracklin' chicken recipe we've been doing lately because man it's stupid easy and tasty.

Please do, that sounds great.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 2:21 PM on August 1, 2016


shelf-stable for a good long time

In a Nigella episode I watched years ago, she had a jar of crystallised violets or something just casually hanging around in her pantry, from which she nibbled one or two while she talked about her pantry. I believe the sugar dessicates the leaf/petal. In any case, it would be worth trying out, and if it's a bust, you're one wiser at least. I'd wait for a dry day to do it, or maybe use a dehydrator/low oven to help that along?
posted by glitter at 2:34 PM on August 1, 2016


If you fry it, he will come: deep fried butter on sticks

(I've done this; it makes only small pieces of butter, not the big sticks you get at the Iowa State Fair. It's therefore more suitable than (big) deep fried sticks for pople on a healthy diet.)

(Advisory: involves cooking with hot oil)

+ + + + +

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cold butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, or more as needed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 quart vegetable oil, or as needed
toothpicks or other sturdy sticks
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, or as needed
lettuce leaf (optional)

+ + + + +

Whisk the brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon together. Dip each piece of butter into the mixture to coat *completely*. Place butter pieces in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until hard solid, 8 hours minimum; just about enough time to go caucus in Iowa if you're making this in Spring during an election year.

Stir 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Beat the buttermilk, eggs, and white sugar together in another bowl; add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture and beat until smooth. Gradually stir the remaining flour in until the desired batter consistency is reached.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375F or 190C.

Poke a toothpick or small stick deep (so it doesn't fall off when immersed) into the center of each frozen piece of butter. Dip butter into batter to coat completely.

Working in batches, carefully drop coated butter pieces into hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and puffed, about 2 minutes. Transfer fried butter to a paper-towel lined plate and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Optional: add a side-salad e.g. a lettuce leaf, for nutritional balance. Either eat raw, or carefully fry in any remaining hot oil.

Consume while watching "Field of Dreams" and thinking of heaven.
posted by Wordshore at 2:44 PM on August 1, 2016 [3 favorites]


I'm looking for something I don't have to refrigerate, and will be shelf-stable for a good long time.

You may not be able to make something at home that will last as long as a commercially produced product. The recipes I've seen for candied violets generally last a couple months in the pantry, and I'm inclined to think that's the limit of what you can easily pull off in a home kitchen.
posted by teponaztli at 6:14 PM on August 1, 2016


I just wanna say that it's ten piece Tuesday (actually 9 pieces for $9.95) at KFC here in Australia today and I recently learned of this thing "chicken and waffles" so that's what I'm going to be doing this evening, wish me luck.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:17 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


On behalf of the southern USA I would like to apologize for exporting KFC to Australia and anywhere else. Does it seem exotic?
posted by Mr. Yuck at 7:33 PM on August 1, 2016


No, it's actually quite dire, but it's the only real option for fried chicken in my neck of the woods, and I don't have the motivation (or the oil) to do it myself at home.
posted by turbid dahlia at 9:16 PM on August 1, 2016


I tell a lie...the free range Zinger tenders they had a while ago were actually pretty good.
posted by turbid dahlia at 9:17 PM on August 1, 2016


Have you tried that with strawberries as well, Lyme Drop? It is pure gold deliciousness.

No, but I certainly will now!
posted by Lyme Drop at 9:28 PM on August 1, 2016


Chicken and waffles is a blessing upon all people of good taste.
posted by Deoridhe at 9:36 PM on August 1, 2016 [4 favorites]


Put the syrup on the chicken too (tastes better than it sounds).
posted by brujita at 10:53 PM on August 1, 2016 [2 favorites]


Top that syrup with some hot sauce (ditto).
posted by box at 4:54 AM on August 2, 2016 [5 favorites]


For chicken and waffles (as it seems like a Southern thing) do you use real maple syrup or that bottled hell that is table syrup.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 1:28 PM on August 2, 2016


Chicken and waffles... first experienced at age 35... Sublime. Sadly associated with painful memories of love lost, I have not eaten them since... The maple syrup aioli was truly divine. Excuse me while I cry softly to myself. But please, feel free to enjoy chicken and waffles yourself -- you will (probably) not regret it.
posted by some loser at 1:28 PM on August 2, 2016


Real canadian maple syrup in my case btw.
posted by some loser at 2:08 PM on August 2, 2016


Roscoes in LA says that they use cane syrup.
posted by brujita at 2:58 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]


Top that syrup with some hot sauce (ditto).

This is the thing I did, and yes, it wasn't bad at all!
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:07 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]


King's Lead Hat
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:19 PM on August 2, 2016


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