diet.metafilter.com July 13, 2009 10:03 AM Subscribe
Pony request: diet.metafilter.com. I do recognize that the stable is pretty crowded already, but I see there's 371 tagged items on ask.mefi for diet questions. Seeing how Something Awful has a pretty busy weight loss forum going and diet is a multi-billion dollar industry, maybe MeFi can figure out some way to bring its great minds together to encourage one another toward weight loss goals and healthy lifestyles. Some basic weight graphs and weight tracking capability could be part of this. I realize this is getting into MeFi mission creep, so consider it just another idea for whenever the right time comes.
Just go to shop.metafilter.com and eat the shirts. Plus you get some fiber to boot.
posted by crapmatic at 10:12 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by crapmatic at 10:12 AM on July 13, 2009
Wouldn't this just be a sub-site of shouldIeatit.metafilter.com?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:13 AM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:13 AM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Bookmark this page: http://ask.metafilter.com/tags/diet
Buy this app: Weightbot by Tapbots
Problem solved. This seems like narrowing the focus of MetaFilter/AskMe to an insane degree. There are tons of communities online for that kind of stuff, a few of which you can integrate into your profile. I think there are a few MeTa threads about Runner+, swimming and cycling for those who are more active and want to network around that.
posted by cgomez at 10:16 AM on July 13, 2009
Buy this app: Weightbot by Tapbots
Problem solved. This seems like narrowing the focus of MetaFilter/AskMe to an insane degree. There are tons of communities online for that kind of stuff, a few of which you can integrate into your profile. I think there are a few MeTa threads about Runner+, swimming and cycling for those who are more active and want to network around that.
posted by cgomez at 10:16 AM on July 13, 2009
I think something like metachat would be good for this. metadiet.com?
posted by Night_owl at 10:17 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by Night_owl at 10:17 AM on July 13, 2009
The careful reader will observe that over 300 of those 371 AskMes are questions about the Japanese legislative body. So let's not get hasty.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 10:18 AM on July 13, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 10:18 AM on July 13, 2009 [4 favorites]
Don't buy an app for a single platform to track your weight. Go online.
Take it from someone who a few days ago hit his (initial) goal of -60 lbs that massive sampling and trend analysis are the way to go, at least for geeks.
PhysicsDiet also has a forum if you like to talk about diets (I don't).
posted by DU at 10:21 AM on July 13, 2009
Take it from someone who a few days ago hit his (initial) goal of -60 lbs that massive sampling and trend analysis are the way to go, at least for geeks.
PhysicsDiet also has a forum if you like to talk about diets (I don't).
posted by DU at 10:21 AM on July 13, 2009
This is not something that's on our list, no.
It'd be great if some mefites want to organize a spinoff weight-management club or something; if somebody gets it up and running, by all means toss up a Projects post or even a Metatalk if it's looking like a good draw for a lot of mefites.
This'd be a fine thread to brainstorm about such stuff, even. But we're not looking at a subsite.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:26 AM on July 13, 2009
It'd be great if some mefites want to organize a spinoff weight-management club or something; if somebody gets it up and running, by all means toss up a Projects post or even a Metatalk if it's looking like a good draw for a lot of mefites.
This'd be a fine thread to brainstorm about such stuff, even. But we're not looking at a subsite.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:26 AM on July 13, 2009
Hmmm, Metafilter, AskMetafilter, MetaTalk, MeFi Projects, MeFi Music, Jobs, and Dieting? One of these things is not like the other.
posted by iamkimiam at 10:30 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by iamkimiam at 10:30 AM on July 13, 2009
MeFat
posted by The Straightener at 10:33 AM on July 13, 2009 [15 favorites]
posted by The Straightener at 10:33 AM on July 13, 2009 [15 favorites]
whatsfordinner.metafilter.com is what's needed.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:38 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:38 AM on July 13, 2009
crapmatic: "Just go to shop.metafilter.com and eat the shirts. Plus you get some fiber to boot."
All sold out of 3XL, apparently. I hear there's more fiber in the mediums, however.
posted by jefeweiss at 10:38 AM on July 13, 2009
All sold out of 3XL, apparently. I hear there's more fiber in the mediums, however.
posted by jefeweiss at 10:38 AM on July 13, 2009
diet.metafilter.com? This is a good idea.
I'm putting it on my priority list right below stthomasaquinas.metafilter.com and right above chocolatecoveredicecreambars.metafilter.com.
posted by koeselitz at 10:42 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
I'm putting it on my priority list right below stthomasaquinas.metafilter.com and right above chocolatecoveredicecreambars.metafilter.com.
posted by koeselitz at 10:42 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
I'm pretty okay with my current level of fatness--should I just continue to use the regular site?
posted by box at 10:47 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by box at 10:47 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
hurf durf non butter eaters
posted by ND¢ at 10:57 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by ND¢ at 10:57 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
Also, some tips for men and cats: Foreskins and claws weight a surprising amount. Remove both.
posted by DU at 10:59 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by DU at 10:59 AM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
oh please oh please oh please let languagehat show up in this thread
posted by Pronoiac at 11:11 AM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Pronoiac at 11:11 AM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
I actually think it would be really popular, the problem is that it would dilute AskMe, because questions that would normally go there would wind up going into diet.
So if you break it down once, you wind up breaking it down more and more, until there are all these really granular subsites and AskMe exists only so that once a year someone can stop by and ask where to get camping gear, a samurai sword, and a can of Dr. Pepper at midnight on Christmas Eve within a five minute walk from the Vatican.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 11:14 AM on July 13, 2009
So if you break it down once, you wind up breaking it down more and more, until there are all these really granular subsites and AskMe exists only so that once a year someone can stop by and ask where to get camping gear, a samurai sword, and a can of Dr. Pepper at midnight on Christmas Eve within a five minute walk from the Vatican.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 11:14 AM on July 13, 2009
Sprinkle some more snark on those cupcakes, guys.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:21 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:21 AM on July 13, 2009
Yeah, this ain't no about.com. :)
posted by frecklefaerie at 11:24 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by frecklefaerie at 11:24 AM on July 13, 2009
Do these comments make me look fat?
posted by emhutchinson at 11:38 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by emhutchinson at 11:38 AM on July 13, 2009
Something as specific as EatMe isn't just mission creep, it's mission leap.
posted by adipocere at 11:39 AM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by adipocere at 11:39 AM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's quite clear at this point that what AskMe needs is a better categorization mechanism than either tags or categories provides. Diet (or more broadly, Food) and Travel (which was a good idea but died) are just a couple super-categories that would benefit from some sort of special treatment. What's more controversial is the idea that subsites is the way to do it. (Not to mention that even though pb is a miracle worker, he is only one miracle worker.)
posted by Plutor at 11:40 AM on July 13, 2009
posted by Plutor at 11:40 AM on July 13, 2009
I see there's 371 tagged items on ask.mefi for diet questions
MeFi is celebrating it's 10th anniversary in just a few days. So that's 10 * 365 = 3650 days.
3650 / 371 = 1 diet question every 9.83 days. Not exactly overwhelming.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:51 AM on July 13, 2009
MeFi is celebrating it's 10th anniversary in just a few days. So that's 10 * 365 = 3650 days.
3650 / 371 = 1 diet question every 9.83 days. Not exactly overwhelming.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:51 AM on July 13, 2009
metafitter.com
posted by gman at 11:55 AM on July 13, 2009 [6 favorites]
posted by gman at 11:55 AM on July 13, 2009 [6 favorites]
Given the speed at which the 3X shirts sold out, this might be a good idea.
posted by theora55 at 12:03 PM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 12:03 PM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
Also worth noting - a lot of the "diet" questions aren't about weight loss. Some are about weight gain, or how to have more energy, or how to avoid gluten, or how to become a vegan, etc. People have a lot of questions about what, how, and when to eat, but only a portion of those people are trying to lose weight.
I think an offsite project is the way to go here. Weight loss support is a fine thing, but it's something that would only interest a small number of MeFites and probably not the best use of mod time and site resources.
posted by Miko at 12:04 PM on July 13, 2009
I think an offsite project is the way to go here. Weight loss support is a fine thing, but it's something that would only interest a small number of MeFites and probably not the best use of mod time and site resources.
posted by Miko at 12:04 PM on July 13, 2009
> oh please oh please oh please let languagehat show up in this thread
Hello everybody!
YES U R RITE LOL
posted by languagehat at 12:05 PM on July 13, 2009
Hello everybody!
YES U R RITE LOL
posted by languagehat at 12:05 PM on July 13, 2009
To be fair, AskMe's only been around for 5 1/2 years.
Which is one every 5.4 days. Doesn't change your point, though.
posted by graventy at 12:24 PM on July 13, 2009
Which is one every 5.4 days. Doesn't change your point, though.
posted by graventy at 12:24 PM on July 13, 2009
Fat people are s'posed to be all jolly and shit, why would anyone jolly want to jeopardize their jollity by embarking on a lifestyle that has all the jolliness of a third-rate performance of a Noh play (unless it was that one Noh play that was specifically about being jolly).
I guess what I'm saying is that I really, really enjoy typing the word "jolly". Jolly good!
posted by Mister_A at 1:05 PM on July 13, 2009
I guess what I'm saying is that I really, really enjoy typing the word "jolly". Jolly good!
posted by Mister_A at 1:05 PM on July 13, 2009
It's quite clear at this point that what AskMe needs is a better categorization mechanism than either tags or categories provides.
How would you improve upon them, other than the creation of "special pony" subsites?
If Askers have appended appropriate tags to their questions, doesn't that allow them to be found through a casual search? What would additional complexity add to the system?
posted by zarq at 1:06 PM on July 13, 2009
How would you improve upon them, other than the creation of "special pony" subsites?
If Askers have appended appropriate tags to their questions, doesn't that allow them to be found through a casual search? What would additional complexity add to the system?
posted by zarq at 1:06 PM on July 13, 2009
Oh, and if you're looking for a special section of MetaFilter that is about measuring dicks, you're soaking in it.
posted by Mister_A at 1:14 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by Mister_A at 1:14 PM on July 13, 2009
A diet/fitness project site would be pretty awesome. Just look at all the exercise clubs we have.
posted by tylermoody at 1:30 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by tylermoody at 1:30 PM on July 13, 2009
Tag clusters, or tag aliases, might help with categorization.
posted by Pronoiac at 1:37 PM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Pronoiac at 1:37 PM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's quite clear at this point that what AskMe needs is a better categorization mechanism than either tags or categories provides.
I feel that Killer Search would help here quite a bit as well.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:54 PM on July 13, 2009
I feel that Killer Search would help here quite a bit as well.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:54 PM on July 13, 2009
Is that a search where I can type in a user's name and it will kill them, because I would like that, yes I would...
no?
well you don't have to get so snarky about it I was just askin
posted by scrump at 2:03 PM on July 13, 2009
no?
well you don't have to get so snarky about it I was just askin
posted by scrump at 2:03 PM on July 13, 2009
I feel that Killer Search would help here quite a bit as well.
Is that a search where I can type in a user's name and it will kill them.... ?
No, that's the search where seven days after you search for something, whatever you searched for somehow kills you. But it's not as bad as it sounds, really, because most people search for pr0n, anyway, so what a way to go.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:10 PM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Is that a search where I can type in a user's name and it will kill them.... ?
No, that's the search where seven days after you search for something, whatever you searched for somehow kills you. But it's not as bad as it sounds, really, because most people search for pr0n, anyway, so what a way to go.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:10 PM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
WCityMike: "That did not go over well in December."
I don't think our current categorization works well enough, but I also don't think finer categorization can be any better. Categorization is a Bad Solution, we that's why Google beat Yahoo so easily way back in whenever that was. Tagging is better, but it depends on people who want answers to their own question to think about future searchers (which is a bigger expectation than I think is reasonable).
The kind of thing that might work, in theory, would be AskMe sub-subsites. Let's call them infrasites. There'd be a "food" infrasite, with a handful of relatively active Mefites selected as moderators. Infrasite mods would be able to mark any AskMe question as "show this on my infrasite" and sort its display there (tags, categories, something like that). Non-mods might be able to click a button (a la flag) to suggest that questions show up on an infrasite.
This sort of "pull" idea instead of "push" has some benefits. It solves the problem of motivation: the people who are interested in the topic would be the ones maintaining the infrasite. It also gives some sort of assurance that the sorter is some kind of an expert. It also solves the problem of manpower, which is the problem with trusting only The Three (or Four or Five). But it gives a little more control to the admins, since it's not a complete free-for-all like tagging is.
Problems: This is a lot of programming work. Who's going to do it? Who determines which infrasites exist, and who's trusted to moderate them? What happens when everyone who maintains, say, food, stops maintaining it? What if one mod believes Atkins is the tool of the devil and refuses to post any questions about it, and we end up with wheel wars between mods? What if a mod's account gets compromised? And this is just the problems I can think of off the top of my head.
Yes, I am aware I was against the back-tagging oligarchy.
posted by Plutor at 2:19 PM on July 13, 2009
I don't think our current categorization works well enough, but I also don't think finer categorization can be any better. Categorization is a Bad Solution, we that's why Google beat Yahoo so easily way back in whenever that was. Tagging is better, but it depends on people who want answers to their own question to think about future searchers (which is a bigger expectation than I think is reasonable).
The kind of thing that might work, in theory, would be AskMe sub-subsites. Let's call them infrasites. There'd be a "food" infrasite, with a handful of relatively active Mefites selected as moderators. Infrasite mods would be able to mark any AskMe question as "show this on my infrasite" and sort its display there (tags, categories, something like that). Non-mods might be able to click a button (a la flag) to suggest that questions show up on an infrasite.
This sort of "pull" idea instead of "push" has some benefits. It solves the problem of motivation: the people who are interested in the topic would be the ones maintaining the infrasite. It also gives some sort of assurance that the sorter is some kind of an expert. It also solves the problem of manpower, which is the problem with trusting only The Three (or Four or Five). But it gives a little more control to the admins, since it's not a complete free-for-all like tagging is.
Problems: This is a lot of programming work. Who's going to do it? Who determines which infrasites exist, and who's trusted to moderate them? What happens when everyone who maintains, say, food, stops maintaining it? What if one mod believes Atkins is the tool of the devil and refuses to post any questions about it, and we end up with wheel wars between mods? What if a mod's account gets compromised? And this is just the problems I can think of off the top of my head.
Yes, I am aware I was against the back-tagging oligarchy.
posted by Plutor at 2:19 PM on July 13, 2009
A black background would be more slimming.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:20 PM on July 13, 2009 [6 favorites]
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:20 PM on July 13, 2009 [6 favorites]
What if one mod believes Atkins is the tool of the devil and refuses to post any questions about it, and we end up with wheel wars between mods?
WE WANT THUNDERDOME!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:22 PM on July 13, 2009
WE WANT THUNDERDOME!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:22 PM on July 13, 2009
371 out of 127+ thousand questions? Somehow I think the bar is not significantly high enough to warrant another addition.
posted by edgeways at 3:05 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by edgeways at 3:05 PM on July 13, 2009
I'm so hungry I could eat a pony OM NOM NOM
...nothing left to see here folks, move along.
posted by not_on_display at 3:36 PM on July 13, 2009
...nothing left to see here folks, move along.
posted by not_on_display at 3:36 PM on July 13, 2009
No, that's the search where seven days after you search for something, whatever you searched for somehow kills you. But it's not as bad as it sounds, really, because most people search for pr0n, anyway, so what a way to go.I dont think this is true because one week ago I type in its rainin florence henderson porn and nothin happened. So if your tellin me that somethin is going to happen
hold on theres someone at the do
posted by scrump at 3:46 PM on July 13, 2009
*lights cigarette, wipes blood from brow, disappears into the night*
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:48 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:48 PM on July 13, 2009
Seeing how Something Awful has a pretty busy weight loss forum
I think it's a pretty iffy forum. Over there, it's actually weight loss and exercise, and it's 90% "megathreads", which is really just chat topics and people giving advice.
posted by smackfu at 4:09 PM on July 13, 2009
I think it's a pretty iffy forum. Over there, it's actually weight loss and exercise, and it's 90% "megathreads", which is really just chat topics and people giving advice.
posted by smackfu at 4:09 PM on July 13, 2009
I'm still waiting on the cooking subsite, EatMe.
posted by paisley henosis at 4:20 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by paisley henosis at 4:20 PM on July 13, 2009
weight loss goals and healthy lifestyles
That seems like two not necessarily overlapping categories for many people. Weight loss can be the result (or the goal) of a healthier lifestyle, as can weight gain; a healthier lifestyle can be the result of a weight loss program, as can a less healthy lifestyle.
a lot of the "diet" questions aren't about weight loss. Some are about weight gain, or how to have more energy, or how to avoid gluten, or how to become a vegan, etc. People have a lot of questions about what, how, and when to eat, but only a portion of those people are trying to lose weight.
This, too. The idea that everyone wants to lose weight, or that it would be healthy for everyone to lose weight, doesn't really stand up on examination.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:01 PM on July 13, 2009
That seems like two not necessarily overlapping categories for many people. Weight loss can be the result (or the goal) of a healthier lifestyle, as can weight gain; a healthier lifestyle can be the result of a weight loss program, as can a less healthy lifestyle.
a lot of the "diet" questions aren't about weight loss. Some are about weight gain, or how to have more energy, or how to avoid gluten, or how to become a vegan, etc. People have a lot of questions about what, how, and when to eat, but only a portion of those people are trying to lose weight.
This, too. The idea that everyone wants to lose weight, or that it would be healthy for everyone to lose weight, doesn't really stand up on examination.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:01 PM on July 13, 2009
How about us fatties that want to get fatter?
Then you want to join this community.
I stumbled across an even better site a month ago, but I can't refind it. It was stocked (ha!) with people who are purposefully getting themselves obese. The antithesis of the anorexia groups. It was just as horrifying.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:27 PM on July 13, 2009
Then you want to join this community.
I stumbled across an even better site a month ago, but I can't refind it. It was stocked (ha!) with people who are purposefully getting themselves obese. The antithesis of the anorexia groups. It was just as horrifying.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:27 PM on July 13, 2009
FFF, maybe you saw Big Guts. This story is especially bizarre/creepy.
posted by maqsarian at 5:36 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by maqsarian at 5:36 PM on July 13, 2009
That's the one, maqsarian! Horrifying, just like the anorexia sites.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:18 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by five fresh fish at 6:18 PM on July 13, 2009
" When does Metafilter Sex (SexMe) get rolled out?"
Come on, if you're going to make that joke at least go all the way and call it FuckMe.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 6:29 PM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Come on, if you're going to make that joke at least go all the way and call it FuckMe.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 6:29 PM on July 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
On the internet, nobody knows you're actually really skinny already.
posted by koeselitz at 6:33 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by koeselitz at 6:33 PM on July 13, 2009
Actually, I prefer setting up a new subsite at pony.metafilter.com (MePony) for all these requests.
leaving more room in MeTa for ill-advised callouts and popcorn flameouts
posted by davejay at 6:36 PM on July 13, 2009
leaving more room in MeTa for ill-advised callouts and popcorn flameouts
posted by davejay at 6:36 PM on July 13, 2009
COME OVER AND WORK OUT WITH ME U GUYS!
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:24 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:24 PM on July 13, 2009
maqsarian - WTF? That's the most horrifying thing I've read all month.
posted by EatTheWeek at 7:46 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by EatTheWeek at 7:46 PM on July 13, 2009
Dear AskMe,
What doesvagina rich, creamery butter taste like?
posted by turgid dahlia at 9:05 PM on July 13, 2009
What does
posted by turgid dahlia at 9:05 PM on July 13, 2009
We can have EatMe right after our new politics sub-site, HopeMe.
posted by secret about box at 9:26 PM on July 13, 2009
posted by secret about box at 9:26 PM on July 13, 2009
jayder: When does Metafilter Sex (SexMe) get rolled out?
Every night, after the dance band plays their last number and the classy crowd goes home; that's when we bring out the poles and the burlesque stage (the one with the fake pink velvet) gets set up over in the corner.
You should come some time. It's…interesting.
posted by koeselitz at 9:33 PM on July 13, 2009
Every night, after the dance band plays their last number and the classy crowd goes home; that's when we bring out the poles and the burlesque stage (the one with the fake pink velvet) gets set up over in the corner.
You should come some time. It's…interesting.
posted by koeselitz at 9:33 PM on July 13, 2009
turgid dahlia: Dear AskMe,
What does rich, creamery butter taste like?
Oddly enough, just like a vagina.
posted by koeselitz at 9:35 PM on July 13, 2009
What does rich, creamery butter taste like?
Oddly enough, just like a vagina.
posted by koeselitz at 9:35 PM on July 13, 2009
Actually, I prefer setting up a new subsite at pony.metafilter.com
RideMe
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:01 PM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
RideMe
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:01 PM on July 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
My diet consists of a steady stream of grilled cheese sandwiches.
They are delicious and fresh and hot from the oven.
posted by WalterMitty at 3:15 AM on July 14, 2009
They are delicious and fresh and hot from the oven.
posted by WalterMitty at 3:15 AM on July 14, 2009
"Oven?"
An oven is not a grill. What you have, WalterMitty, are baked cheese sandwiches.
(In fairness, I'll note that whenever I make "grilled cheese sandwiches" they're actually pan-fried cheese sandwiches.)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:08 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
An oven is not a grill. What you have, WalterMitty, are baked cheese sandwiches.
(In fairness, I'll note that whenever I make "grilled cheese sandwiches" they're actually pan-fried cheese sandwiches.)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:08 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
I want cake.metafilter.com.
Hey, carrot cake contains one of your five a day!
posted by mippy at 6:53 AM on July 14, 2009
Hey, carrot cake contains one of your five a day!
posted by mippy at 6:53 AM on July 14, 2009
We need a dating subsite: LoveMe
posted by double block and bleed at 8:01 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by double block and bleed at 8:01 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
>: Oddly enough, just like a vagina.
No, vaginas taste like nine-volt batteries.
I think a lot of the world's problems could be solved if people started making more grilled-cheese sandwiches.
posted by dunkadunc at 10:15 AM on July 14, 2009
No, vaginas taste like nine-volt batteries.
I think a lot of the world's problems could be solved if people started making more grilled-cheese sandwiches.
posted by dunkadunc at 10:15 AM on July 14, 2009
(In fairness, I'll note that whenever I make "grilled cheese sandwiches" they're actually pan-fried cheese sandwiches.)You say this like it's a bad thing.
posted by scrump at 10:32 AM on July 14, 2009
What you have, WalterMitty, are baked cheese sandwiches.
NOOOOOO.
I've been doing it wrong!
posted by WalterMitty at 10:37 AM on July 14, 2009
NOOOOOO.
I've been doing it wrong!
posted by WalterMitty at 10:37 AM on July 14, 2009
You say this like it's a bad thing.
Oh no, I was merely offering information. Also, I did not mean to suggest that a baked cheese sandwich is inferior to a grilled cheese sandwich, only different.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:43 AM on July 14, 2009
Oh no, I was merely offering information. Also, I did not mean to suggest that a baked cheese sandwich is inferior to a grilled cheese sandwich, only different.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:43 AM on July 14, 2009
This grilled cheese question interests me.
When you put a grilled cheese in a pan and start heating it, you're not really pan-frying, because it's not swimming in oil (at least not for overly greasy results, YMMV). What you're doing is mimicking the heat transfer of a griddle.
Now, this becomes interesting. In Colonial (open hearth) kitchens, cooks were usually equipped with both griddles and what we would call "grills" - rectangular frames with open wire cross-bars, for heating food over flame in such a way that the food would char a little. But they didn't call them grills. They called them "gridirons."
Gridirons weren't a big feature of indoor cooking after the advent of the cookstove. People started to consider gridiron-cooked food rough and old-fashioned and primitive. When they were found in use it was often in outdoor cooking. Gridirons were available in foldable frames, and people whose work made them live in camps (lumberers, migrant farmers, etc) used them to cook meat. They disappeared from the indoors and only sort of resurfaced when recreational camping started to become more fashionable in the early 20th century. I'm not sure when they got the name "Grill."
But up until, say, the 50s, most American kitchens stil had griddles in them. They were either built right into the cookstove, or came separately in the form of a cast-iron griddle.
But note that those griddles sometimes have a section that features a gridiron of peaked rows - in effect, recreating the 'grill' technique, but without open flame.
It seems to me that for some time, the words 'grill' and 'griddle' were probably interchangeable. Think, for instance, of retro places like Ernie's Bar & Grill (or whatever it's called in your neighborhood." Ernie doesn't have a Weber outside the back to make the greasy cheeseburgers. He has a griddle. One of the breakfast places I go to when I'm in New Jersey will make you a great, greasy-toasty breakfast if you order your bagel "on the grill" - and what they're doing is slicing it and putting it on the griddle with a weight on top.
So "grill" has been used to mean "cooked on a griddle" in at least some contexts. A "grilled cheese," then, is a cheese sandwich cooked on a grill. And if you don't have a cast-iron grill, a frying pan will do, since its flat bottom essentially resembles a griddle, and the cooking method is dry heat, minus a small swirl of butter or oil to prevent sticking (and make it tasty).
I'm entirely unsure when "grill" came to mean, specifically, "food cooked on a gridiron over flame." Even in my own childhood, we didn't use the word "grill" to mean that. We "had a cookout" or "had a barbecue" and we built a fire in the "barbecue [grill]", at times, "Hibachi." I remember that we switched over to calling it a "grill" rather than a "barbecue" in the 80s, because cookbooks for grilling started to appear, and it started to get pretty trendy to consider grilling some form of upscale-casual cuisine.
I don't have anything definitive to say yet about this, but it seems like it's not really too far off the mark to call a "grilled cheese" exactly that, since it would seem that "grill" and "griddle" may have had more fluid definitions in the early-to-mid 20th century than they do today. What's certain is that the way most people make a grilled cheese is technically a griddle-cooking method, whether or not a griddle is used. How the words "grill" and "griddle" achieved their present usages - and where "gridiron" went to die - are questions that might yield some fruit to the interested researcher.
Know what goes good with grilled cheese? A nice heapin' plate of beans.
posted by Miko at 10:57 AM on July 14, 2009 [7 favorites]
When you put a grilled cheese in a pan and start heating it, you're not really pan-frying, because it's not swimming in oil (at least not for overly greasy results, YMMV). What you're doing is mimicking the heat transfer of a griddle.
Now, this becomes interesting. In Colonial (open hearth) kitchens, cooks were usually equipped with both griddles and what we would call "grills" - rectangular frames with open wire cross-bars, for heating food over flame in such a way that the food would char a little. But they didn't call them grills. They called them "gridirons."
Gridirons weren't a big feature of indoor cooking after the advent of the cookstove. People started to consider gridiron-cooked food rough and old-fashioned and primitive. When they were found in use it was often in outdoor cooking. Gridirons were available in foldable frames, and people whose work made them live in camps (lumberers, migrant farmers, etc) used them to cook meat. They disappeared from the indoors and only sort of resurfaced when recreational camping started to become more fashionable in the early 20th century. I'm not sure when they got the name "Grill."
But up until, say, the 50s, most American kitchens stil had griddles in them. They were either built right into the cookstove, or came separately in the form of a cast-iron griddle.
But note that those griddles sometimes have a section that features a gridiron of peaked rows - in effect, recreating the 'grill' technique, but without open flame.
It seems to me that for some time, the words 'grill' and 'griddle' were probably interchangeable. Think, for instance, of retro places like Ernie's Bar & Grill (or whatever it's called in your neighborhood." Ernie doesn't have a Weber outside the back to make the greasy cheeseburgers. He has a griddle. One of the breakfast places I go to when I'm in New Jersey will make you a great, greasy-toasty breakfast if you order your bagel "on the grill" - and what they're doing is slicing it and putting it on the griddle with a weight on top.
So "grill" has been used to mean "cooked on a griddle" in at least some contexts. A "grilled cheese," then, is a cheese sandwich cooked on a grill. And if you don't have a cast-iron grill, a frying pan will do, since its flat bottom essentially resembles a griddle, and the cooking method is dry heat, minus a small swirl of butter or oil to prevent sticking (and make it tasty).
I'm entirely unsure when "grill" came to mean, specifically, "food cooked on a gridiron over flame." Even in my own childhood, we didn't use the word "grill" to mean that. We "had a cookout" or "had a barbecue" and we built a fire in the "barbecue [grill]", at times, "Hibachi." I remember that we switched over to calling it a "grill" rather than a "barbecue" in the 80s, because cookbooks for grilling started to appear, and it started to get pretty trendy to consider grilling some form of upscale-casual cuisine.
I don't have anything definitive to say yet about this, but it seems like it's not really too far off the mark to call a "grilled cheese" exactly that, since it would seem that "grill" and "griddle" may have had more fluid definitions in the early-to-mid 20th century than they do today. What's certain is that the way most people make a grilled cheese is technically a griddle-cooking method, whether or not a griddle is used. How the words "grill" and "griddle" achieved their present usages - and where "gridiron" went to die - are questions that might yield some fruit to the interested researcher.
Know what goes good with grilled cheese? A nice heapin' plate of beans.
posted by Miko at 10:57 AM on July 14, 2009 [7 favorites]
* to clarify why the grilled cheese method would not quite be considered pan-frying:
posted by Miko at 11:00 AM on July 14, 2009
Pan frying is a form of frying characterized by the use of less cooking oil than deep frying; using enough oil to, at most, cover the food to be cooked only half way. Pan frying usually requires the use of a frying pan. As a form of frying, pan frying relies on oil as the heat transfer medium and on correct temperature to retain the moisture in the food.In griddling, direct contact with the heated surface is the heat transfer method. In grilling, it's the radiant heat from flames or coals, coupled with the contact of the heated grill surfaces, though they don't reach the entire food surface.
posted by Miko at 11:00 AM on July 14, 2009
Miko, I think you need to come to my house and demonstrate the various cooking styles and their results.
Just so we can be scientific about this.
posted by scrump at 11:42 AM on July 14, 2009
Just so we can be scientific about this.
posted by scrump at 11:42 AM on July 14, 2009
I prefer MetaFucker.
Can we have a subsite for those of us who are attracted to the dieting failures? We could call it metafeeder.com
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:13 PM on July 14, 2009
Can we have a subsite for those of us who are attracted to the dieting failures? We could call it metafeeder.com
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:13 PM on July 14, 2009
This grilled cheese question interests me.
It interests me too, because all British cookers have a grill included. What a grill means to us is a radiant heat source with a pan beneath, so the heat is directed downwards onto the food -- the opposite direction of your barbeque grill, but exactly the same principle. A grilled cheese sandwich here almost always means a cheese sandwich that's made in one of these.
I was very surprised that these don't always come as standard on an American cooker, but are sometimes bought seperately as 'toaster ovens'. We cook all manner of stuff on our grills, from steak to toast to bacon. It seems healthier than frying because you render the fat off and it falls into the drip tray beneath.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:21 PM on July 14, 2009
It interests me too, because all British cookers have a grill included. What a grill means to us is a radiant heat source with a pan beneath, so the heat is directed downwards onto the food -- the opposite direction of your barbeque grill, but exactly the same principle. A grilled cheese sandwich here almost always means a cheese sandwich that's made in one of these.
I was very surprised that these don't always come as standard on an American cooker, but are sometimes bought seperately as 'toaster ovens'. We cook all manner of stuff on our grills, from steak to toast to bacon. It seems healthier than frying because you render the fat off and it falls into the drip tray beneath.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:21 PM on July 14, 2009
Also: hurfdurfmetaovereater.com
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:24 PM on July 14, 2009
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:24 PM on July 14, 2009
I was very surprised that these don't always come as standard on an American cooker
They do - we call them broilers, and they're located at the very base of the stove near the floor. Another version, usually mounted at cooktop height, is found only in restaurants and there it gets called a salamander. I never knew that it was called a "grill" elsewhere - that's interesting.
i've never seen anyone broil a grilled cheese. I have broiled open-face sandwiches, though. We also use them to cook steaks and chops. A lot of people completely ignore them, because they are so messy to clean. And some stove models are entirely without them, replacing the broiler area with a drawer for cooking pans and such.
posted by Miko at 12:30 PM on July 14, 2009
They do - we call them broilers, and they're located at the very base of the stove near the floor. Another version, usually mounted at cooktop height, is found only in restaurants and there it gets called a salamander. I never knew that it was called a "grill" elsewhere - that's interesting.
i've never seen anyone broil a grilled cheese. I have broiled open-face sandwiches, though. We also use them to cook steaks and chops. A lot of people completely ignore them, because they are so messy to clean. And some stove models are entirely without them, replacing the broiler area with a drawer for cooking pans and such.
posted by Miko at 12:30 PM on July 14, 2009
they're located at the very base of the stove near the floor
Well that explains why I've never been able to find them. In the UK, that's always just a storage space for pans, and they'll either be at the very top of the stove, or an additional thing at eye level.
If you line them with tin-foil, they aren't so hard to clean but if you had to get down on your hands and knees to see how your grilling was getting on, I'm sure we wouldn't use them quite so much either.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:58 PM on July 14, 2009
Well that explains why I've never been able to find them. In the UK, that's always just a storage space for pans, and they'll either be at the very top of the stove, or an additional thing at eye level.
If you line them with tin-foil, they aren't so hard to clean but if you had to get down on your hands and knees to see how your grilling was getting on, I'm sure we wouldn't use them quite so much either.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:58 PM on July 14, 2009
American broilers are in the base of the stove? Canadian broilers are at the top of the oven, so you just have to move the rack up high to get radiant heat goodness. The roasting pan and the portable cast iron griddle are stored in the bottom drawer.
I wasn't sure what I was going to have for a post-class snack tonight, but now all I can think about is a nice grilled cheese sandwich, damn it!
posted by maudlin at 2:54 PM on July 14, 2009
I wasn't sure what I was going to have for a post-class snack tonight, but now all I can think about is a nice grilled cheese sandwich, damn it!
posted by maudlin at 2:54 PM on July 14, 2009
I've seen both configurations. Our old electric stove at the apartment we used to live in was a just-the-top-element-is-reaaaally-on broiler, but the gas stove in our house is a shelf-below configuration. (Which was really confusing to us, because that's where we used to keep misc. pans in the old one.)
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:58 PM on July 14, 2009
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:58 PM on July 14, 2009
Many American broilers are at the top of the oven as well. Apparently, electric ovens always have the broiler at the top, while some gas ovens have it at the top and some underneath.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:00 PM on July 14, 2009
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:00 PM on July 14, 2009
Is this a bad time to mention that I'm having a grilled cheese sandwich right now because of this thread?
posted by scrump at 3:23 PM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by scrump at 3:23 PM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
So, a suggestion for a subsite dedicated to questions about dieting and dietary health degenerates (evolves?) into a discussion of grilled cheese sandwich making methods?
Metafilter, have I told you lately that I love you?
posted by EatTheWeek at 4:24 PM on July 14, 2009
Metafilter, have I told you lately that I love you?
posted by EatTheWeek at 4:24 PM on July 14, 2009
I just had dinner and I'm hungry again, dammit.
posted by languagehat at 4:51 PM on July 14, 2009
posted by languagehat at 4:51 PM on July 14, 2009
I just had dinner and I'm hungry again, dammit.How about I make you a grilled cheese sandwich, using some nice rich BUTTERFAT AMIRITE LOL
No, I don't think it will ever get old. Thanks for asking, though.
posted by scrump at 4:56 PM on July 14, 2009
electric ovens always have the broiler at the top, while some gas ovens have it at the top and some underneath.
That explains a lot. I haven't been around too many electric ovens, but I expect they're more common in some areas than in the places I've lived. I didn't know electric ovens offered this function of broiling on the top oven rack.
posted by Miko at 7:43 PM on July 14, 2009
That explains a lot. I haven't been around too many electric ovens, but I expect they're more common in some areas than in the places I've lived. I didn't know electric ovens offered this function of broiling on the top oven rack.
posted by Miko at 7:43 PM on July 14, 2009
Just going by tag counts, I'd say that photos.mefi is far, far ahead in "the line".
posted by pwnguin at 7:17 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by pwnguin at 7:17 PM on July 15, 2009
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