Ahhh blogs. Apparently they are not exempt to the dynamics of human personality. I was reading recently about a huge uproar caused by some bloggers believing that others are "stealing their recipes" and posting it straight on their blogs...with a small "adapted by" line. Can very many people really claim to have created a recipe in its entirety? Most recipes out there are usually an adaptation at the least and even if we think we've created a new one, well, someone else has probably tried those twists too. I really don't get the drama. I could see the frustration with creating a unique and popular concept and having others post it without linking back to to your site. That's just courtesy. And if we've used another blog to find a recipe, then followed the recipe precisely and decided to post it, I'd agree that a link back to the original poster is appropriate. I think adaptations outside of changing the vanilla from 1 tsp to 1.5 tsps, are indeed adaptations though, and pretty fair in the recipe world.
Let's take for instance a recipe that I found in my Food Network magazine for a version of PF Chang's lettuce wraps. I'd clipped the recipe and finally got around to making it. Of course, I made adaptations. I cut a the oyster sauce in half, changed the veggies, added some honey to the sauce, cut the cornstarch, etc. I was going to say this recipe was an adaptation of the FN recipe...I think that's pretty fair. Then I went back on my blog and saw that aside from the oyster sauce, these wraps are more similar to the lettuce wraps I posted a few years ago with the most atrocious photo. So really, would it be an adaptation of my recipe? Where did I get the idea for that recipe? Did FN adapt my recipe for their magazine? Can you see in that last question the ridiculousness of claiming that a recipe is stolen? And really, don't most food bloggers blog to share recipes? That's just my two cents.
Chicken lettuce wraps are pretty phenomenal even if the recipe is stolen from 13th century Mongol tribes.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
adapted from: who knows
Ingredients
For the Chicken:1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
For the Stir-Fry Sauce:
1 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tbsp honey
For the Stir-Fry:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 cup shredded carrots
Small lettuce leaves, for serving
Soy sauce and sweet chili sauce
Directions
- Prepare the chicken: Dice chicken and toss with sherry Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Make the stir-fry sauce: Whisk 1/3 cup water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces, then whisk in the cornstarch until dissolved.
- Make the stir-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger and jalapeno and then add stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the carrots and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and cook 1 minute.
- Serve chicken with lettuce leaves and soy sauce and or sweet chili sauce for dipping.
15 comments:
I agree completely though I do have a friend who gets irked when people post her recipes word for except one ingredient change and calls it "adapted from" Recipes are tough though.
Mary, Mary, Mary. Still a phenomenal cook! How is Vegas treating you? We miss you sweetie!
Amen!! It is difficult to say that one person created a recipe. We all know that if you line up 4 people and gave them a recipe, even if they all used the exact same ingredients and followed the recipe to the letter, each dish would be different somehow. There are always little tweeks that make it your own in the final version.
BTW: Love the recipe, trying it this weekend, and I will be sure to mention when I saw it first - :>)
It kind of feels like it's gone from something that was supposed to be fun, to more dog eat dog. I've always thought it would be fun to have a blog, and then I read about those who came back from the Blogher food conference in tears because of the cliques. One of my favorite bloggers told about how she finally got to meet her blogging "idol" and heard "Never heard of your blog" before her idol just walked away. It's sad because she she's a wonderful writer on her food posts but she doesn't have all of the gadgets and photography equipment and props and search engine optimization tools that drive traffic to some sites. It seems like people are become more about the adoration they want than the food or photos or feelings that prompted them to start a blog. I've added my 2 cents to yours. :)
so good!!! that kind of thing is going on in the craft and quilt blog worlds too....it is silly i think
I agree wholeheartedly with everyone above. Photos are unique, recipes are not.
13th centery mongol tribes; funny!!!
Humans will always find a way to create drama. It's apparently within our nature to do so. I think though that there's a good mix of bloggers who really do post for fun and to be social and those who (forgive the judgement of those blogs here) do it out of a narcissitic need to have the most famous blog.
Look at the whole facebook and twitter phenomenon--if that isn't creating the most narcisstic society where everyone really thinks we care about everything they do everyday, not sure what is. Now you have about 6 cents. :)
That being said, I love reading food blogs. I tend to like and relateto the less "famous" ones better because they seem more real life, while the more famous ones can be great to get some ideas from.
I agree wholeheartedly. It's a recipe people, you didn't cure cancer.
And this recipe looks delicious!
This is one of my all time fav meals at restaurants! Love it and thanks for sharing an adaptation of the recipe. ;)
So true. I think it's pretty common in all the areas of blogging. It's nuts really.
yum!!
Hey...I had a recipe just like this at home that went missing the last time you were over here...
I can't wait to try this one!
compleeeeeeeeetely agree. I read about all the bloggers who came back from Blogher with such hurt feelings. Whatever happened to women supporting women?
this looks so delicious! YUM!
That's why great-grandmother's kept their favorite recipes secret~LOL! Really, I don't see what the big deal is. If your creativity is expressed through recipes and you enjoy sharing why would anyone be so dramatic. It's a compliment to want to share, whatever it is you are sharing. Lettuce wraps look delish. Will try soon!
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