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| Kale = so hot right now; Image via Flickr/joyosity |
Every spring when ramp season hits and food bloggers and chefs freak out over the arrival of these sacred fancy onions, we can't help but ponder what other ingredients (besides ramps) are just totally overrated.
Last year, we singled out some of the most glaring offenders - truffle oil, Kobe beef, pork belly - but this year we polled readers and peers to get their takes. Check out the slideshow below to see which eight ingredients irk our commenters most and shout out what ingredients you think are overrated in the comments.
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I don't agree with any of the choices here. The reviews are vapid and two sensational, often saying one of the above is not suited along after saying it complements other ingredients well.
ReplyDeleteThe author suggests that copious amounts lend well to destroying dishes. Many of the above should be used sparingly..... Cook much? The author clearly does not.
I totally agree, Zagat has nothing to share other than take the bash and run approach to things we use everyday in small amounts. Tomorrow I project Zagat will critique restaurants that accept pennies.
DeleteThis article is beyond ignorant. It is actually insulting to the very audience that Zagat thrives on. Good grief! Where is the editor?
DeleteI totally disagree with octopus. You must have had some really crappy octopus to make that generalization. Chicken doesn't have much flavor either but you didn't put it on here. It's called "seasoning'. If everything had amazing flavor on it's own then there would be no need for recipes.
ReplyDeleteAgree with the disagreement. Octopus is hardly overused. That said, there are different things one can do with octopus that produce entirely different results. Japanese or Portuguese style of prepared octopus can be absolutely exceptional and in opposite ways--one is usually very lightly seasoned, the other quite heavily. But both tend to use mature octopus. But I totally fail to understand the obsession with "baby" octopus--traditionally found in Korean pickle buffets. The original dish is an acquired taste--in other words, it's repulsive in both texture and flavor. Western variations, including grilling, really don't help much. Everything that is good about a large octopus is completely missing in the "baby" variety. I certainly would not miss them if they were gone.
DeleteI am not sure that "cumin" is overrated--what it is is overused and improperly used. And that is precisely what the note complains about--not use, but overuse. How does that make an overrated ingredient? Compare that with saffron that gives metallic taste to everything it touches.
I also disagree on sunchokes. Raw sunchokes indeed have a potato-like quality, but they are far more palatable in a properly composed salad. Sunchokes make some of the best pickles on the plant, largely due to the exceptional flavor that is not like anything else. And, when cooked, they can range from sublime to disgusting. But, once again, the issue is competence in preparation, not the ingredient itself. There is nothing over-rated about sunchokes, as opposed to, say, salsify or grits--two ingredients that make me vomit.
I can't tell if you're trying to be funny or are actually that jaded. If you really hate all of these ingredients and are mocking the "foodies" who like them, you probably shouldn't be a food writer for Zagat.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your problem is that your caught up in the foodie flavor of the week. Maybe you should treat food more like food and less like fashion.
ReplyDeleteThis is the same woman who authored the equally vapid 10 Annoying Restaurant Trends list. Maybe she is trying to be contrarian or appeal to some hipster readership. Her generalizations are neither witty nor accurate.
ReplyDeleteYou're on a site that caters to people who like their restaurant ratings neatly packaged in simple numerical indices. You shouldn't be surprised by vapid opinion writing. After all, the ratings are equally vapid--people who go to a particular type of restaurant will rate their preferences highly, without any objectivity. So there is a significant problem of self-selection in these ratings. This is particularly noticeable at the top, where snob factor weighs far more heavily than actual quality.
DeleteThe Best Thing Kelly ate on 3/6/12 was Kale.
Deletehttp://blog.zagat.com/2012/03/best-thing-we-ate-last-night-grilled.html
DeleteWow... Just, wow. To the person who wrote this article, word of advice to you: stop writing.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. Spare us. Let's all move on to something else, we're wasting our time here.
DeleteU work for zagat? I just lost a lot of respect for zagat because of this article. Just dumb
ReplyDeletedisagre on several ingredients: squash blossom are delicious (maybe more delicious where I come from Italy, since they are zucchini blossoms in general, more tasty), disagree on octopus and saffron as well
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Had the most amazing zucchini blossoms in Tuscany
DeleteI think kale is great in salads but I can't believe people actually eat kale chips. If you want a chip, eat a chip!
ReplyDeleteIt's a real pity that someone bound to write for Zagat doesn't acquire more knowledge of food and respect for people all over. I agree with StonedAgain and would add fresh cream, which is not sour cream as expressed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe most overrated ingredient? "Foam". Okay, technically it's not an ingredient, like cumin or saffron, but when a menu mentions "foam" in a dish, I just shake my head. How did froth ever become so self-important? Chef Daniel Humm started it years ago at his restaurtant in San Francisco. Frankly, I think Chef Humm was playing a sly joke on pretentious diners, because he stopped offering it soon after. But many chefs continue to offer it. Go figure!
ReplyDelete"Foam" is disgusting. It looks like someone spit up on your food.
DeleteWhat a dumb list. Why is this person trying to tell me what to like? If you haven't had any of these foods, do not let this list scare you away. Try and then form your OWN opinion. I want my ashes mixed with bone marrow for eternity.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised to see this coming from ZAGAT which I subscribe to and respect. This writer clearly knows nothing about food. That 's apparent in these wonderful foods she's chosen to trash but also how she writes about them. Of course octopus will taste terrible if it's overcooked... so does almost every kind of food. Her "commenters" who helped create this list must also be quite unadventurous eaters as well.
ReplyDeleteKelly:
ReplyDeleteAs the great food afficionado of Eastern Hurdistan, HK Fisherman once explained to me, "everyone is entitled to their own ill-founded opinion." Or maybe that was from Eastern Ubekmestan, can't remember.
Is this author really qualified to write for Zagat??? With the exception of kale, I LOVE every ingredient she mentions! Jeruselem artichokes (topinambour in French) are utterly delicious when pureed; creme fraiche, although similar to sour cream, is so much more delicate; octopus, when of good quality and young, is NOT rubbery; what can I say, I LOVE bone marrow; and I first tried squash blossoms in Lucca, Italy and found them divine. The only reason I can possibly image why Zagat would publish this list is to get the comments flowing.
ReplyDelete" the relatively bland ingredient is often glopped on top of fish or desserts as a sorry excuse for a garnish (and, sometimes - horror - in place of ice cream."
ReplyDeleteSeriously? Somewhere there's a chef that puts ice cream on fish?
Kelly: In 8 chances, you miss frequently, and did not include Bacon, the most over-rated food ingredient of the last five years. Take the time to create eight reasons why list-based journalism might not be right for you.
ReplyDeleteSaffron...to the extreme. My wife and two frends were at a cooking class at the Getty Villa (Maite Gomez-Reyon: ARTBITES)and I was doing one of the dishes of Anatolia (this was focused on the Conquests of Alexander the Great--Greece to India) and my chicken dish (15 pounds of it) needed saffron...what do I know...so I dumped the entire amount from the cup into the dish, and then Maite comes by and asks me where all the saffron was..well, it is all in the pot..."Russ, that was $1200 worth of saffron!" So I reach for my wallet and she says: "Russ, don't worry about it. This is after all the Getty!" Most expense dish I have ever made...
ReplyDeleteThis woman (or the list responders ) need to expand their horizons...or find a new career.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part I completely agree with the ingredients that they decided where not that hot, however, while Cumin/Comino should not be used in every dish, I think that with the right amounts in the right dish it is great.
ReplyDeleteThey are off their rockers on the octopus, while I prefer squid, I think that whomever is cooking their food or where they are eating is questionable.
Kale, Saffron, Bone Marrow; those are just hyped foods.
Squash Blossoms would hardly be considered a food anymore than Orchids, Decorative Parsley, or Lemon Slices on the side of a plate, they are there to be decorative and they do the job very well.
I disagree with saffron. Maybe who wrote this article has never eaten a good risotto alla milanese
ReplyDeleteTo all those complaining about the article... it did its job. You're here reading it, aren't you? I think the point is to click on the article and generate traffic for zagat, not to be insightful. It's just kind of sad that they're not even trying I guess. Also, I love bone marrow.
ReplyDeleteSure, it did its job -- if the job description included killing Zagat's reputation. None of the foods listed here are over-rated. They are different from the norm and can be used to great effect. This article leaves the reader with the impression that Zagat prefers a well-done steak and over-salted potatoes over something new and interesting.
DeleteBone marrow is great, if you love eating pure fat. It's totally gross people - if you like it, there is something wrong. I picure my dog licking the inside of the bone for hours. Yuck!
ReplyDeleteBut an awesome animal fat like butter is probably a treat, yeah?
DeleteIn the author's defense, she has plenty of guts to be writing this list, and I was almost tempted to feel sympathetic about her ignorance. But after reading some of her other articles, I am convinced that she's in desperate need of a career change.
ReplyDeleteSorry I must be in the minority but I did agree with most of her comments. Cumin of course we love in moderation and saffron dear saffron. But as many of us have experienced calamari or octopus or whatever the menu wants to call it my experience has been dismal as most restaurants overcook that lovely morsel to the rubber band and totally ineduble! Love it when it is carefully and lovingly prepared
ReplyDeleteI'm cancelling my Zagat subscription. The whole site has reduced to junk like this. No need. Maybe it appeals to the masses. The title of the article reminds me of the headlines on the trashy magazines in the checkout aisle.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, maybe these ingredients suck when cooked at the majority of restaurants. But when cooked right, these things all rule. I agree with people above: author probably doesn't cook.
ReplyDeleteLighten up, folks. I like several of these ingredients, but none of them deserve to be as trendy as they are, even my beloved kale (though I am happy that something very good for you is actually trendy for once). And hell yes to bone marrow! It's just meaty-tasting fat!
ReplyDeletewhy not just let people eat what they like?
ReplyDeletefunny you should mention lucky peach. if you were even a fraction as hardworking and humble as the lp crew you might be able to actually turn out thoughtful and worthwhile pieces rather than writing pointless superficial slideshows about "run-away food trends."
This writer is a twerp.
ReplyDeleteShe really should find a new job.
KUDOS! That pretty much sums up my thoughts. Shame on Zagat for subjecting us once again to this demeaning and opinion based drivel!
DeleteThere is nothing wrong with any of the items listed here, if the person cooking with them knows what he or she is doing. Moreover, no one serves these ingredients in isolation . . . how they are used is the key.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of overrated, this is an example of a writer just phoning in an article.
The problem with this article is that nothing in it is correct.
ReplyDeleteLong live octopus!
The vitriol of some of these comments is striking. The writer, as with those who see fit to attack her, is entitled to her opinion. The fact that you may not agree with her (personally, I do consider myself a "foodie" and share her view as to some, e.g., bone marrow, but not others - LOVE Saffron), should not give rise to such vilification. Take a breath folks....
ReplyDeleteAlthough the author may not share your view about these foods, I found the article to be quite humorous and I laughed to myself a few times while reading it. I don't think it was supposed to be authoritative but more entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it! This is the most anoying writer ever. She has no clue... maybe Zagat likes that she inspires so much (negative) attention. Fire her, or better, assign to a dark corner cubicle with McDonalds for lunch!
ReplyDeleteKale has been one of my favorite greens for 20 years but if I were forced to eat that bowl of kale pictured, I'd probably get sick. It looks like it's starting to rot.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up,I didn't know what cumin was. I was glad to discover cumin and cilantro and other herbs and spices when I started traveling.
Octopus has to be fresh and not overcooked. It is absolutely delicious.
I haven't eaten anything else on the list except saffron. It doesn't seem to have much of any taste. I thought it was just used as a food coloring.
First the outdated trends article that could have been written in the early 80's and now this article that proves the writer has zero food cred and could have been written in the 90's
ReplyDeleteI just giggled all the way through this except I actually LOVE octopus. You are so right about BONE MARROW! Geez, they are getting us to eat everything except the fur.
ReplyDeletegetting you????? You OWE it to the animal to eat every last bit. Lemme guess, hanger steaks rule your roost...
DeleteTry freshly boiled bone marrow on toasted dark bread. With some sea salt and frehly ground pepper. It's great. Maybe that's new for Americans, but it has a huge tradition in Europe. By the way, nobody over here ever ate the "fur"...
DeleteThe Best Thing Kelly ate on 3/6/12 was Kale.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.zagat.com/2012/03/best-thing-we-ate-last-night-grilled.html
DeleteIm embarrassed i actually read the entire thing. I guess (assuming the responses were actually reader generated) if that is indicative of the readership of Zagat, they might want to re-think their marketing and branding efforts.
ReplyDeleteWho wrote this nonsensical crap? Can't believe this was written for your Zagat readers. Belongs in some tabloid rag.
ReplyDeleteI think the author needs to get out more. Perhaps she could start with a trip to Normandy, where she would learn that crème fraîche bears little resemblance to sour cream. If she still finds it bland, we’ll know the problem is with her tastebuds.
ReplyDeleteSo a month ago the author praised kale as the best thing she had eaten and now uses kale as a lead in to the most over rated ingredients, with the same new bacon joke that wasn't funny the first time??????????
ReplyDeleteIs the author an intern?
ReplyDeleteZagat....I remember when you mattered....haha
ReplyDeleteI just watched 15 minutes of the author on a live streaming thing. She is like, well you know, like, I don't know, but like if it had something like you know like something then well, like maybe I would get what like she is like talking about cause well like she has like and opinion, and I don't know but I guess like some people here don't like get what she is like saying.
ReplyDeleteThis article is a waste of time. I hope I never have to stand in line and make chit-chat with the author because I'd probably hurl.
ReplyDeleteThe writer does not a clue about cooking
ReplyDeletenot useful at all.
ReplyDeleteClearly the author is not a cook, nor an educated diner. Moderation and technique are key ingredients to sublime cuisine. In incompetent hands, any ingredient, regardless of cost or quality has potential to become unpalatable if prepared improperly.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what restaurants the author has eaten in, what tables she has graced. But I do know that a chef worth his weight in saffron can take almost any ingredient, trendy or humble, and magically transform it into a lasting food memory.
Might I suggest a restaurant? I just had the most incredible Kale salad you might be interested in trying.
Well, I just wasted 3 minutes reading this article that says nothing.
ReplyDeleteEvery had a bland unseasonsed steak, or a fish that tasted like it was boiled? It all depends on the cook. Octopus is excellent, but if overcooked or undercooked, it is tough. I expect more from a food column.
Overrated?
ReplyDeleteAll of these ingredients are INDISPENSIBLE to good cuisine!!!
Except maybe Kale...
A Risotto Milanese or a Mediterranean fish soup without saffron, are you nuts? Freshly boiled bone marrow on toasted dark bread with some corse sea salt and fresh black pepper is the simplest way to heaven. Pork Roast without cumin? Chocolate Mousse, soups, sauces without crème fraiche? And why the Octopus-bashing? Indispensible seafood!
Totally worthless list.
ditto.
DeleteEverything that I was going to say has already been said by others. I guess I'm just not hip enough to know that some of my favorite foods, which include all of the ones on this list, aren't hip. Oh, well, I loved them all long before they were hip, so I won't let this article disturb my sleep.
ReplyDeletethis writer reminds me of one of those little kids who picks all the onions and green peppers out of everything.
ReplyDeleteStrongly disagree with cumin. Anyone who has a deep knowledge of ingredients understands what cumin does. Another ingredient example of this: garlic....
ReplyDelete