IS this still a comedy blog? We are due for some of your creative reflections of funny things which is why you have such a loyal following.
Comedy PLEASE!!!!
Are you too a member of the most exclusive club I know: People-Who-Could-Afford-Air-Conditioning-But-Hate-It-And-Sweat-And-Complain-All-Summer-Without-It?!! I keep a list of my fellow crazies to help me thru the bad moments when it feels like my boiling brains might start bubbling out of my ears.
I can wrap my head around this if I call it a bulgur salad in my head, but not if I call it tabbouleh. Sorries, but neither dill, nor peas, nor asparagus belong in tabbouleh, even if they’re perfectly at home in a bulgur salad. Happy eating, no matter what you call it.
Hi Mairsydoats! I hear you, but this kind of culinary rigidity is surely not productive. Everything is always evolving, including language. Rules have no place in the kitchen! Vive la revolution! ; )
I love this, and I agree that Tabbouleh is one of the most versatile and easily adaptable dishes that you can make. I tend to use quinoa in mine (instead of bulgar or couscous) as I prefer the taste and it’s gluten free (I’m not gluten free, but try to limit it where I can). Right now I’m using fresh cherry tomatoes, radishes, baby turnips, lots of basil, even some shredded kohlrabi. I’ve never added a pinch of cinnamon though so I’ll try that on my next batch. Thanks for the ideas!
I hear you on the evolving thing and agree there should not be too much culinary rigidity, but this is not tabbouleh and never will be. It will surely taste fabulous. But what is wrong with celebrating tried and tested dishes that adhere to a somewhat narrow set of rules? The reason for a dish being called one name and consisting of a somewhat fixed set of ingredients and/or preparation methods is that it delivers a certain recognizable taste that cannot be easily replicated with other ingredients/methods.
A good example of how a dish can be misnamed is the famous Greek salad: served almost invariably with lettuce and without the correct herbs, if herbs at all, in most restaurants, eating the real thing (horiatiki) for the first time in its unadulterated state is a true revelation.
Sure, there always is and should be experimentation, but sticking to the tried and tested range is not rigidity, it often can deliver a wonderful experience.
But honestly, luvvie, this is not tabbouleh. Call it tabbouleh-inspired or tabbouleh-adjacent, but do not pretend it is tabbouleh, ’cause it so is not!
Aimee! WOW. Wow. You feel very strongly about this, which I guess I appreciate. But I am going to continue to call this tabbouleh, and you can call it whatever you like. At least we both love Greek salads?
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sfb says:
July 16th, 2014 at 2:26 pm
IS this still a comedy blog? We are due for some of your creative reflections of funny things which is why you have such a loyal following.
Comedy PLEASE!!!!
Tim says:
July 16th, 2014 at 2:38 pm
lol sfb. thanks.
Judi says:
July 16th, 2014 at 2:43 pm
These photos make my heart sing.
Ileana says:
July 16th, 2014 at 2:51 pm
sfb, I totally LOL’d right here:
“Throwing vegetables in my bag like a real farm-to-table free spirit who just woke up like this.”
Marlena says:
July 16th, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Those fava beans! They look like pillowy mouth goodness.
Sara says:
July 16th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Alice Waters-zombie ftw! this looks amazing.
Librarian Lavender says:
July 16th, 2014 at 4:51 pm
That looks so good and reminds me of holidays in France…
Dena says:
July 16th, 2014 at 6:58 pm
Alice-Waters-Zombie. I love it. And this dish looks delicious. D
cR says:
July 17th, 2014 at 11:53 am
Are you too a member of the most exclusive club I know: People-Who-Could-Afford-Air-Conditioning-But-Hate-It-And-Sweat-And-Complain-All-Summer-Without-It?!! I keep a list of my fellow crazies to help me thru the bad moments when it feels like my boiling brains might start bubbling out of my ears.
ItalianGirlCooks says:
July 17th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
Great summer fare, all of it. Yum.
Thefolia says:
July 17th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Yum! Happy Nesting.
Louise says:
July 17th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Gorgeous photos for your funny story. Next thing you’ll be participating in a community garden or getting a weekly bag from a CSA. : )
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says:
July 18th, 2014 at 1:26 pm
This is such a neat version of tabbouleh!! Awesome recipe!
Max Grant says:
July 20th, 2014 at 7:00 pm
Holy yum!
Mairsydoats says:
July 21st, 2014 at 3:58 pm
“…who just woke up like this.” Yes, LOL, indeed.
I can wrap my head around this if I call it a bulgur salad in my head, but not if I call it tabbouleh. Sorries, but neither dill, nor peas, nor asparagus belong in tabbouleh, even if they’re perfectly at home in a bulgur salad. Happy eating, no matter what you call it.
Tim says:
July 21st, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Hi Mairsydoats! I hear you, but this kind of culinary rigidity is surely not productive. Everything is always evolving, including language. Rules have no place in the kitchen! Vive la revolution! ; )
Rima says:
July 22nd, 2014 at 11:06 am
Adding cinnamon is key – and not just anybody knows that. Otherwise, you got crazy with this tabbouleh! I’ll bring it to Beirut and see how it flies…
Rima says:
July 22nd, 2014 at 11:08 am
Oh, and you flat-out ignore that amazing dish with the tomatoes (and labneh?) NEXT to the tabbouleh… seems like a bad tease. ;)
Tim says:
July 22nd, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Dearest Rima- There is a link to the mozzarella and tomato salad. Stop skimming!
kristie @ birchandwild.com says:
July 26th, 2014 at 9:44 am
This is a gorgeous summer dish. I will be adding this to my “do not want to go in the kitchen in this heat” dishes. Thank you!
Jason says:
August 3rd, 2014 at 11:46 am
I love this, and I agree that Tabbouleh is one of the most versatile and easily adaptable dishes that you can make. I tend to use quinoa in mine (instead of bulgar or couscous) as I prefer the taste and it’s gluten free (I’m not gluten free, but try to limit it where I can). Right now I’m using fresh cherry tomatoes, radishes, baby turnips, lots of basil, even some shredded kohlrabi. I’ve never added a pinch of cinnamon though so I’ll try that on my next batch. Thanks for the ideas!
Des says:
August 14th, 2014 at 1:10 am
I can feel summer with this recipe. Will be trying it out soon
Maria Lopez says:
August 19th, 2014 at 1:02 am
wow…this recipe looks easy and full of green! thank you for sharing..:)
Aimee says:
August 25th, 2014 at 7:29 am
I hear you on the evolving thing and agree there should not be too much culinary rigidity, but this is not tabbouleh and never will be. It will surely taste fabulous. But what is wrong with celebrating tried and tested dishes that adhere to a somewhat narrow set of rules? The reason for a dish being called one name and consisting of a somewhat fixed set of ingredients and/or preparation methods is that it delivers a certain recognizable taste that cannot be easily replicated with other ingredients/methods.
A good example of how a dish can be misnamed is the famous Greek salad: served almost invariably with lettuce and without the correct herbs, if herbs at all, in most restaurants, eating the real thing (horiatiki) for the first time in its unadulterated state is a true revelation.
Sure, there always is and should be experimentation, but sticking to the tried and tested range is not rigidity, it often can deliver a wonderful experience.
But honestly, luvvie, this is not tabbouleh. Call it tabbouleh-inspired or tabbouleh-adjacent, but do not pretend it is tabbouleh, ’cause it so is not!
Tim says:
August 25th, 2014 at 8:28 am
Aimee! WOW. Wow. You feel very strongly about this, which I guess I appreciate. But I am going to continue to call this tabbouleh, and you can call it whatever you like. At least we both love Greek salads?