Dear Top Chef Contestant Richard Sweeney: That Is NOT a Slider
Posted by Nick Solares, November 13, 2008 at 1:00 PM
One of Adam's pet peeves is the way the term slider is bandied about with such reckless abandon that it encompasses almost any type of small sandwich, be it beef, pork or lobster, with no regard given to whether it was actually steamed.
Contestant Richard Sweeney took the misappropriation of the term to a new low last night on the season premier of Top Chef when he produced what he called lamb sliders for the elimination challenge. In fact, the two massive, grilled lamb burgers served on some very crunchy bread bore about as much relation to a slider as a gyro. Now I have nothing against riffs on traditional fare, even burgers, but don't call it a slider when it is grilled, made of lamb, and requires two hands to eat.
I can't be the only one who's noticed, whether it's foodie blogs, foodie newspaper or magazine columns, they all seem to be jumping on each other's coat tails? I used to laugh about it, but now I roll my eyes and don't bother reading them. How many times can one read a slight adaption on the same theme, or just a plain rip off.
The lack of imagination and originality is wearing.
Actually steaming is precisely what White Manna, Shopsins and White Castle do. The tip off is the bread which is always pillowy soft from the vapors of grease and onions. You need a griddle to achieve this, so a grilled burger cannot be a slider. But that doesn't mean it can't be a delicious mini hamburger.
Gotta say, who are you (other than some ridiculous keyboard critic) to tell anyone what a slider is "suppose" to be? I mean, really. White Castle may call one of their menu mini-icky's a Slider...but that doesn't make 'em good, nor gourmet. It also doesn't prove that White Castle, or any other place, owns the 'slang'...and yes, that's exactly what it is - a slang term used to describe a burger - completely open to interpretation by whomever. So, until you're on the show and can prove to the rest of Serious Eats readers yours are amazing - oh, and perfectly 'sized'...shut your pie hole.
Nick if the patty hits the griddle, it's no longer steaming. The onions provide the steam once the patty is flipped with the onions on the bottom side. The steam essentialy "finishes" the cooking of the patty, melts the cheese and steams the bun. A fully steamed patty is different and that's exactly what you get at Ted's. If you ask me, my definition of a slider is that that comes with a square shaped detached bun regardless of the cooking method.
I'm with Adam and Nick on this one. Also casting my vote to ban "TopChefFanSD" for being a pompous @$$. The TC show is lame (as are some of its fans, apparently), and this post helps prove it. A true slider is small, steamed, and can be eaten with one hand. Any smallish burger or sandwich is NOT a slider. These large grilled lamb sandwiches are DEFINITELY nothing like a 'slider.'
...says the idiot trying to school readers on Sliders 101. The TC show is only 'lame' to you because you are EXACTLY what I described earlier, a friggen keyboard critic.You're lame - easy to sit up on that soapbox from behind a computer screen - get your ass in the kitchen with millions of eyes watching your every move and see how you do with your 'sliders.' My guess is you're a hater because you wouldn't make it past the first round of auditions and you know it...you've probably already tried. "A true slider is small, steamed and can be eaten in one hand...." says who?!?! Friggen White Castle? Oh, right, you...such a d!ck.
Really, I don't understand why everyone is so insistent on a slider being steamed. For me, the most important thing about a slider hamburger is the size. Like others have mentioned, if you can't eat it with one hand, its not a slider. Everything beyond that is interpretation of the chef. Grilled, steamed, griddled, I could care less as long as the end product tastes good.
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11 Comments:
I can't be the only one who's noticed, whether it's foodie blogs, foodie newspaper or magazine columns, they all seem to be jumping on each other's coat tails? I used to laugh about it, but now I roll my eyes and don't bother reading them. How many times can one read a slight adaption on the same theme, or just a plain rip off.
The lack of imagination and originality is wearing.
Mares at 11:30PM on 11/13/08
Thank you Nick for once again sticking up for the slider. These so-called 'sliders' are absurd.
Hamburger America at 8:20PM on 11/14/08
Shopsin doesn't steam them, White Manna doesn't steam them. Are they not sliders ?
Q80 BurgerBelly at 9:49AM on 11/15/08
Actually steaming is precisely what White Manna, Shopsins and White Castle do. The tip off is the bread which is always pillowy soft from the vapors of grease and onions. You need a griddle to achieve this, so a grilled burger cannot be a slider. But that doesn't mean it can't be a delicious mini hamburger.
Nick Solares at 11:19AM on 11/15/08
Gotta say, who are you (other than some ridiculous keyboard critic) to tell anyone what a slider is "suppose" to be? I mean, really. White Castle may call one of their menu mini-icky's a Slider...but that doesn't make 'em good, nor gourmet. It also doesn't prove that White Castle, or any other place, owns the 'slang'...and yes, that's exactly what it is - a slang term used to describe a burger - completely open to interpretation by whomever. So, until you're on the show and can prove to the rest of Serious Eats readers yours are amazing - oh, and perfectly 'sized'...shut your pie hole.
TopChefFanSD at 1:10PM on 11/15/08
Nick if the patty hits the griddle, it's no longer steaming. The onions provide the steam once the patty is flipped with the onions on the bottom side. The steam essentialy "finishes" the cooking of the patty, melts the cheese and steams the bun. A fully steamed patty is different and that's exactly what you get at Ted's. If you ask me, my definition of a slider is that that comes with a square shaped detached bun regardless of the cooking method.
Q80 BurgerBelly at 3:16PM on 11/15/08
I'm with Adam and Nick on this one. Also casting my vote to ban "TopChefFanSD" for being a pompous @$$. The TC show is lame (as are some of its fans, apparently), and this post helps prove it. A true slider is small, steamed, and can be eaten with one hand. Any smallish burger or sandwich is NOT a slider. These large grilled lamb sandwiches are DEFINITELY nothing like a 'slider.'
drmoze at 5:28PM on 11/16/08
...says the idiot trying to school readers on Sliders 101. The TC show is only 'lame' to you because you are EXACTLY what I described earlier, a friggen keyboard critic.You're lame - easy to sit up on that soapbox from behind a computer screen - get your ass in the kitchen with millions of eyes watching your every move and see how you do with your 'sliders.' My guess is you're a hater because you wouldn't make it past the first round of auditions and you know it...you've probably already tried. "A true slider is small, steamed and can be eaten in one hand...." says who?!?! Friggen White Castle? Oh, right, you...such a d!ck.
TopChefFanSD at 9:30PM on 11/24/08
Really, I don't understand why everyone is so insistent on a slider being steamed. For me, the most important thing about a slider hamburger is the size. Like others have mentioned, if you can't eat it with one hand, its not a slider. Everything beyond that is interpretation of the chef. Grilled, steamed, griddled, I could care less as long as the end product tastes good.
Kismetized at 2:12PM on 01/11/09
"There ain't no good guys, there ain't no bad guys, there's only you and me and we just disagree.........."
- J. Krueger
BigWoollyMammoth at 10:08AM on 01/13/09
@BigWoolly now I need to look for my Dave Mason CD.
chardonnay at 4:45PM on 01/13/09