# How do you feel when people change your recipe around?



## larry_stewart (Mar 17, 2017)

Kinda expanding  off the thread of " Who follows recipes exactly", I was just curious how you people feel when someone asks you for your recipe, you give it to them, then they 'make changes and ( in their eyes) improvements'?

On the outside, and in general, I personally don't care.  Im sure, on the inside, a little bit of me asks the question ' why did you mess around with my recipe? " .

  But I guess the only thing that does annoy me, is when someone asks for your recipe, makes it ( with all their changes) for the next family gathering, and then announces how they made ' your' recipe.  or even worse, makes it exactly then claims it as their own (both have happened to me in the past).

If its someone who I know, knows how to cook, I mind less or not at all, when compared to the person who doesn't know what they're doing, doesn't have functional taste buds, and kinda half-asses the recipe.


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## Bigjim68 (Mar 17, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> Kinda expanding  off the thread of " Who follows recipes exactly", I was just curious how you people feel when someone asks you for your recipe, you give it to them, then they 'make changes and ( in their eyes) improvements'?
> 
> On the outside, and in general, I personally don't care.  Im sure, on the inside, a little bit of me asks the question ' why did you mess around with my recipe? " .
> 
> ...



Considering that I probably got my recipe from someone and then altered it to suit what I had on hand or to my  taste. or got it out of a recipe from somewhere and again altered it, I would think nothing of it.  I may even use their recipe on my next try.

Why would it matter?


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## Steve Kroll (Mar 17, 2017)

Doesn't bother me one bit. I'm flattered if someone wants a recipe. I figure it's theirs to play with at that point. Plus I've had people take one of my recipes and sometimes improve it. Win-win.

Now I suppose if someone made one of my recipes, changed it around, announced to everyone that it was my recipe, and it tasted BAD... well, that might irk me a bit on the inside. But I would probably still smile and keep it to myself.


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## dragnlaw (Mar 17, 2017)

Yup, I agree with Steve...

but depending on the company, if for the worse, I would definitely announce "It's mine but certainly with some _interesting_ changes made".


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## CraigC (Mar 17, 2017)

When I post a recipe, I usually tell folks to adapt it to make it their own.


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## letscook (Mar 17, 2017)

I don't mind as to each their own taste, but like already said if change to your taste, say that its your version of someone's recipe.  I always give a person the credit to the person recipe I make. I had a friend that wanted a recipe and gave it to her and at a gathering she made it and while I sat right next to her she said it was an old family recipe. I  not the type to hold a grudge or get mad, just take the person as they are.


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## Andy M. (Mar 17, 2017)

I'm always happy to share my recipes. It is a bit flattering after all.  

I seldom have the opportunity to sample the shared recipe with or without changes.  If someone came back to me and complained about a recipe at the same time telling me that made changes. I'd let them know my feelings.

If you're going to make changes to my recipe, don't give me credit.  Call it your own.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Mar 17, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> ...or even worse, makes it exactly then claims it as their own (both have happened to me in the past).



Back in the days of the Food Network forums, I had Tyler Florence steal one of the recipes I posted on the forums and claim it as his own. Then to top it all off, he moved to my old stomping grounds, San Francisco's Chinatown! I have hated him ever since, and if I am searching for a recipe and one of his pops up, I don't even look at it. Yes, I am a petty, vindictive S.O.B.


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## The Late Night Gourmet (Mar 17, 2017)

When it comes to people tinkering with a recipe, I publicly say that I don't have any problem with it, and I really do mean it. But, deep down, I think to myself, "Why are you leaving out the balsamic vinegar? That's the best part!!" 


@Sir_Loin_of_Beef: I can only imagine the burning rage this instilled in you. It would be bad enough if it were a fellow home cook, but it's a thousand times worse to know it was a celebrity chef who's already established.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Mar 17, 2017)

The Late Night Gourmet said:


> @Sir_Loin_of_Beef: I can only imagine the burning rage this instilled in you. It would be bad enough if it were a fellow home cook, but it's a thousand times worse to know it was a celebrity chef who's already established.



The strange thing is, it was over 14 years ago and I can't even remember what the recipe was, but I am still pissed off about it and I still carry a grudge!


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## Whiskadoodle (Mar 17, 2017)

If someone were to bring a dish  from a  recipe I shared with them,  it may be   a form of flattery.  After all they did request the recipe from you.    Unless they improved it so much it was entirely different maybe even better. It depends on the perspective.  Once I give someone a recipe it is up to them what they do with it.  I likely got it from somewhere else to begin with.  Now-adays, I am more cognizant about acknowledging the source when I copy down a recipe, so I would include that too if I share a recipe.  

I'm sure I "invented" adding a pinch of cardamom with the cinnamon in apple pie.  Well, in real life you know I did not.  I use all-spice in Swedish meatballs instead of nutmeg and still call them  Swedish.  Yummers.  People aren't too sure about them if you say they are Norwegian meatballs.  I guess that's tinkering with someone else's recipes.


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## Addie (Mar 17, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> Kinda expanding  off the thread of " Who follows recipes exactly", I was just curious how you people feel when someone asks you for your recipe, you give it to them, then they 'make changes and ( in their eyes) improvements'?
> 
> On the outside, and in general, I personally don't care.  Im sure, on the inside, a little bit of me asks the question ' why did you mess around with my recipe? " .
> 
> ...



Larry, my daughter was working for the RMV. My granddaughter's aunt-in-law also worked in the same department. One Thanksgiving I made a very large helping of Pumpkin Cookies, made with fresh pumpkin that I cooked myself. They went to my GD's MIL house for a pre-Thanksgiving party. The aunt asked for the recipe. I happily gave it to her. So the next Monday she had made a bunch of the from the recipe I gave her and brought them to work. When one of her co-workers asked for the recipe, she told them it was an old family recipe and couldn't be given out to anyone not in the family.

My daughter heard her. She called me and told me what happened. I faxed the recipe to my daughter, she copied about 100 copies and passed them out to every one in her department. The only thing she did extra was to put my name on the top with the title of "My Mother's Recipe for Pumpkin Cookies". At the bottom she also added the note of 'these are the cookies you had last week.' My mother believes in sharing food that makes others happy. 

Needless to say, the aunt was quite put out and never spoke to my daughter or me again to the day she died. 

The sad part is that it was not a very special recipe. I got it from somewhere and just changed a few amounts of some on the ingredients. I also made them from fresh pumpkin. But there was a note stating you could use canned pumpkin if you so chose to. I even included how to roast the pumpkin.


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## CWS4322 (Mar 17, 2017)

I consider recipes inspiration. Rarely do I follow a recipe, except when baking. I have no issue with that.


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## Cheryl J (Mar 17, 2017)

I don't really care - as mentioned, once it leaves my hands it's up to others to tweak it how they want.


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## Dawgluver (Mar 17, 2017)

No biggie to me either.  I have streams of consciousness, not recipes.  But don't ask me to replicate anything.


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## caseydog (Mar 18, 2017)

If the mess up my recipe, all I ask is that they don't tell anyone it was my recipe.If they improve it, by all means, give me the credit. 

CD


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 18, 2017)

No problem!

Many times the tweaks and changes are better than my original recipe.

What does bother me is when someone gives me a recipe for something that I've enjoyed and they leave out the little tweaks and changes that made it special.


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## medtran49 (Mar 18, 2017)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Back in the days of the Food Network forums, I had Tyler Florence steal one of the recipes I posted on the forums and claim it as his own. Then to top it all off, he moved to my old stomping grounds, San Francisco's Chinatown! I have hated him ever since, and if I am searching for a recipe and one of his pops up, I don't even look at it. Yes, I am a petty, vindictive S.O.B.


 
We may have had something like that happen on here.  The first year that we planted collard greens, we planted too many and had a huge over-abundance.  It's really hard to give away collard greens.  Anyway, had to come up with ways to use them.  So I had an idea to use them like cabbage and make rolls with dirty rice and creole sauce.  In a period of less than 2 months, Sunny of the FN came up with the exact same idea.  Now it's possible I'll admit, but the timing was quite coincidental.


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## powerplantop (Mar 18, 2017)

As someone who publicly post recipes I encourage people to change the recipe to suit who they are cooking for. Sometimes I even make suggestions for subs. 

I spend a lot of time researching and developing recipes. I may look at 20 different recipes to find methods in coming up with "my" recipe. So knowing that someone changed "my" recipe is no big deal. 

Food is constantly evolving. What we think of as real Mexican food (or almost any other food) is not what they were eating before outside influences.


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## RPCookin (Mar 18, 2017)

I honestly couldn't care less if someone wants to lay a claim to a recipe they got from me.  Most of the time it's not mine anyway - even if I've made modifications to the original I wouldn't claim it as my own.  

I have invented a few from scratch, but they still probably aren't all that original.  They are built on things I learned from the recipes of others, and if I've learned enough to create a dish that is worthy of plagiarism, I'd take it as a complement.  I'm not making any money from it so the idea of "theft" is irrelevant.


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## Steven c (Mar 18, 2017)

For me recipes are ballpark guide lines, and I often change amounts, ingredients, because of personal preference or what I have on hand. Some of things I still cook is how I remember my mom doing it and as the years have gone by I don't know how much or little I may of change some of them. 

So what I'm saying is it wouldn't bother me at all to have someone change it up a bit. Heck my deviled eggs or macaroni salad is never exactly the same and been asked multiple times for the recipe for both. My response normally after a moment of thought is I'm not sure I remember how I made this batch. No joke, one of these days I should start and write things down and make a written recipe from the ways I like certain dishes best.


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## TenThousandRecipes (May 7, 2017)

I don't mind at all. I think thats part of the beauty when it comes to cooking, that we can adapt. When i can i try and credit the base recipe but I have so many that it is hard to remember where some came from. 

If someone altered my recipe and it tasted bad and they said it was my recipe, i would most likely speak up and say it had some changes. But otherwise go for it!


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## Addie (May 7, 2017)

When you look up a recipe on the Internet, there are probably more than 100 versions of what you are looking for. They all are different in some small way. So where did the recipe start in the first place? Most likely the original was created by just one person and changed each time someone else made it.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (May 7, 2017)

I saw somewhere, can't remember where but, there is no such thing as an original recipe.
I mean, think about it.
The only real thing about cooking that has changed over the millenniums is technique.
AND, I too have posted numerous "recipes" on my blog and other Social Media sites; I never thought to look if one of those "Celebrity Chefs" pulled a copy-cat on me, but, oh well, GO FOR IT!
"A recipe is simply someone else's idea. Take it and make it your own!"


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## buckytom (May 8, 2017)

Who cares if someone asks for, then modifies a recipe of yours unless they somehow make it poorly with their changes, then say it was your recipe, lol.

On the same note, I'm happy if someone can make my recipe better. And then I'll be making their recipe, with full credit to them.


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## larry_stewart (May 8, 2017)

buckytom said:


> unless they somehow make it poorly with their changes, then say it was your recipe, lol.



Thats really my only fear 

And unfortunately, Ive had it happen, then announced to everyone that it was my recipe.  I was horrified.  I couldn't say anything , as not to embarrass the host , but I felt like I had to redeem myself at the next event.


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## buckytom (May 8, 2017)

Yeah, that's some choppy water. You almost *have* to make it again for the same folks to prove the recipe was sound.


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## Just Cooking (May 8, 2017)

It doesn't bother me...

The only exception is if someone says, "I changed this for that, added some XXX and didn't like how it tasted." Well, duh!! 

Happened to me once when I passed on a crab dip recipe our family has used since the 60's...  

Ross


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## RPCookin (May 8, 2017)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> I saw somewhere, can't remember where but, there is no such thing as an original recipe.
> I mean, think about it.
> The only real thing about cooking that has changed over the millenniums is technique.
> AND, I too have posted numerous "recipes" on my blog and other Social Media sites; I never thought to look if one of those "Celebrity Chefs" pulled a copy-cat on me, but, oh well, GO FOR IT!
> "A recipe is simply someone else's idea. Take it and make it your own!"



Actually, if you've ever watched "Chopped!", then you have definitely seen some very original recipe creation.  Sometimes it's an old one with "unusual" 
 (to say the least  ) ingredients, other times it's totally unique.  That's just an expected feature of the show.  

I love to see the reaction of the judges when they are presented with an original creation that turns out to be a major mistake in judgement.  Those ones will probably NOT be copied.


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## dragnlaw (May 9, 2017)

Steven c said:


> .... My response ..... is I'm not sure I remember how I made this batch.
> 
> No joke, one of these days I should start and write things down and make a written recipe from the ways I like certain dishes best.



I've tried to do that, write down the first three things and steps then get too busy and forget...  when trying to go back ... can't remember! LOL  

It's the exact same with taking pictures of a dish.  Take some at the beginning, then forget completely and have only an empty plate to photo!


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## di reston (May 9, 2017)

I think the problem being discussed is ' What is passing off and what isn't'. If we want to be absolutely clear about the source of the recipe, then it would be correct practice to say 'adapted from.......', but very few people do that, and it's a rocky road, because if you get found out for passing off.........!! I may be rigid about this, but I do feel it's correct practice to say :'taken from.........'. There's nothing to lose by doing that, especially is you say 'the original says this, and I do that', after all, we're all together in sharing our knowledge and many other things, so what difference does it make if you indicate the original source!


di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## Mad Cook (May 9, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> Kinda expanding  off the thread of " Who follows recipes exactly", I was just curious how you people feel when someone asks you for your recipe, you give it to them, then they 'make changes and ( in their eyes) improvements'?
> 
> On the outside, and in general, I personally don't care.  Im sure, on the inside, a little bit of me asks the question ' why did you mess around with my recipe? " .
> 
> ...


It doesn't bother me if they adapt a recipe I've given them. I do it so why shouldn't they.


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## Kayelle (May 13, 2017)

I don't give a flip you change my recipe. but once you do that, it's now your recipe not mine. You might feel all "lofty confident" and assume you made my recipe better, but you'll never really know if you never made my recipe in the first place. Jes sayin....


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## Addie (May 13, 2017)

Kayelle said:


> I don't give a flip you change my recipe. but once you do that, it's now your recipe not mine. You might feel all "lofty confident" and assume you made my recipe better, but you'll never really know if you never made my recipe in the first place. Jes sayin....



So you are one of those folks who deliberately leave out an ingredient so the recipient makes an unknowing error? I would hope that person gives you all the credit you deserve.  Jess saying!


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## Kayelle (May 13, 2017)

Addie said:


> *So you are one of those folks who deliberately leave out an ingredient so the recipient makes an unknowing error?* I would hope that person gives you all the credit you deserve.  Jess saying!



Addie, why on earth would you assume I would deliberately alter a recipe of mine? 

I would never do such a thing for any reason, although maybe you would since you thought of it.


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## Addie (May 13, 2017)

Kayelle said:


> Addie, why on earth would you assume I would deliberately alter a recipe of mine?
> 
> I would never do such a thing for any reason, although maybe you would since you thought of it.



Did you not see the wink? I was teasing you. Calm down. It is not good for your health to get all het up over something so minor.


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## Cheryl J (May 13, 2017)

Addie said:


> So you are one of those folks who deliberately leave out an ingredient so the recipient makes an unknowing error? I would hope that person gives you all the credit you deserve.  Jess saying!



This post sure didn't seem like good natured 'teasing' to me. Neither did your response to Kay when she called you out on it. (winky )


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## Kayelle (May 13, 2017)

Addie said:


> Did you not see the wink? I was teasing you. Calm down. It is not good for your health to get all het up over something so minor.



You really expect a personal attack to be excused by a ? I'm surprised you didn't use your usual


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## Just Cooking (May 13, 2017)

Ladies... Don't make me stop this car....  

Ross


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## Addie (May 13, 2017)

Kayelle said:


> You really expect a personal attack to be excused by a ? I'm surprised you didn't use your usual



The angel was strictly for my daughter when she was diagnosed with brain cancer.


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## heimerdinger (May 18, 2017)

larry_stewart said:


> Kinda expanding  off the thread of " Who follows recipes exactly", I was just curious how you people feel when someone asks you for your recipe, you give it to them, then they 'make changes and ( in their eyes) improvements'?
> 
> On the outside, and in general, I personally don't care.  Im sure, on the inside, a little bit of me asks the question ' why did you mess around with my recipe? " .
> 
> ...




You're right. I would feel mad when someone changed my own recipe...
Their recipe usually not good as me; I hate this.
However, some of my friends could make it better, which is incredibly perfect!!!!!


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## larry_stewart (May 18, 2017)

heimerdinger said:


> You're right. I would feel mad when someone changed my own recipe...
> Their recipe usually not good as me; I hate this.
> However, some of my friends could make it better, which is incredibly perfect!!!!!



Yeah, my big thing is not that they changed it.  In all honesty, I couldn't care less.  But its when they then announce to everyone that it is my recipe, when they had just butchered it, or changed it so much, that it really doesn't even resemble its original form.

Hey, of they can improve upon it, or change it enough that it takes on a life of its own, more power to them.  I would just hope that they share the changed info with me.


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