Informative Food Boards You're On?

Chef Heather · #1 08-27-2004, 11:50 AM

I have started looking for boards that can offer not only comraderie and some learning/helping on my part, but also boards that are a step above the Food Network cesspool. Seems like very low-class people post there...insulting one another, etc. Opposite end of the spectrum is Egullet, which DEMANDS you add your full name, address, and PHONE NUMBER to post to their little elitist food group.

I find that a violation of my personal privacy, and I don't want to belong to a group that is so serious as to think it's the godddamm pentagon. What other boards are good?? Any recs??

Jock · #2 08-27-2004, 04:33 PM

Eureka! You've found it. The creme de la creme. Friendly, knowlegable, opinionated (did I say that?

) people and not too anal either. All we expect here is courtesy and respect. Welcome to Cheftalk.

Jock

chefmikesworld · #3 08-27-2004, 07:18 PM

I enjoy it here as well as gullet...also I enjoy Chef2Chef but don't really post there, am more a lurker...

CulinaryArtistsChefItUp at yahoo used to be fun and informative, but the posters have pretty much fallen by the wayside...

I heard Escoffier dot com has a decent board but have never been there, has been on my list of things to do for years, but never made it...

Cheffy

KateW · #4 08-27-2004, 10:40 PM

I just went and checked my egullet profile, because I couldn't remember having to put my address and phone number. It's all blank on my profile (even though it does say it's required). Apparently it's not as required as they make it sound.

Come try it out. If you find it's over your head (it shouldn't be, because I was a member long before I knew anything about food), you can always slink away.

chefmikesworld · #5 08-27-2004, 11:14 PM

I like it at gullet...I also just went and checked out escoffier it is a pretty informative site

Cheffy

Chef Heather · #6 08-28-2004, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KateW

I just went and checked my egullet profile, because I couldn't remember having to put my address and phone number. It's all blank on my profile (even though it does say it's required). Apparently it's not as required as they make it sound.

Come try it out. If you find it's over your head (it shouldn't be, because I was a member long before I knew anything about food), you can always slink away.

It's new policy for them to demand all your personal information before you can post. If you don't fill in all the fields, you're "application" is rejected. And it looks like if you use a HotMail Address, etc., they CALL you to verify who you are.

Anyway...thanks for the recommendations and of course...I'll be checking in here as much as I can.

chefmikesworld · #7 08-28-2004, 10:42 PM

I did not know that, and that is kinda crappy...

I operate a couple messageboards and my only guess would be spam issues...although it does happen in here and there also, they are few and far between...

Chef Heather · #8 08-29-2004, 11:40 AM

I wonder if egullet would be willing to furnish the addresses and phone numbers of their staff to new posters. I mean....let's go....fair is fair! What if there are stalkers on their staff? How would you know you were safe if you disagreed with one of their little "policies." From what I gather, you can't even post images freely, quote materials, disagree with "site managers" or tell another poster who is sending you threatening emails because you criticized his bernaise sauce recipe to pizz off, or they cut off your posting privilages. Last I heard, I live in America where there's free speech. Running an internet message board like it was the pentagon is a bit over the top, but I guess it makes them feel important. I couldn't be a member of such a stifling, trifling organization.

KateW · #9 09-07-2004, 07:35 PM

There have been many heated discussions on egullet (I've even been a part of some of them) but I have never seen the behavior you mention here. You say you couldn't be a member, and I take this to mean you have never been a member, so how do you know about all this misbehavior?
They recently upgraded to a non-profit organization, changing from .com to .org and I have still not been asked to give my phone number or address or anything. Show me what you're talking about.

kuan · #10 09-08-2004, 02:54 PM

For some reason I can't post on egullet. I can't use any of the forum functions even though I'm logged in.

KateW · #11 09-08-2004, 08:07 PM

Make sure you're going to forums.egullet.org, not .com.

Chef Heather · #12 09-08-2004, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KateW

They recently upgraded to a non-profit organization, changing from .com to .org and I have still not been asked to give my phone number or address or anything. Show me what you're talking about.

What's the magic word?

Quote:

The eGullet Society is temporarily unable to accept new memberships. Please try again later.

That's what one sees now when one goes to attempt to register. I visit/read the board at least once a week. I see they changed the colors and I think that blue looks very "Dental Office" to me. Very unappetizing! There is NO blue food, and someone should tell them that.

I will not be registering because I don't want to give out my very personal information for the "privilege" of posting on an internet message board. Ridiculous. I can read it just fine the way it is. If I can get past that powder room blue color....

chefmikesworld · #13 09-09-2004, 04:15 AM

They are still preparing the switchover to the new boards and the .org, I think that some people are going to have some probs for the next couple weeks until the transition is through, although I have not had a prob...

Cheffy

Aida Lott · #14 10-13-2004, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefmikesworld

They are still preparing the switchover to the new boards and the .org, I think that some people are going to have some probs for the next couple weeks until the transition is through, although I have not had a prob...

Cheffy

That board now requires you to "become a member" by PAYING them yearly fees in order to post in their forums. I think that's *pathetic*. This cracked me up:

Quote:

We ask that you write a short essay telling us why you want to post in eG Forums and what you think you can contribute to the eGullet Society through your participation. This indication of your interest in the Society and intended participation in eG Forums is an important part of your application. Of course, we know that not everyone is M.F.K. Fisher or Anthony Bourdain, but we take this essay seriously, and hope you will, too. (Participating Memberships revert to General Memberships after six months of inactivity.)

Where does the money go? Anyone know?.

bigbuns · #15 10-16-2004, 08:08 PM

Went to the site using the forums link above and was able to read anything there, but cannot post without joining. Didn't see anything worth going back for a second time, let alone pay for.