I'm one of those you are referring to. I doubt very much that you'll get what you are asking for from AR. You'll just have to use your own judgment based on your experience with the ingredients. Sorry to be one of THOSE. I try to stick kind of close to the recipe, but when I know what my family will eat, it's hard sometimes.

I have a favorite recipe that's been published, and I never mind at all that people change it or do different things to it. In fact, I keep learning new tricks and taste treats that way!

I agree with you, Marianne. I love reading people's subs and suggestions. I can do them or not.

Because any review process is MOSTLY subjective opinions, even following recipes to a "T" doesn't always help. If you're referring to "technical" issues with a recipe, then o.k..... An objective review of that recipe is the true way to true grade it. I also love to read the "tweaks" of other cooks. And, then I can make the decision based on my family's likes and dislikes to tweak or not-to-tweak. I hope these posts have helped you to better understand the AR review process. Remember, the vast majority of the AR Community are home cooks, not professionals.

I like reading the comments from THOSE people! It has given me some great ideas when I get ready to prepare the dish. However, in most cases, I only omit ingredients if I or my partner do not like it...for the first time making it.

Guilty as charged. But I appreciate the different ideas as I don't know how to substitute as well as others. Learn a lot that way. Also like alternate cooking techniques as we don't fry.

I am one of those as well! I think it is helpful to learn variations and improvements on the recipe. Of course a low rating should only be based on the original recipe. For example, if someone decides to add chili peppers to a bland dish, but they then thought the dish was too spicy, they shouldn't give it a low rating. But, they can give it a low rating if they add chili peppers, but had a complaint about the cooking time.

If I just minimally change something sin the recipe to adjust to my taste and like the recipe i still give a 5. The basis of the recipe has to be solid for me to give a 5 If i sub raisins with dried fruit in a cake, and reduce the sugar but the cake still puffs up well and has good texture, I still give it a 5 because those changes don't change the quality of the recipe, just the flavor profile.

Tincansailor, I hope you are taking our comments as lovingly as we mean them. Really, if you ask 10 people to make the recipe as written, you will still have all kinds of different looks to it! Just look at the photos! :)

Thanks for all the comments. But I think you missed my point: Flagging a review that followed the recipe exactly. I don't mind reading a review with tweaks, some definitely improve the result. But I'd like to know what the general consensus is on the recipe as given. If a review was flagged 'modifed' so be it. Just so one wouldn't have to read a great review to discover that they left out the salt and sugar due to dietary restrictions....

To answer your question, No there isn't anyway to flag a review. Many that don't change a things start out by saying so and so skimming through them is the only way to find one.

We can't get AR to do the things that they USED to do that we liked, let alone do something new! :) or :(

A month or so ago I posted a similar idea as you're suggesting. There would be a flag or button allowing the reviewer to identify his/her review if based on making the recipe as written. AR could then modify the “Recipe Review” page to include a button saying something like “Made as Written” which would be along side “Most Helpful”, “Most Positive”, “Least Positive”, and “Newest”. This could save time for those who are looking to see reviews based on the recipe without having to wade through tweaks that perhaps are solely based on the reviewer’s taste preference but unsuitable for those who don’t have that same taste profile. I also said that a button (i.e., flag) would probably not work and not worth the aggravation to AR of sorting out reported violations. Just because you give people a button to use doesn’t mean they’re going to use it correctly . . . one person believes their tweak(s) do not change the recipe but judges another reviewer’s tweaks as changes . . . you can’t make something objective (yes or no button) when recipes/cooking is inherently subjective.

I sort of use the recipes as guidelines. I just made the "sweet pork slow cooker chilli" and altered ingredients based on what had on hand. Mine ended up looking almost identical to the one shown.

And it was sooo very good, definitely a keeper.

lol- i am considering entering the 12 step program- i have been trying since the beginng of the year to not tweak a recipe-lol- haven't been able to get there yet:-) having said that- i do not review- but discuss changes of recipes here at the buzz:-)

sorry- beginning

the worst of the worst to me are the ones who follow the recipe to a t- maybe a chicken dish- then give it a 1 star and say- my family does not eat chicken-hello!!or just don't make the recipe at all

I don't regard the stars anymore. I do read the reviews to see what changes have been made to see if I might like them. ... The stars have been corrupted both ways. Often as you describe and often by people that seem to enjoy being nasty people.

nanny - I hate those, too! Which is worse, those or the ones who change it so much it's not even the same food, then rate it 1 star? Grrr!