Would you be offended if I called these mini-burgers sliders?
I don’t want to offend anyone with insensitive language. It’s not my way.
I try to be PC in most of my dealings with people. I avoid cussing when I can. I’m not really a name caller – even in jest. I see no point in upsetting or alienating another person based on our differing opinions or backgrounds. I’m not saying I don’t have (and share) opinions. It’s just that I try to be respectful about my opinions. So if I roll my eyes when I hear your opinion, I promise it’s involuntary.
Here’s an example. When the holidays roll around I don’t mind mind saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas – especially in a situation where Merry Christmas might somehow offend another person. Of course I’ll admit I’m opinionated enough to think that anyone who gets peeved by being wished a Merry Christmas has issues of their own. Still, I’m PC enough to go ahead and play it safe.
Same goes for food.
I won’t call sweet treats crack, I’ll always wonder why the Brits insist on using the term double cream and I’ve already posted about how uncomfortable the word shrimpballs makes me feel. Fortunately I don’t live in Minnesota where a dago is a burger piled with grilled onions, peppers, tomato sauce, and melted cheese. I’d have to go my whole life without eating beef. Even the idea of a cocktail called Sex on the Beach makes me blush. I know the phrase is rarely uttered outside a bar, but you never know who’s listening, so I’ll just have a beer.
Wine Pairing
d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Red
Price $12
Pairs well with most red meats, duck, game, sausage, grilled tuna, mushrooms, barbecue, hard cheese
Beef & Brie Sliders with Caramelized Onions & Fig Jam
Which brings me to the word slider. Am I being insensitive to a perfectly delicious little burger by calling it such a thing? Originally, the term sliders was used as a derogatory slur against White Castle. Evidently White Castle burgers are so greasy that they slide down the gullet easily. I’ve never eaten a White Castle burger so I can’t say for sure. Maybe it’s just a statement of fact. Maybe White Castle burgers slide down easy because they’re delicious. Maybe. But I’m just PC enough to worry about it.
So what do I do? I worked hard on these sliders (I’m so sorry I mean mini-burgers). I want to show them off on my blog. After all, the term slider seems to be widely accepted. Does that make it okay? I don’t know.
If I tried to run the question past my mom she’d ask me if I thought it was okay to jump off a bridge just because everyone else was doing it. I’d see her point too. My mother passed away many years ago, but I still find myself wondering what she’d think. Especially on Mother’s Day.
She’d also tell me to “go stick my nose in a book” and find the answer for myself.
So I will.
Until then I just want to know what you think. Are sliders greasy but lovable fast food? Or are they trendy, high-end bar food fussed over by chefs and served with fancy cheese on miniature brioche buns? GREG
Beef & Brie Sliders with Caramelized Onions & Fig Jam
Pinned to a Sliders board, love the flavor profiles for these burgers. Your photography rocks as well, of course.
Sign me up for a dozen please! 🙂
I think I will just call them mini burgers. Our friend Susie would invite us to dinner at her club and place and order for the sliders. We would each have one, a salad, and call it dinner. I could have eaten all three, but didn’t need to. Adorned like you have dine? I would have to eat all three and would need to.
One terrific post to start off the summer — just wish the ad did not cover your post — so irritating, at least to me…
I’ve always thought of “sliders” as a term to describe a small, casual, easy-to-eat burger. I have no idea why. Who knew it was about the grease!? Call these what you will, they look fabulous!
White Castle sliders are an acquired taste — and one that I actually have. Although not too often. Actually the deal with the name isn’t that they slide down the gullet so well, but they’re so greasy they slid out … well, this is a respectable food blog, so let’s not go there. 🙂 But I like the name sliders, and to me it’s come to mean a small burger. Perfect word — because good ones do slid down the gullet. And stay there. Really fun post — thanks.
Sliders! Love live the word. If what’s old can become new again, then what was once base can surely become the sophisticated mot du jour.
I think you’ve just created the most perfect food — everything about these *mini burgers* is brilliant, from the brie to the arugula. And as for unfortunately named foods, let’s not forget my favorite, Dump Cakes 😉
Fig jam?!
You devil!
I didn’t even know the word “sliders” was a slur. But now that I know, it doesn’t change the way I love sliders because they’re tasty little indulgences I won’t ever feel guilty about. A word is a word is a word, and it’s impossible to please everyone. If you had no intention of offending anyone with the use of a word like “sliders” and people chose to be offended anyway, it’s their problem, not yours.
I love sliders, they are tasty little treats that don’t make you feel guilty when you eat them compared to a huge burger. For me it is the food and how good it is and not if it is trendy or not. As to cussing, I do it in German when I’m in the U.S. And in English when I’m in Germany.