This “New York Times” Recipe Is Being Turned Into A Meme Because It’s *That* Ridiculous

If you’re a fan of cooking (which you likely are), you’ve probably seen your fair share of recipes online and in cookbooks. The fun part about recipes is that they often involve a new spin on an old classic. For example, do you know how many ways you can cook chicken? People have mastered recipes so that you can prepare a fresh and different chicken dish, every day, for months straight.

But, think about the writers who are penning these recipes. Those who cook are often quite creative, and want the best description for their dishes. As mentioned, there’s a lot of competition out there. So, sometimes flowery language takes place. Other times, things are written in a way that makes even the simplest process seem fancy.

A few sentences from a New York Times recipe must have tickled the internet, as it quickly became a meme. And the best part of all? It’s a meme that’s both funny and wholesome. It’s exactly what 2019 needs right now.

The recipe is for Parsleyed Noodles, and it was concocted by Craig Claiborne. But it gained a little more reach from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer Ariel Dumas, who realized people got a little crazy in the comments.

ok wtf is going on with these nytimes recipe comments lol pic.twitter.com/EGFox8pivT

— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) January 18, 2019

Those three New York Times comments don’t tell you too much about how the noodles taste, but at least people had a little fun. So much that Dumas wanted to join in.

ThEsE gEnErOuSlY BuTtEreD NOodlEs, sPrInklEd wItH JuSt a QuArtEr cUp oF PaRsLeY fOr CoLoR aNd FreShNesS, ArE tHe PeRfEcT BlAnK cAnVaS fOr PrAcTiCaLlY AnY StEw oR BrAiSe. pic.twitter.com/34F4WfigME

— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) January 18, 2019

pic.twitter.com/OCZXqQbNjm

— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) January 18, 2019

pic.twitter.com/aP8JR0aRG1

— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) January 18, 2019

Ariel why am I crying

— Francis Lam (@Francis_Lam) January 18, 2019

You did the meme!

— LaToya Ferguson (@lafergs) January 18, 2019

As expected, both friends and followers joined in to add a few essentials to the mix.

Craig Claiborne: These generously buttered noodles sprinkled with just a quarter cup of parsley for color and freshness are the perfect blank canvas

Me: FOR PRACTICALLY ANY STEW OR BRAISE pic.twitter.com/c6jY0kUX5L

— marc (@msnetiker) January 18, 2019

Dumas’s tweets got a lot of attention, but the best reaction was from actor, author, and podcaster John Hodgman, who figured it was a good time to ask an important question.

Ariel, I have never known who to ask this! For real! What is the origin and significance of that spongebob meme? I AM OLD AND WANT TO “GET IT”

— John Hodgman (@hodgman) January 18, 2019

(I DON'T KNOW I JUST DID IT BECAUSE THE KIDS WERE DOING IT SORRY OK THANKS BYE OFF TO GO JUULING)

— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) January 18, 2019

Enjoy youth

— John Hodgman (@hodgman) January 18, 2019

I'M 36 SO YES, YES I WILL

— Ariel Dumas (@ArielDumas) January 18, 2019

It’s fair to assume that the New York Times didn’t expect such a colorful reaction to the recipe. But if anything, it probably inspired more people to give it a shot. After all, it’s true. If I learned anything about cooking this week, it’s that generously buttered noodles, sprinkled with just a quarter cup of parsley for color and freshness, really are the perfect blank canvas for practically any stew or braise.