Jonathan Melendez - The Slider Effect: You Can’t Eat Just One!

contents

Buns, Rolls,
and Biscuits

Sauces, Spreads,
and Condiments

Metric Conversions
and Equivalents

chapter 1

how to use this book
to make the best sliders
and be the rock star
you know you are!

a.k.a. the basics

introduction

If youre holding this book in your hands, chances are you bought it or someone gave it to you as a gift. (In which case you should probably keep that someone in your life forever, or at the very least, name your next child after him or her; he/she happens to have great taste in books.) If youre holding this book while standing in the middle of a store, and contemplating whether you should purchase it or not, the answer is yes, you should definitely buy it. Treat yourself; itll be the best decision youve ever made. The second-best decision youll make will be to cook your way through the entire book. If youre holding this book in your hands and youre thinking to yourself, Why sliders?, well get to that in a second. The real question you should be asking yourself is, How can I become a slider pro?! Before I go on to answer both those questions, let me tell you more about this book.

The Slider Effect is a form of thinking and a way of life. Its how sliders are different than burgers, because I think its really important to mention that sliders arent just mini burgers. The Slider Effect proves that sliders are the perfect bite, and when made correctly, they allow people to evenly taste all the layers of flavor they have in between two buns. There is no right or wrong way to go through and cook from this book. As youll quickly come to realize, the ultimate goal is to have fun because sliders are meant to be enjoyable. My passion for sliders has grown so immense that if a slider is on a menu, Im ordering it without question. I love everything that sliders represent. They have the power to bring people together and get them really excited about eating. The fact that I finally get to share my passion with youyes, you holding this book and reading these wordsis a dream come true.

Why Sliders?

Sliders have become so popular in recent culture thanks to a rise in gastro pubs, tapas restaurants, and bars that focus on shared plates and craft cocktails. Its a lot more fun when you can order a couple of drinks, pick a variety of appetizers, and share them around the table with friends. Sliders are the ultimate food experience because they work as an appetizer, as a snack, or for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Theyre great any time of day, whether youre just a tad bit hungry and in need of a small bite, or starving and want to devour about ten of them in one sitting. Sliders are the perfect party food because you can easily offer your guests a variety of flavors and different options that suit anyones dietary restrictions. Theyre easily adaptable and are a definite crowd pleaser. Theyre no longer merely a predinner food that you order at a restaurant with just beef and cheesetheyve now become hip, cool, and even somewhat upscale. Perfect for any occasion, sliders are the answer to your everyday life.

I didnt want to give you a book just on sliders, though, and call it a day. Instead, this book is an all-encompassing cookbook on one of my all-time favorite foods, and everything that comes with it. The Slider Effect focuses on more than just ordinary cheeseburger sliders, the ones were all used to seeing on menus and eating. The recipes in this book will change the way we as a culture look at sliders. With four chapters on slidersMeat, Poultry, Seafood, and Vegetarianthe book transforms classic everyday dishes such as eggplant Parmesan, fish and chips, chicken-fried steak, and curry into tiny versions sandwiched between homemade buns and layered with various easy-to-make sauces and spreads. I want you to feel confident enough to get in that kitchen of yours and tackle any oneand hopefully allof these recipes. The goal here is to take the fear out of baking homemade bread and making sauces from scratch and instead to make you feel like you can conquer anything in the kitchen. Through these pages, youll find everything you need to know on how to become a slider pro. When youre done, youll not only impress your fam ily and friends, youll also impress yourself, and your stomach.

How to Use This Book

There are two ways to use this book. First, make the sliders the way Ive mapped them out for you. Follow the recipes as theyre written and enjoy some of the best sliders youll ever have. Each slider is listed with a suggested bun and sauce. Get comfortable with the recipes, and get to know them before you start mixing them up.

Then, forget about everything youve learned. Youre the boss now and you have the power to decide what goes in and on your sliders. If you dont like the bun I used for a certain recipe, then ditch it. Make and use another bun, roll, or biscuit from Chapter 6, or grab something from the grocery store. Cooking is much more fun when youre adventurous and can give each recipe your personal touch. The same thing goes for the sauces, spreads, and condiments in Chapter 7. Switch them up among the various sliders to create new and unique slider combinations customized to fit your taste buds. I intentionally created the componentslike the buns and saucesin this book to be interchangeable. I want the book to be interactive and above all, fun for you.

With that said, I think its important to talk about what you need in order to get the most out of this cookbook. Im always being asked what I have in my pantry or what kitchen equipment and tools I use on a regular basis. Jonathan, what are your go-to spices and herbs? Jonathan, what kitchen equipment do you use the most? Okay, so its mostly my mom who asks, but that still counts, so its definitely worth mentioning. In the book I specify a few pantry items and kitchen equipment several times, so I thought it would be a great idea to list them all here, before you dive into the recipes. That way youll be prepared and wont feel like youre caught off guard.

pantry essentials

Seasonings

This is a great place to start, since flavor is most important when it comes to sliders. A friend once told me that she tends to underseason everything she makes because she is afraid of doing it wrong, or worse, overdoing it. Seasoning your food doesnt have to be scary. In fact, nothing is scarier than bland, underseasoned food. Remember that. Here are a few seasonings that I cant cook without.