What's your secret ingredient that makes your version of a common dish better than anyone else's?
What's your secret ingredient that makes your version of a common dish better than anyone else's?
Mine probably isn't that secret these days, but almost every sauce I add nutritional yeast to. Curry, chilli, bolognese, it just makes them all better.
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Generally, salt or MSG. I find people tend to under-season their dishes, and not layer flavors as they cook.
MSG comes in many forms: cheese, tomato, mushroom, fish sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce... MSG powder.
I'm not taling Uncle Roger portions here. Just a teaspoon of the naturally occurring stuff, a couple splashes of the sauces, or just or a pinch of straight MSG is all it takes to add a bit of savory depth to a dish. I get good feedback about my cooking. Occasionally I overdo the salt, but no so much as to render it inedible. It helps to move the table wine along.
Back incollege, I was a waitress at an Italian restaurant. A lady came in ordered a dish with lots of tomato in it, then demanded I tell the chef she was allergic to MSG, in an accusatory way. What she didn't know is that I was going to school for a medical based degree, and recently had a professor go off about how MSG is in tons of foods naturally and not to believe the craze about it being bad for you.
"Oh my gosh! You're allergic to MSG!?! I'm sorry, but all tomatoes contain MSG. Please choose another dish" ... "I'm sorry, ma'am but mushrooms have MSG in them too. I'll talk to my chef and see what suggestions he might have."
She changed her tone "I'm not allergic, I just don't want it added... it's bad for you... blah blah"
I didn't get tipped, but it was hella satisfying to passive- aggressively educate her.
Based
^ Not this.
No, I think he's using it as it was meant to be for once "Based on fact"
Yeah, I've a customer like that, absolutely convinced he's allergic to MSG. Pours ketchup all over everything.