PrintSignature ingredient -- and is it a flaw or fav?
Do you have an ingredient -- a spice, herb, aromatic -- that tends to creep into every meal you make? For example, do you feel like your meals aren't tasty enough unless there's jalepeno involved? Or is there some herb you can't live without?
Do you know people who take this to an extreme? Would you like to pick them up and shake them and tell them that there can be mashed potatoes without garlic, and that basil isn't one of the four food groups? Do you know someone who puts hot sauce on everything to the point that you wonder why they bother with any other flavors?
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43 Comments:
In baked goods, Penzey's Baking Spice.
srhcb at 11:15PM on 04/07/08
@srhcb, I've got a cabinet full of Penzey's but I don't have their baking spice. What sort of flavor does it have?
dbcurrie at 11:19PM on 04/07/08
Parsley. I mean, it is good and all, but it's ridiculous how much I put it in my food. Already green salad? Parsley, check. Yogurt? check. The only line I draw is my morning oatmeal :)
Littlebluesiren at 12:28AM on 04/08/08
I use a lot of garlic salt.
Hunnyoil at 3:02AM on 04/08/08
I don't know how he does it but almost everything my husband makes tastes the same--he does always reach for tabasco so maybe that's it!
smallblondemom at 3:45AM on 04/08/08
Penzeys shallot pepper. No one can put their finger on it.
The cake spice is cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves
Baking spice is cinnamon, anise, mace, cardamom.
I like the cake spice.
JerzeeTomato at 4:48AM on 04/08/08
Lately I've cornered the market on poblano peppers. BF loves them and they're the only green pepper he'll eat. They get cooked, grilled and brunoised for salads (I incorporate them into the dressing). I also like to roast and stuff them.
chiff0nade at 5:18AM on 04/08/08
I use a simple spice mix called Miracle Blend from the Alden Mill House in Alden, Michigan at the southeast corner of Torch Lake. Kosher salt, Malabar Island pepper, granulated garlic ... it's a balanced combination a lot of eaters really like.
LunaPierCook at 7:04AM on 04/08/08
I was perusing a cheesecake cookbook over the weekend that I checked out from the library and almost every cheesecake included a sour cream topping. The flavor of the sour cream topping varied with the flavor of the cheesecake, but it wound up seeming a bit formulaic after seeing dozens of recipes that included a variation of the same topping.
MelsDiner at 7:50AM on 04/08/08
Shallots, especially caramelized, are a favorite. I also turn to Penzey's--I love the Bavarian seasoning blend for meats and salad dressings.
jenberger at 8:45AM on 04/08/08
Crushed red pepper. It even has its own grinder at my house. Gets used WAY more often than the black pepper.
Kerosena at 9:03AM on 04/08/08
Penzey's freeze dried shallots and, in almost all of my slow braised dishes, anchovies and coffee.
bessfour at 9:04AM on 04/08/08
There's hardly any dish that exists in the world - sweet or savory - that can not be improved by adding the zest of any variety of citrus fruit: lemon, lime, grapefruit, Ugli fruit, etc. It's like adding the essence of life itself.
Karen Resta at 9:22AM on 04/08/08
In savory dishes, freshly ground nutmeg. I put it in mac & cheese. I put it in chili. I toss it with green beans. It adds an interesting little kick without being obvious.
In sweet dishes, cardamom. I usually substitute some for cinnamon, and the response I always get is, "What *nom* did you *nom* put in this? *nom*"
jenilowrance at 9:25AM on 04/08/08
Like my One Trick Pony Restaurant, it would be lemon (and sometimes orange or lime). The zest and juice make a world of difference in so many dishes. Second place would be a member of the onion family and garlic. I've never had any complaints, so I don't think I overdo it.
Due to your many recommendations, I must try Pensky's spices!
PerkyMac at 9:49AM on 04/08/08
Good question!
I'm in PerkyMac's camp with lemon - I use either the zest or the juice (or both!) all over the place, sweet or savory. I also love freshly ground black pepper (I even put it in my brownies!).
CookiePie at 9:56AM on 04/08/08
@alacto.......you've questioned a group of people who generally are not enamored with the food from most chain restaurants. The Food Network personalities who are hawking them are also not the most respected for their own cooking abilities, so putting the two together........sure won't inspire us to give the chain another try. One notable exception (for me) is Tyler Florence. I thought he was a wonderful cook and I was shocked and dismayed when I saw him gushing forth about a steak and onion rings for Applebee's. I may have felt differently if they were actually using one of his impressive recipes, but they were just using his pretty face and enthusiastic personality. As others have said, the few respected chefs/cooks on Food Network are probably above hawking chain restaurants. Some have restaurants of their own, like Emeril Lagasse.
PerkyMac at 9:58AM on 04/08/08
Sorry, I hit a key and the computer went nuts and took me back to a previous question. I'll copy and paste the above answer where it belongs. Heavens to murgatroid!!!!
PerkyMac at 10:00AM on 04/08/08
lemon or lime zest. And cilantro. I can't get enough of the cilantro, especially combined with the lemon/lime zest :)
bitchincamero at 10:02AM on 04/08/08
I put cinnamon on my cinnamon. And ginger on my ginger :)
Not to mention garlic. Fresh, dried, roasted, crushed, you name it.
Traveller at 10:26AM on 04/08/08
Garlic and black pepper. Even if the recipe doesn't call for it, it's always good!
NinjaFluff at 10:45AM on 04/08/08
Basil is not one of the 4 food groups? Huh. I am also going to check out the Penzey spice selection. I looked last night and there is a retail location not too far from me. Road Trip!!
crazyspice at 10:45AM on 04/08/08
@crazyspice.......I think basil is half of a food group? The other half is parsley. At least in my house! ;-0
PerkyMac at 11:00AM on 04/08/08
@Perky - That makes sense. I was having a moment of confusion!
crazyspice at 11:06AM on 04/08/08
Shallots in place of onions and good olive oil wherever butter or oil is needed. These ingredients seem to make everything better.
jonfoxx at 11:17AM on 04/08/08
While in Turkey almost five years ago, I was introduced to the glory of Maras peppers. Spicy, fruity, and full-bodied, they seem to add the perfect note to just about everything. They just round out everything I make. I left with a huge box of them, and went through it in a matter of months. Problem: I can't find those exact peppers here in the US. So, I've been making due with Syrian Aleppo peppers. Not nearly the same, but it's the best I can do.
Oh, for all those checking Penzey's out - their Northwoods seasoning seems to be the absolute perfect complement to just about every traditionally American dish I make.
tacroy80 at 11:27AM on 04/08/08
LunaPierCook, my parents used to use Miracle Blend from that same place all the time. I haven't thought about it in years. It was good.
For a while, I would pick up a different fresh herb each week and put it in everything for the week. So one week it'd be dill, then rosemary, then thyme. I liked it that way. I love fresh herbs, but can't use them up if I buy more than one each week. Plus, I'd plan what to make for the week based on the herb, and that's easier for me than having a completely blank slate to plan from.
blackolive at 11:51AM on 04/08/08
@blackolive......herbs are so easy to grow! Just cut what you need, when you need it. I have several growing in my kitchen right now and will plant more in pots when the weather is warm enough and put them outdoors. It doesn't take much space at all. I'd love to try the aerogarden, but they are too pricey for me and I don't have the counterspace. Those who have them love them.
PerkyMac at 12:06PM on 04/08/08
It doesn't quite fit in with the question, but the only thing I could think of was chili peppers, ground, crushed, etc., as it doesn't change the flavor of the dish.
I really can't think of a spice that we use in 75% of our cooking, even over a course of a week, since we (mostly my husband) regularly make a rotation of Vietnamese, Italian, Korean, Greek, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, German, and Indian meals. :(
Cassaendra at 12:26PM on 04/08/08
In savory dishes (and most recently in a cocktail!), fresh thyme from the garden is a big one for me. Also, fresh parsley, tons of citrus, Tabasco, Tiger Sauce, creole seasoning, shallots, green onions or chives.
BBQ -- Goode Company's Mesquite Shake and/or Penzey's Chicago Steak.
Baked goods -- vanilla bean paste, alcohol (lots of Kahlua)
GumbeauxGal at 12:29PM on 04/08/08
@blackolive, although you can also order Miracle Blend by phone or email, I've found it in some specialty shops as far south as Toledo. Not sure where you're at but I'm wondering if you could find it somewhere.
LunaPierCook at 12:31PM on 04/08/08
@LunaPierCook, I'm in Chicago, but could look around when I head up to northern Michigan over the summer.
@PerkyMac, you're totally right. I can't grow outside in my neighborhood. Well, that's not true. I wouldn't eat anything I grew outside in my neighborhood, but I could definitely start some potted herbs. I have intended to do that several times but somehow never follow through.
blackolive at 12:56PM on 04/08/08
@blackolive, if you end up in the Torch Lake area between Traverse City and Kalkaska, make sure you visit the Mill House itself in Alden. The place is quite unique (we go every year now) and the blog entries I post of it always include photos.
LunaPierCook at 2:05PM on 04/08/08
Things that seem to work their way into a huge percentage of my cooking are onions (or shallots), thyme, some kind of "heat" (e.g., red pepper flakes, hot paprika, chile peppers, etc.), and stock-in-lieu-of-water... these are things that are never, EVER not on hand.
I'm pretty sure I don't use any of those to detrimental effect... beyond the rare accidental over-seasoning that happens to most of us at one time or another. I think I just tend to like the kinds of dishes in which they work.
LoCo at 2:22PM on 04/08/08
Cayenne Pepper. ^_^ It's love.
AlBee at 4:20PM on 04/08/08
I don't have 'just one". I'm with LoCo on onions or shallots (usually, caramelised or sauteed), I also use garlic and freshly ground black pepper quite often, and I simply HAVE to have at least herbs (or at least, one kind) in every savoury dish, both for colour and for flavour - be it dill, parsley, basil, coriander/cilantro, chives, scallions, rosemary, sage or thyme. I've been using more smoked paprika lately, and -- another nod at LoCo -- I always have some kind of stock on hand. I do like citrus zest, but don't use it excessively.
So I guess I could say that my "signature" ingredient in many savoury dishes would be some sort of a combination of onions, garlic, black pepper and fresh herbs. The thing is, since the proportions and ways of cooking vary, my food doesn't turn out tasting the same:-)
brooke29 at 4:25PM on 04/08/08
i dont have one in particular, but i make a wide variety of dishes and my husband puts hot sauce on EVERYTHING. he might take one or two bites without it, but he will without fail end up putting it on. i used to feel kind of offended, it seemed my food wasnt tasty enough but he even puts it on restaurant food so i guess his tastebuds just need the spice!
tamariga at 4:50PM on 04/08/08
I think heat on food is something that's addictive. If you're used to eating it at every meal, it's hard to not have that zip. It's like a missing sensory experience.
Depending on the dish, we'll use sriracha, chili pepper flakes, cayenne, ground white pepper, shichimi togarashi, or korean paste. Husband uses garlic, onions, or wasabi to spike his stuff only, because I won't eat the dish if it's on my plate.
Cassaendra at 6:16PM on 04/08/08
The trinity: Onions, garlic and tomatoes.
I put jalapenos on a lot of things especially hamburgers. My favorite snack lately is roast beef, jalapenos and cream cheese on a potato roll. Is that ever good.
eatorama at 12:53PM on 04/09/08
garlic salt and sofrito... a mixture of garlic, onions and peppers processed in the cuisinart.
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 1:47PM on 04/09/08
lemon/lime zest and kosher salt. I seldom use regular salt, save for brining, but I can use sea salt for that.
BITTER at 2:40PM on 04/09/08
almost all of the desserts i bake are served with freshly whipped cream and homemade raspberry coulis -- i didn't realize how predictable i'd gotten until a friend teased me about it.
cybercita at 10:14PM on 04/09/08
Nutmeg rules the world! I don't put it in everything, but I make the stuff that benefits from it a lot -- mac and cheese, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, etc. My herb of choice in fall and winter is sage. Now it's all about parsley.
NuJoi at 7:13AM on 04/10/08