Ingredients

[boots]

Everyone has one special ingredient that makes whatever they cook taste better. What is yours?

 

[21]

Everyone has one special ingredient that makes whatever they cook taste better. What is yours?

A room service menu.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Everyone has one special ingredient that makes whatever they cook taste better. What is yours?

Gary Smith... It's come a long way as an ingredient.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Beer!



Oh wait, it said cook.. with a "C" I thought it was look.

Don't matter, beer is also my secret ingredient. Along with Old Bay Seasoning.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

the essence of flavor

 

[slappy4428]

heavenly meat, enough for five people...

 

[EStreetJoe]

Depends on what I'm cooking.
If it's not breakfast food (omlette, french toast, etc.) the secret ingredient is garlic powder.

 

[Cadet]

Cinnamon in my coffee, chile on everything else.

 

[boots]

Sugar. It works with just about everything. In sauces, it cuts down on the acid. In tuna, it's great.
Running closely with it is garlic (can't use it on some items, but generally, it's just as good).

 

[User 1019]

Butter

 

[Buck]

Tender, loving care

 

[Bill Horton]

cinnamon

 

[HejiraHenry]

Butter

Parkaaaaaaay!

 

[EStreetJoe]

Smart Balance Light is my other secret ingredient ... but that's mainly in the pan, not mixed into the batter.

 

[Buck]

cinnamon

'Cinnamon. It should be on tables in restaurants along with salt and pepper. Anytime someone says, "Ooh, this is so good - what's in this?" the answer invariably comes back, "cinnamon." Cinnamon. Again and again.'

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

Butter

Parkaaaaaaay!

I can't believe it's not butter.

 

[Songbird]

Garlic, fresh if available.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

I use this in tomato sauces, beef or veal stew, pot roast, anything in which you otherwise might use a red wine. It is an Italian fruit condiment made from cooked, reduced, unfermented grape must. It's the same stuff that, if fermented, would become balsamic vinegar. It is very thick and sweet enough to eat on ice cream, although I haven't tried that. It adds a richness and taste that I really can't describe. Pricing varies wildly on the Internet. When a local store temporarily stopped stocking it, I saw ridiculous markups on the Net -- up to triple what I'd been paying. This is where I turned, and it's still a fair price:

http://www.ibfoods.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=840&DEPARTMENT_ID=123

 

[Mystery_Meat]

Peyote

 

[sportschick]

Fresh garlic, black pepper and butter, depending on the dish.