Spin Cycle: Recipes

Do you have any secret recipes, ones you refuse to share with anyone? Or maybe you share the recipe, but you leave out the fact that you add a certain extra ingredient or double another?

My ex-mother-in-law makes, hands down, the World's Best Potato Salad. Years ago my Ex managed to pry the recipe from her, but it wasn't easy. He had to watch her several times, pen and paper in  hand, because she basically claimed it only existed in her head.

And he now makes the World's 2nd Best Potato Salad. Hands down. But, you know, there's something missing. We remain convinced his mother's batches contain a pinch of something she may never share.

Daughter #2 read in some cookbook years ago that one should always double the amount of vanilla called for in a recipe. While I'd always been generous with the vanilla, I'd never gone that far. But we started doing it and it works, nearly every time.

Speaking of vanilla, I have a French Toast recipe with one secret ingredient. My kids love my French toast, especially if it's made with Portuguese sweet bread, very big on the Vineyard as are all things Portuguese. I have yet to share the complete recipe with anyone.

"That's so stupid, " Daughter #1 tells me not infrequently. "What if you die and we never know how to make it?"

Valid point. I'm this close to telling her. Maybe next time.

But then, alas, I will have no secrets left.

 

Realizing I may have cheated a little by not posting an actual recipe, I suggest you head quickly over to Sprite's Keeper for some legitimate Recipe Spins.

 

Comments

[Jan]

I've never heard the doubling-the-vanilla thing. It makes me feel twice as stupid for leaving it out all together (accidentally) when I made coffee cake on Sunday.

Awwww - c'mon. I want the French Toast recipe! I love French Toast...

[Michele]

Your Ex-MIL is probably holding out on him.

My husband and his brothers swore that their mom made the best potato salad. Then one day my BIL said to his mom, "Mom, this is the best potato salad you've ever made". Her response; "I didn't make it. Michele did".

[Sprite's Keeper]

I always add more vanilla! I don't know why, it could always be sweeter, I guess. My family doesn't have any secret recipes, maybe we should? My FIL is an amazing cook, he can whip up anything and make it taste better, but does it all by eye. Nothing is measured.
You're linked!

[Ocean Girl]

My mother-in-law makes the world's best deviled egg salad hands down! And I used to make the world's best olio d aglio, hands down. The secret recipe - passion! Mama Mia, I doubled everything.

[LPC]

Nutmeg is my secret ingredient. In everything.

[Lynn]

There are a couple of recipes that I never give out, and when people ask for them, I just tell them that it's a matter of principle, since if I DID give them away, I'd have nothing special to give at Christmas any more. True. There's something to be said for looking forward to something made by somebody else that is unique to them. That's the joy of potlucks!

I've linked to your blog--it's great!

[Jill]

There is a restaurant here called Cafe Central. It's the nicest restaurant in town. There signature dish is a Green Chile soup. You can imagine...green chile is used in just about everything. One night the chef showed up in the ER. He had cut himself pretty badly. My husband jokingly told him (kind of jokingly) that he wouldn't sew him up until he had written down the recipe for the soup. I love that man! He's always watching my back. Anyway, pissed off, the chef wrote it down and thrust it at my husband who put it immediately in his pocket for safe keeping. He comes home all proud of his extortion attempt. Shows me the recipe. The ingredients are all there, but no amounts!

I tend to cultivate chefs...which you probably know from my blog...we've since made friends. He still won't give me the recipe, but whenever we visit he sends me home with a huge container of the soup...which I then bathe in!

[Picture Imperfect]

Hello Maureen!

I have a macaroni and cheese 'recipe' that I don't share the most secret ingredient in. It always works out the same for me and I've shared the recipe with people before but never the secret ingredient! (that makes me feel all kinds of evil but I'm willing to live with it. lol)

And for the record... it's one of those "just a pinch" things that makes all the difference!

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

Not cooking is my secret ingredient. Everyone benefits.

[Pseudo]

I'm with Jan. French Toast please!

[~The South Dakota Cowgirl~]

I have always been generous with the vanilla too, and am known to add it even when a recipe doesn't call for it- but I am certainly going to start doubling it now that you've shared this tip with me!

And I love french toast too. Can you just give us your recipe sans the *secret*? Pretty please?

[Maureen@IslandRoar]

Oh yeah, great. I'll give you guys the recipe and Daughter #1 will put out a hit on me. I'll just have to have you all over for brunch some day...

[Gloria Carrington-Ferrira]

Everyone loves my macaroni cheese pie and although I used to give out the entire recipe, since being in Spain I keep one ingredient secret. I feel mean admitting it but, it is what it is!!!!!

[Arwen]

Do you use real vanilla or imitation? I've heard that can make a difference.

[SuziCate]

My BIL is a fabulous cook...he shares all his recipes minus one ingriennt each time.
I think food always tastes better when someone else prepares it. I am known around town for my biscotti. I am always asked to share my recipe, and I always do because I get a bit tired of baking it for everyone and every occasion. Still, with my recipe out there, I am still asked all the time to make it. They say mine is better, I say they don't want to bother baking it. Friends have even offered to buy it...maybe I should go into business. But why bother, my secrets are already out there!

[Jane]

My mother in law has a friend that purposely leaves a little something out of every recipe she shares so that it's never quite the same when someone else makes it. That's one way to keep your recipes secret!

[kathryn]

Maureen!

You are such a TEASE! I'd never known that about the vanilla...but then again...think about who you're talking to.

I DO put vanilla in my french toast recipe....sometimes, I've been known to make Chala (sp?) bread in the breadmaker (okay, so the breadmaker makes the bread) and I make french toast with that...but the house usually fills w/smoke and the insides are usually undercooked.

I'm ranting. That's 'cause I'm frustrated.

[Erin]

mmmm.... Portuguese sweet bread.

I'm totally doubling vanilla when I start holiday baking...

:-)

[Braja]

Many years ago, a spiritual master from India came to the west to share the transcendental knowledge of Vedic wisdom. One young girl was attracted to his teachings, and spent time sitting at his feet learning. She was especially attracted to helping him cook, as she had a natural flair for it. She became extremely proficient in cooking under his tutelage, and started to acquire fame far and wide for her talents. One time, another girl asked her for a recipe for a particular item, and the girl told her it was a secret. The second girl mentioned to the spiritual master that the girl wouldn't share her secret recipes. He called the girl in and told her, "If you do not share what you know, you become envious."

And so she shared what she knew, as she accepted his wisdom and guidance.

Her name is Yamuna Devi, and she is famous around the world for her cooking. She has several books, is hailed as the master chef in Vedic cooking, and is an incredibly successful perosn. If you google Yamuna Devi, her name is at the top, and you can read about her....

[Heather]

My mom has a few recipes that for some reason won't share. I even went and got her a nice recipe box with beautiful cards, for her to write them on. That was 3 years ago and still nothing! Very frustrating.

[Sandi]

My girlfriend got so upset when her grandmother died and so many family recipes with her that she went on-line and created a cookbook for her whole family with all the recipes she could dig up. It was their gifts last Christmas.

[Kate]

Considering I don't cook, the answer is no. But I do believe in having a secret or two...

[Jessica]

I have nothing to add to this. Nothing secret about my bad cooking that is for sure

[Twenty Four At Heart]

I rarely follow a recipe so the things I make never come out exactly the same way twice. I did buy a big empty cookbook for my daughter. Now I just need to take the time to fill it with family recipes.

[Kimberly]

My dad made a great chili that had a secret ingredient...honey.
I don't keep any recipes secret. I have other secrets though!

[materfamilias]

The one person I get possessive about recipes with is my husband. He cooks more than I do these days which is generally a good thing, but he's better at perfecting a recipe than at discovering one. I tend to find them, make them once or twice, and then get bored. But we all like a bit of praise from time to time, no? And we all can get a bit envious, even of a husband who cooks, right? So I've got a couple of winners that I'm not divulging recipe for, and if I do, I might be tempted to do a little sabotaging, petty though that might be . . .

[The Mayor]

I'm in full agreement. Use high quality vanilla and double it. Same goes for cinnamon and black pepper.
That's the way we roll here.

I don't get the keeping recipes secret thing.