### Author:  [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/21 "2012-08-31T18:06:05Z")
> [@Toucanna](#):
>
> ETA: I’d like to make this cake completely from scratch. I.e., no boxed cake mixes or commercial pudding mixes as part of the recipe. Thanks!
You might try this one. A woman I used to work with was an amazing baker.\* Her special gifts from her husband have been like that kickass kitchenaid mixer thingie and like basically a professional oven (at home).
She hosted cookie parties and if you were one of her friends she would bring you ‘your favorite dessert’! Sometimes she would just bring stuff to work b/c she was practicing recipes and wanted input.
The best thing she ever made (and they were ALL good) was an Italian Cream Cake. After I tasted it, I asked if it was from the one I’d seen in the Chronicle and it was!
[http://www.chron.com/life/food/article/Italian-Cream-Cake-1484359.php](http://www.chron.com/life/food/article/Italian-Cream-Cake-1484359.php)
If she didn’t lie \ this is the best I’ve ever had. I’ve tried other recipes (restaurants and bakeries, etc) and they didn’t come close. It was kept in a locked office and people were swore to keep it secret and just got slivers. She would shut the place down, practically.
Damn, I miss that woman!
\*Not professionally. She worked full time. Baking was her hobby. DAMN I miss that woman!
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/22 "2012-08-31T18:46:19Z")
One time while experimenting with making bread, I turned out something that had a quality a lot like the crispy, bready crust you get at Pizza Hut. Since then, I haven’t been able to remember or reconstruct how I did it. What’s the secret?
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/23 "2012-08-31T18:56:05Z")
There’s a kosher restaurant in Brooklyn called “Chap-a-Nosh” which has chinese food amongst its offerings. Their General Tso’s Chicken tastes like nothing I’ve tried anywhere else, or recipes I’ve seen on line. Lord, I wish I could make that sauce at home.
At least Chap-a-Nosh is still in business, so if I get the urge, I could drag myself to Brooklyn and buy the stuff. Less fortunate am I regarding the milkshakes at a place called Beachcomber, in Loch Sheldrake in the Catskills. They closed down in the early 2000s. They had the thickest, most amazing milkshakes I’ve ever tried. The final product contained tiny bits of ice, but it wasn’t slush like a 7-11 Slurpee, it’s like the teeny ice bits were suspended within the milkshake. No ice cream store makes them quite like that. I’d love to be able to whip one up at will.
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### Author:  [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/24 "2012-08-31T19:28:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#):
>
> One time while experimenting with making bread, I turned out something that had a quality a lot like the crispy, bready crust you get at Pizza Hut. Since then, I haven’t been able to remember or reconstruct how I did it. What’s the secret?
When I worked at Pizza Hut, the difference seemed to be lots of oil in a thick pan, cooked at very high heat.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/25 "2012-08-31T20:13:43Z")
> [@puddleglum](#):
>
> When I worked at Pizza Hut, the difference seemed to be lots of oil in a thick pan, cooked at very high heat.
By God, I think I’ve got the technology to try just that – a large cast-iron skillet and a liter of olive oil.
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### Author:  [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/26 "2012-08-31T20:43:36Z")
There was a company called “Smokey Mountain Secrets” that made sauces etc - they had something called “Wildcat Sauce.” Sort of a tangy, slightly sweet sauce - closest thing I can think of to it is your typical steak sauce, but not really. Hard to explain but it’s great stuff. I’d pay good money for the recipe or even another bottle.
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/27 "2012-08-31T21:22:13Z")
> [@tdn](#):
>
> I’d like to make Indian curries like the ones I get at restaurants. I’ve tried for years and can never duplicate them.
QFT. One Indian restaurant in particular, that is now several thousand miles away from us. I would kill for those recipes.
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### Author:  [@Cherry2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry2000)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/28 "2012-09-01T00:24:13Z")
> [@Toucanna](#):
>
> ETA: I’d like to make this cake completely from scratch. I.e., no boxed cake mixes or commercial pudding mixes as part of the recipe. Thanks!
The Italian Cream Cake recipes I am used to involve a filling of ricotta cheese, and chocolate chips chopped up really small. When I used to bartend at the local Italian American Club, it was also referred to as Cassata Cake.
Is this what you are looking for, maybe?
[http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cassata-cake/](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cassata-cake/)
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### Author:  [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/29 "2012-09-01T18:05:36Z")
> [@tdn](#):
>
> I’d like to make Indian curries like the ones I get at restaurants. I’ve tried for years and can never duplicate them.
The secret is to toast some of the spices beforehand (dry toast but not burn the coriander, cumin, tumeric and some like chilli powder, do them separately because they burn at different speed).
Now:
Heat oil (I prefer olive oil, I don’t like Ghee and never found it made a difference, 1 tablespoon to make it relatively low fat)
Fry half teaspoon of black mustard seeds until start to pop
Put in finely chopped onion and fry for 8 minutes
Put in teaspoon of minced garlic and same of minced ginger
Fry for two minutes
Add tin of chopped tomatoes or tub of low fat yoghurt (depending on the base you want).
Add the spices and seasoning:
2 tablespoons toasted coriander powder
1 tablespoon garam masala (untoasted)
1 teaspoon toasted cumin powder
1 teaspoon toasted turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder for medium or spicy, more for hot
Cook for 20 minutes, this is your base.
The bit after this is adding meat, meat stock, cook until meat is ready. This is your basic curry.
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### Author:  [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/30 "2012-09-01T18:27:36Z")
Popeyes Cajun Sparkle
I revised this from an online recipe.
The large batch has better balance to my liking.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Container - Single Serving
3 tsp - 1 tablespoon salt
5 tsp - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tsp - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tsp - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
4 tsp - 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
2 tsp - 1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tsp - 1/4 teaspoon msg
1 tsp - 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
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### Author:  [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/31 "2012-09-24T19:28:32Z")
[QUOTE=BrassyPhrase]
{snip}The best thing she ever made (and they were ALL good) was an Italian Cream Cake. After I tasted it, I asked if it was from the one I’d seen in the Chronicle and it was!{snip}
[/QUOTE]
Sorry, but that’s (based on) the traditional recipe.
[QUOTE=Cherry2000]
{snip}Is this what you are looking for, maybe?{snip}
[/QUOTE]
As is that recipe.
But I do appreciate y’all’s efforts. Guess I just have to keep looking.
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### Author:  [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/32 "2012-09-26T19:42:31Z")
> [@Toucanna](#):
>
> Sorry, but that’s (based on) the traditional recipe.
>
> As is that recipe.
>
> But I do appreciate y’all’s efforts. Guess I just have to keep looking.
It might be helpful to point out the differences between what you are looking for and Cassata cake.
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### Author:  [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/33 "2012-09-26T22:52:22Z")
_ **Three Dollar Cafe** _ in Atlanta that had the best hot wings I’ve ever tasted.
I would also like to know where they get their bleu cheese dressing.
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### Author:  [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-recipes-youd-like-to-know/633122/34 "2012-09-27T00:16:28Z")
> [@cmkeller](#):
>
> The final product contained tiny bits of ice, but it wasn’t slush like a 7-11 Slurpee, it’s like the teeny ice bits were suspended within the milkshake. No ice cream store makes them quite like that. I’d love to be able to whip one up at will.
To make a proper milkshake, you really do need the proper equipment (a milkshake maker, not a regular blender).
Eva Luna, 3rd-Generation Ice Cream Professional
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