# That one special ingredient you add to the dish **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123 "2017-04-09T17:45:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/41 "2017-04-10T13:39:00Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Andy Taylor learned that the secret ingredient was oregano! šŸ˜ƒ Slight hijack: for those not familiar with this, it references an episode of the Andy Griffith show during which the sheriff goes to several homes for dinner on the same night, and every housewife serves spaghetti, and every one declares her secret ingredient to be oregano. So hereā€™s my question: was the joke that oregano was relatively unknown and would be a good secret ingredient, but everyone was using the same one? Or was the joke that even in rural 1950s North Carolina, everyone already put oregano in their spaghetti, and it was ridiculous to call it a secret ingredient? This has been bothering me for years. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/42 "2017-04-10T15:23:51Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Slight hijack: for those not familiar with this, it references an episode of the Andy Griffith show during which the sheriff goes to several homes for dinner on the same night, and every housewife serves spaghetti, and every one declares her secret ingredient to be oregano. > > So hereā€™s my question: was the joke that oregano was relatively unknown and would be a good secret ingredient, but everyone was using the same one? Or was the joke that even in rural 1950s North Carolina, everyone already put oregano in their spaghetti, and it was ridiculous to call it a secret ingredient? > > This has been bothering me for years. Was it made clear why he would eat multiple dinners? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/43 "2017-04-10T15:37:23Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Vanilla > It enhances chocolate (which seems counter-intuitive because of that white+vanilla, black=chocolate thing) and a lot of other things where you donā€™t expect it. > > Pepper Mill adds it to pancakes. As do I, along with a teaspoon of Penzeyā€™s Baking Spice. Speaking of which, I add that same spice to oatmeal/fruit cookies, along with an extra dollop of Vietnamese cinnamon. They get raves. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/44 "2017-04-10T15:40:45Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Was it made clear why he would eat multiple dinners? I vaguely remember that episode. Opie and Aunt Bea was away and everyone was worried he would be lonely, so his friends kept inviting him for dinner. He was too nice to say no. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/45 "2017-04-10T15:42:38Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Vegemite! > > Really enhances a lot of sauces, chowders, stews, soups, and crockpot/pressure cooker dishes. Adds a lot of that lovely umami flavor, along with a touch of ā€˜salty beef drippingā€™ savor. Miso paste has a similar effect, minus the beef. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/46 "2017-04-10T17:02:41Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I vaguely remember that episode. Opie and Aunt Bea was away and everyone was worried he would be lonely, so his friends kept inviting him for dinner. He was too nice to say no. That sounds right to me. I remember very few episodes of the show, but this one stuck in my head. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/47 "2017-04-10T21:14:51Z")
Happy to see that cinnamon in tomato dishes is getting love. That was a revelatory experience for me when I first tried it. In baking, I like to sub half of the vanilla extract called for with almond extract, rum extract, lemon extract, etc. This gives the item an unexpected little twist or an additional layer of flavor. Same goes for molasses. A little bit added to a recipe gives additional depth of flavor. Especially good in pumpkin pies or muffins. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/48 "2017-04-12T16:42:59Z")
I use worcestershire sauce to get a little extra umami in whatever Iā€™m cooking ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/49 "2017-04-12T16:50:08Z")
Any time I fry something or add oil to a savory dish, I use sesame oil. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/50 "2017-04-12T17:03:21Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > That sounds right to me. I remember very few episodes of the show, but this one stuck in my head. I doubt that you could find any oregano in 1950s rural North Carolina at all. Tool of the DEVIL! If those housewives used it in the sauce, it would be on the QT. My sainted Momma in 1960s suburban Cleveland made meatballs in tomato sauce over spaghetti on a fairly regular basis, and Iā€™m sure there was no garlic or any herb involved. And we had LOTS of Italian-American friends in our town who could have taught her about fresh basil and parsley. I certainly never saw a head of real garlic in her kitchen. Pop was Irish and his idea of an elegant high-class dinner was a big steak. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/51 "2017-04-12T17:13:56Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Happy to see that cinnamon in tomato dishes is getting love. That was a revelatory experience for me when I first tried it. My late MIL was Greek and put cinnamon, lemon, garlic and mint in just about everything with chicken or tomatoes in it that simmered on the stove. I do too, now. ā€¦also, a Tbsp of horseradish in mac & cheese and a pinch of cayenne in anything chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/52 "2017-04-12T17:20:34Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > My late MIL was Greek and put cinnamon, lemon, garlic and mint in just about everything with chicken or tomatoes in it that simmered on the stove. I do too, now. Greek MIL here, too, and half-Greek Ukulele Lady. She loves cinnamon but I contend that it adds a dash of UNWANTED sweetness to anything into which it is introduced. Since Iā€™m the house cook/kitchen slave, I tell her I used cinnamon when I did no such thing. This goes for Indian dishes as well as Greek. On the other hand, the Greek idea of steaming any green vegetable and dressing it with copious olive oil and fresh lemon juice, and a light salting, is GENIUS. Stewing them with tomato and onion and parsley is also GENIUS. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/53 "2017-04-12T17:27:13Z")
Iā€™ve had cinnamon/tomato combos a few times, generally in greek or mediterranean dishes. OMG, such deliciousness! Iā€™ve tried cooking with it a few times but never replicated the tastes Iā€™ve enjoyed in restaurants. Otherwise, the only thing cinnamon gets used for routinely in my house is on oat groats. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/54 "2017-04-12T17:30:29Z")
**Penny** : Oh, my God, this is the best cobbler Iā€™ve ever had. **Mary** : It was always Sheldonā€™s favorite. You know what the secret ingredient is? **Penny** : Love? **Mary** : _Lard_. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/55 "2017-04-12T17:40:41Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Greek MIL here, too, and half-Greek Ukulele Lady. She loves cinnamon but I contend that it adds a dash of UNWANTED sweetness to anything into which it is introduced. Since Iā€™m the house cook/kitchen slave, I tell her I used cinnamon when I did no such thing. This goes for Indian dishes as well as Greek. I somewhat agree with you. I like cinnamon, but it has to be used with a light hand in most savory dishes, at least for me. If I can clearly tell thereā€™s cinnamon in the dish, it means itā€™s too much. I tend to prefer clove or allspice when Iā€™m reaching for the ā€œChristmas spicesā€ in a savory dish. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/56 "2017-04-13T13:58:25Z")
A shot of Marsala wine anytime I make gravy ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123/57 "2017-04-13T18:55:47Z")
Fresh Basil simmered in any italian tomato based sauce, like spaghetti or pizza, is the bomb. Itā€™s the only thing that can compete and complement garlic. Itā€™s super easy to grow, too. Wouldnā€™t call it a secret but itā€™s sometimes overlooked. The dried stuff doesnā€™t compare. Try it. Trust Me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-one-special-ingredient-you-add-to-the-dish/784123.md?page=2)