My aunt's 'bland' potato salad recipe changed my mind last Sunday

She insisted I add a tablespoon of yellow mustard to the dressing, which I thought was gross. Tried it for a family picnic in Columbus and everyone asked for the recipe. Anyone have a similar 'secret' ingredient that sounds wrong but works?

3 comments

3 Comments

eric_knight75d ago

My mom's meatloaf always had a cup of coffee in it, which sounded nasty to me as a kid. I fought her on it for years, saying it would taste bitter. Tried making it without once and the whole thing was just dry and missing something deep. Now I won't make meatloaf without cold brew, it just works.

taylor125d ago

Yeah @eric_knight7, that makes total sense. Coffee adds a deep, savory note that you don't really taste as coffee, it just makes everything richer. I started adding a shot of espresso to my chili for the same reason, and it's a game changer. Some things just work even when they sound weird.

shanelee5d ago

My mom's secret ingredient was a spoonful of instant coffee in her brownie batter. Do you use the same amount of cold brew as you would regular coffee, or does the strength change the ratio?