Most versatile seasoning?

Question

In your opinion what seasoning or spices would you use as an add on to a recipe to 'spike it up" like a secret ingredient?

I'm looking for something for recipes that will make people ask 'what's in it?"

Answer 1

lemon pepper especially for chicken , beef, and any kind of meat oh also fish

Answer 2

Depends, ac, whether your recipe is for a main or dessert. Is it a savoury or sweet dish?
For a savoury dish, salt is a must, but that alone won't enhance an unsatisfactory flavour - everyone knows what salt tastes like - so you'll have to bring in something else. There are several traditional sauces, some based on fermented soy, some on vinegar, and most containing a hot element, either pepper or capsicum, and these can bring even the "stodgiest" dish up to speed. But for that extra zing on an otherwise standard dish, I recommend (and use, but don't tell any of my friends) a dash of Angostura Bitters. The aromatic element in that particular bitters is subtle and very effective in being anonymous and obvious at the same time. But DON'T use too much.

Now. The sweet element also brings up several options. If it's too sugary, or too bland, a dash of ginger and cardamom will lift it. Or if it needs a different approach, cloves and cinnamon lift the flavour without the spiciness of ginger.

Answer 3

Try anchovies preserved in oil (try to get an Italian brand that comes in a bottle, not a can). Get the highest quality possible. Add in moderation (experiment) to salad dressings, braises, savory pies, and so forth. To use them, "melt" finely chopped anchovies by mashing them in a little heated olive oil until pieces are no longer itentifiable -- what you want is a paste. They lend a low, background flavor note that is somewhere between sweet and salty (that is, the really high quality ones do). It's hard to identify, but definitely will provoke the response you're looking for.

Answer 4

Any Creole seasoning!!!

Answer 5

seasoning salt

Answer 6

Nutmeg, used with discretion, is the one they ask "what's in this?"

Answer 7

paprika or allspice

Answer 8

...allspice...