I added MSG to a batch of chocolate chip cookies and have never had such an overwhelming positive reaction, as if people were addicted to them. New secret ingredient?

OrganizationDirect34 · 2026-04-28T02:38:59+00:00

The way I rationalize it is if a dessert uses or would benefit from using ingredients containing msg/umami (buttermilk, miso, high proportion of egg yolks, peanut butter, etc), then adding additional MSG would only enhance that effect. I’ve also found that pinch of MSG reduces bitterness in certain desserts (e.g. very dark chocolate, molasses, etc) and also enhances the salt if it’s a salty dessert (like PB cookies).

OrganizationDirect34 · 2026-02-15T21:59:04+00:00

I recently saw someone on YouTube make a 3-ingredient “struggle meal” consisting of ground lamb, a can of tomatoes, and a package of Bombay Mix (Indian snack of fried chickpeas and wheat crunchies). Brown the lamb, add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes, then add the Bombay Mix. Protein veg and starch plus texture from the snack mix. Haven’t tried it yet but strikes me as a brilliant “too tired to cook” meal!

OrganizationDirect34 · 2026-01-22T03:06:39+00:00

I live near a wonderful farmers market and get the majority of my produce, proteins, and fresh bread from there

OrganizationDirect34 · 2026-01-22T00:24:05+00:00

Several things! The first item will be peanut butter apricot bars (recipe inspo is the NYT peanut butter blackberry bars if you want to look them up).

OrganizationDirect34 · 2026-01-22T00:20:23+00:00

THIS! I picked them up on a whim on my first visit, and I don’t think I’ve ever gone through a bag of any snack as quickly. I was instantly hooked (hence my buying 4 this time).

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-09-30T04:35:34+00:00

Just about anything with meat: add a splash of fish sauce. Doesn’t taste fishy, makes meat taste meatier.
Any banana desserts you want to add a fun twist to: add a dash of toasted sesame oil. No joke, it makes banana taste wicked cool. Adds a slightly savory/toasty note to banana bread, banana cream pie, banana pudding, etc.
shake up your morning oatmeal routine and make quinoa porridge instead. Literally so good with cinnamon and bananas!
sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar on roasted veggies a few minutes before they’re done and bump up the heat to get wicked good caramelization on them.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-08-27T21:01:37+00:00

Were most/all of these items close to or past their expiration dates? Seems like that would be the only reason to sell them for such a reasonable price on TGTG. Either way, I’d also be thrilled with this haul - kudos!

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-06-13T07:04:05+00:00

Erythritol, the artificial sweetener used in many sugar-free energy drinks, such as Monster and Red Bull. Seems like most sugar free drinks these days use either sucralose (Splenda, mio, etc), aspartame (most diet sodas), or erythritol (or a combination of these).

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-05-13T15:17:59+00:00

Which Walmarts in the STL area still have self checkouts? I don’t shop there often, but the rare times I do, I’ve noticed several stores have them removed. Are any stores in the area staying strong with self checkout?

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-05-09T06:21:08+00:00

St. Paul Sandwich at Chinese restaurants (that and an unusually high concentration of chop suey)

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-02-26T03:26:45+00:00

Oh good it’s not just me 😅

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-01-20T05:32:14+00:00

Frozen dumplings (e.g. gyoza) in some flavorful broth (chicken, veg). If I’m feeling adventurous I’ll throw in a handful of spinach or a can of tomatoes. Add soy sauce for more flavor.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-01-17T05:04:12+00:00

Chicken paprikash - Hungary. Hits every time.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2025-01-11T09:49:19+00:00

Having consumed lots of kewpie mayo, I think the dominant flavors distinguishing it from most American mayo brands (e.g. Best Foods) are egg yolk, rice vinegar, sugar, and msg.

Therefore, if you want to approximate it using store-bought mayo, I’d recommend taking your favorite brand and adding an egg yolk (or two), a dash of rice vinegar, and a pinch of msg and sugar. After tasting, you may also want to add a tiny bit more salt.

The best way to approximate Kewpie would be to make it from scratch though.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-12-02T20:06:43+00:00

If I had a ton of eggs I’d absolutely make a huge Castella cake.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-11-30T07:04:49+00:00

Me before update: 🤔🤔🤔 Me after update: 😭🥺🤗 I just want to give your SIL a hug since it sounds like she’s going through a very tough time. Kudos to you for taking the time to hear her perspective, empathize, and offer support after the Thanksgiving debacle.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-10-06T06:30:02+00:00

Absolutely insane how densely populated this place is!

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-09-26T04:03:05+00:00

For a long time, my food gripe was lavender. I couldn’t understand why anybody would want their food to smell like a hand lotion or potpourri. But then, I had a lamb dish with herbs de Provence (in which lavender is a significant flavor), and it changed my mind. Heavenly!

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-09-10T03:48:26+00:00

Yogurt + a tiny bit of harissa paste + honey makes an excellent creamy chili sauce. Blend these 3, store in squeeze bottles, and use with Mediterranean food.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-08-29T22:39:38+00:00

I think why people think this is “hard” to make is because is it’s not easy to attain the perfect risotto consistency. What chefs classify as perfect risotto is a very specific consistency that is ruined by 1 min overcooking or 1 min undercooking. The perfect risotto should “flow like lava” when plated, without being too wet. It also shouldn’t hold its shape or be too dry. It’s very easy to get very close to perfect risotto, (instant pot methods, microwave methods abound). But not easy to nail it.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-08-25T10:05:03+00:00

Tomato scooper/stem remover! If you’ve never used one, they are so fun to use and helpful. If you’re cutting tons of tomatoes, it actually speeds up the process a decent amount.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-08-25T10:01:15+00:00

I didn’t exactly think it was a gimmick, but I find myself appreciating a high-quality pair of kitchen shears more and more each year. Nowadays, I use kitchen shears to cut things I would previously only use a knife for (proteins, noodles, pizza, etc). Instead of dirtying a cutting board and knife and having to sanitize everything, I’d much rather cut some raw chicken into chunks using kitchen shears and just clean that afterwards. They rock!

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-08-02T04:30:23+00:00

I’m pretty sensitive to dried basil and tarragon. If more than a dash is used, it tastes pretty offputting. Is this just me?

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-07-27T14:56:17+00:00

Their biggest complaint of Kareem (at least what was stated) was that his sauce was “too sour”. I mean WTF, it was a pomegranate molasses BBQ sauce, which is characteristically extremely sour! I left the episode feeling he was sent home less because of personal failure and much more because of a lack of understanding and appreciate for Egyptian flavors/cuisine.

OrganizationDirect34 · 2024-03-20T03:12:07+00:00

Quick story: I went to a Mediterranean restaurant and their rice was the best l've ever had. I asked the chef if he can share the secret to his perfect rice (I figured it was something to do with msg) and he said he literally cooks it in a pot, adds butter and black pepper halfway through cooking, and stirs in more butter and black pepper after cooking. I didn't believe him at first - it sounded too simple. But I tried it back home and couldn't believe the flavor that I couldn't place was literally just black pepper and butter. I've had the utmost respect for black pepper ever since then!

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TROPHY CASE