Copyright 2000 Sherri Jilek
All rights reserved
The Secret Ingredient . . . gives you a lot for your money. This cookbook brings you nearly 600 winning recipes and the "secret" that makes each recipe a success. Here is a glimpse at some of those winners:
. . . the secret of this recipe is the Walla Walla onion . . .
The lady from whom this recipe came was mentioned one other place in this book as a pianist supreme...and that she was. As also mentioned, she was a hermit. Only a few items slipped into the world from her besides the wafting of her fabulous music. I was never handed a recipe from her directly. They were acquired by using a little neighbor girl as the go-between from the hermit and the outside world. On the rare occasions when the hermit's food offerings were distributed to the nearest neighbors by the little girl, it was again the child who would bear the request back to the hermit for her recipe. Fortunately, the hermit answered written requests.
. . . the secret of this recipe is the wine . . .
How good it is to excite your palette and at the same time know you are doing something good for your health. This recipe addresses several aspects of modern-day understanding. It is low in fat; it has Omega-3 for a healthy heart; it is quick to make; and it tastes superb. How many is that . . . four reasons? Usually, one good reason is enough to cook up a dish. With four reasons, there's no alternative but to make this delicious and elegant soup.
. . . the secret of this recipe is the arrangement into a "candle" . . .
When my son was a child we fixed this salad that had him eating his fruits with delight. "Candle Salad" is fun for children and adults. It's the ingredients you use; the ingredients you combine; and how you present your faire that wins or loses. The appearance of food creates favor or disfavor before the first bite. So it's important to make your meals look inviting. Of course . . . let's hear it for the exceptions . . . the absolute best restaurant soup I ever tasted was the worst looking thing you ever saw.
. . . the secret of this recipe is the utter charm of individual tiny lemon pies . . .
Perhaps the most successful treat I ever created was this one. The reaction at the gathering where I took this delight was intense. I never heard so many "Hmmm's", "Yummy", "Ooh's", "Ahhhhh's" in my life. It was thrilling! At one point in the afternoon, I looked up and into the crowd that was gathered there. There were perhaps 20 people. No one was talking, because in that moment everyone had one of these delightful morsels up to their mouth and all talking had literally ceased. Try it, because this reaction alone is worth whatever effort the recipe requires . . . which isn't too much.
Main Page Author Bio
