Share:

Last summer, I hosted a wellness retreat in Bradenton Beach, Florida. I rented a huge beach house, partnered with a local yoga instructor and mapped out a nutrition workshop to help my guests learn more about how to fuel their body in a healthy way without depriving themselves of all things foodie. But the best part of the retreat? Well that was definitely the cooking class my dad hosted for the guests. And it was in that cooking class that I learned that Tabasco is my dad’s best friend.

Have you ever eaten something and noticed that there’s just a little SOMETHING that adds to the flavor but you can’t quite pin point what it is? It’s probably Tabasco (well there are actually several tricks to this but today, we’ll focus on this one).

Tabasco is a pretty concentrated and pungent sauce. Too much can ruin a dish. Too little won’t make a difference. But if you hit the sweet spot, it can truly take a dish to the next level. My dad described it like this:

“Imagine if you had a gallon of water. One drop of Tabasco wouldn’t make a difference in the flavor. But as you add more, drop by drop, you start to notice subtle changes in the taste. It doesn’t go from plain to spicy in an instant. There are lots of subtleties in between.”

It’s those subtleties that are the most interesting. And once you understand that, the possibilities are endless.

Tabasco is definitely a staple in a ton of the foods you eat at M&D from dishes that are focused on sweet to smokey, it works in so many ways.

Don’t believe me? Check out some of these recipes from the Tabasco site!

Skillet S’mores

Pimento Cheese Omelet

Harvest Road Cocktail

Did you know that we also use it to make those pecans in our famous house salad? That might be my favorite use of Tabasco of all!

• About
• Latest Posts

Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

Latest posts by Rebecca McKinney (see all)

• Why Food Makes the Best Gift for a New Mom - April 12, 2023
• 5 Ingredients to Cook With This Spring - March 15, 2023
• 10 Reasons to Dine Out on Valentine’s Day - February 2, 2023