Why it's good: OK, so sour cream isn't exactly known for its umami qualities, but it packs a totally different secret punch: moisture.
Use it in: I may be improving in the kitchen, but when it comes to baking I'm a total lost cause. Luckily my dad is an extraordinary baker, and one of my favorite things he whips up is a cinnamon coffee cake with a sour cream batter. It keeps the cake bouncy and fluffy and perfectly structured with zero mush.
Honorable Mentions:
- Molasses for some sweetness and moisture
- Paprika for a little smokiness
- Chicken bouillon cubes instead of liquid chicken stock for concentrated flavor
- Fish sauce and prik nam pla for salty tang
- Harissa for heat
- MSG
- Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute
- Preserved lemons for a concentrated tang without the bitterness of a fresh peel
- Vanilla and almond extracts for baking
Emma Glassman-Hughes (she/her) is the associate editor at PS Balance. In her seven years as a reporter, her beats have spanned the lifestyle spectrum; she's covered arts and culture for The Boston Globe, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan, and food, climate, and farming for Ambrook Research.
