Her “surprising trick” was this:
Always add a touch of sweetness to a savory dish — not enough to taste sugary, just enough to bring everything into balance.
She swore it made soups richer, sauces smoother, vegetables sweeter, and meats more flavorful.
As a kid, I didn’t get it.
Sugar in tomato sauce? A drizzle of honey in roasted veggies? Apples in pork dishes?
But Nana insisted.
“It brings the flavors together,” she’d say, tapping the recipe card like it was sacred scripture.
Trying It for the First Time
Years later, I found myself stirring a pot of sauce that tasted… fine. Not great. Not memorable. Just fine.
Then I remembered her words.
So I added half a teaspoon of sugar. Stirred. Tasted again.
And there it was — that deep, rounded flavor that restaurants somehow manage to capture effortlessly. The bitterness mellowed, the acidity softened, and everything suddenly tasted complete.
Nana was right.
And once I tried it once, I tried it everywhere.
