My aunt always told me to add a pinch of sugar to my tomato sauce

I mean, I thought it was just her weird thing for years, but I tried it last week with my grandpa's recipe. It actually cuts the acid without making it sweet, and my kids ate two bowls each. Did anyone else's family have a little trick like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

ninaw889d ago

My grandma swore by a teaspoon of baking soda in her chili. It does the same thing, just neutralizes the acid quietly. I wonder if that's the same basic idea as the sugar trick.

the_abby9d ago

Yeah, @ninaw88, it's totally the same basic idea, just a different tool. Baking soda is a base, so it chemically cuts the acid right away. Sugar just sort of masks it by balancing the taste. I've used both, but you have to be super careful with the baking soda. Too much and you can get a weird, soapy aftertaste that ruins the whole pot.