My grandma's 'secret' to perfect pie crust was just a splash of vinegar

For years I thought it was just an old wives' tale she made up, because she could never explain why it worked. I tried it myself last Thanksgiving, adding just a tablespoon of white vinegar to the ice water, and the dough was so much easier to handle and baked up flaky. It totally changed my mind about those little family tricks. Has anyone else had a weird-sounding ingredient tip that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

loganthompson1mo ago

My grandpa swore by a pinch of baking powder in his pancake batter for the same reason.

john6481mo ago

My grandpa's secret was a whole teaspoon of baking soda, not powder. He called it his "lift off" mix. I tried it once and my pancakes tasted like I was eating salty chalk. Guess you need the old timer touch to make it work right.

ryan_kim635d ago

My grandpa added a splash of club soda to make them extra fluffy.