What ingredients do you consider over-rated?

[SethStarkaddersMum]

I don't like Marigold vegetable stock powder. I know Nigella et al swear by it but personally I think it is no better than Kallo and have no idea what foodies think is so great about it. Does anyone know?

So.... other over-rated ingredients?

Coriander and maldon sea salt.

Coriander is ubiquitous - put it in a dish and it becomes 'fusion' food.

Maldon salt - I really can't tell the difference.

I will think of some more when I get drunk.

Ha ha - I grew up in Maldon and my brother's friend's dad ran the salt factory! Therefore I love it. But once it's in the food you can't taste the difference, it's just salt fgs though in interesting crystal shapes, so you're right, it is pointlessly recommended for pure ponce value.

Buffalo Mozerella.

Regular cow Mozerella is fine by me.

Sun dried tomatoes. What are they for - they are like petrified slugs.

kaffir lime leaves. tasteless
lemongrass . ditto

baby veg . what is the point of a sweetheart cabbage that would serve a not very hungry person with a bird like appetite

chantenay carrots

balsamic vinegar.
can't stand it.
Do like Maldon salt because of the crunch though!

I'd like to point out Seth, that I still buy the bloody stuff at vastly inflated prices.

Delia's fault.

And I must have thrown away about 5 jars of unopened capers.

Baby sweetcorn.

Endives.

Oh I love Malden salt!

bean sprouts -- why?
pak choi -- just don't get it. Flavor free zone
Extra virgin olive oil. How can anything be a virgin more than once?

And Capers...I mean what are they about?

Monkfish. Much more taste in cod or haddock.

Saffron! Expensive yellow food colouring.

agree with saffron

truffle oil
mustard seeds

I adore capers. Eat them out of the jar with a spoon. Yum

no no, saffron smells lovely - stick your nose there and inhale!

I like Marigold - is it maybe lower salt than other brands? I buy Maldon too but then again I use hardly any salt at all, so one box lasts for ages.

Agree re sundried/blush tomatoes, although dd1 really likes them. I think they look like pickled livers.

I think tinned tomatoes are the food of the devil and am astonished at how many people seem to buy/eat baked beans.

Love saffron, especially for sweet rice.

yuk to capers, anchovies and the other day i got a recipe for sag aloo and it had to have

"a pinch of asafoetida powder" WTF is that? needless to say it didnt have any in when i made it.

Dried bay leaves. I am just not convinced that one or two of those buggers in a recipe makes any difference whatsoever. Still obey orders and use 'em though.

Capers

Asafoetida is actually good stuff though; it does make a difference in a good way that you can taste (I'd say).

On its own it smells bad, though.

Truffles. Yuck. And eek at the price.

agree about baby vegetables/
Janeite you're probably right about the salt & Marigold. I love salt so perhaps that's why I don't like it.

Balsamic is ok in the right places but much over-used, and balsamic vinegar crisps are absolutely vile.

It's not an ingredient but effing 'foam' when you go to a restaurant.