I don’t get people who won’t share recipes, tips, and cooking secrets.

[Dennis S]

You impress them with your good cooking so they’ll have more regard for you and then piss them off by not sharing.

[C(-)ris]

Guessing you are in the south. If you were up North you would get the recipe in detail with pointers whether you want it or not.

[Carnos Jax]

I don’t either, and yes I am in the south as well (like Dennis).

[Dennis S]

Heck, I want to set up a booth with a sign that says “Ask me how I made the green beans. “

[Thrift Store Scott]

They won't share the recipe because they want you to keep coming back to them for more. Or, if they do share the recipe, they'll leave out one tiny ingredient or step so that your version is good but not quite as good as theirs. Basically they want to get you hooked on their cooking so they can become your "dealer".

[Filliam H. Muffman]

KFC - 11 Secret Herbs and Spices... ecret:

They don't want you to know how much MSG they used to get it that tasty?

[btfc]

Due to the power of the internet, it’s possible to recreate most dishes with a few clues.

[JoeH]

They don't want you to find out that "old family recipe" is something their grandma or great grandma got out of a magazine or off a box of one of the ingredients. Many of these old recipes can be traced back to ones published in the various magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Harper Bazaar, and so on decades ago.

[Lux Interior]

JoeH wrote:
They don't want you to find out that "old family recipe" is something their grandma or great grandma got out of a magazine or off a box of one of the ingredients. Many of these old recipes can be traced back to ones published in the various magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Harper Bazaar, and so on decades ago.

Like Phoebe's Nez-lay Toloose cookies from Friends.

[Thrift Store Scott]

JoeH wrote:
They don't want you to find out that "old family recipe" is something their grandma or great grandma got out of a magazine or off a box of one of the ingredients. Many of these old recipes can be traced back to ones published in the various magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Harper Bazaar, and so on decades ago.

Oh yeah. My grandmother's recipe folder was filled with can labels, the sides of boxes, and partial pages from magazines. She said the magazine ones were good but the ones on product containers were usually the best ones.