Food editors surveyed several hundred avid cooks out there in foodie land, asking one simple question: “What’s your secret ingredient?” While the responses varied, one common answer wasn’t much of a surprise to them. Almost 80% of respondents replied, “Old Bay Seasoning.” By the way, the #2 answer was Worcestershire Sauce, and the #3 answer (hold onto your chair) was bacon fat (of course, duh!).


So let’s talk about this #1 secret—“Old Bay Seasoning.”. Do you use this, or have you even heard of it? I confess “No” on both counts (don’t judge me…I don’t get out much). So, I went hunting for more information on this product. Here’s what I found on the Old Bay website:

“There are two things you need to know about OLD BAY® Seasoning: 1) it's great on seafood and 2) it's great on everything else. For 60 years it's ruled the spice rack as The Definitive Seafood Spice, with a world-famous blend of 12 herbs and spices.

“In Chesapeake Bay, it's on every dining room table, nestled between the salt and pepper shakers. But it's more than that. It's a time-honored tradition. When somebody whips out the little yellow can, you know you're in for a good time.”


Then they go on to tell us sprinkle it lovingly on: all seafood, all shellfish; French fries and fried; chicken; hamburgers and sandwiches; popcorn; pizza; hors d'oeuvres; dips and cheese platters; baked potatoes; mashed potatoes; steamed veggies; macaroni; meats and poultry; deviled eggs and scrambled eggs; egg, tuna or chicken salad; casseroles; stir-fries; soups, and stews and gumbo.

The site also gives a hot tip: “Keep one in your purse or fanny pack to battle bland food on-the-go.” A plan for battling bland food is always good strategy.

This seasoning has become so popular that food processors are even using Old Bay to jazz up their potato chips.


Naturally I wondered what was in this stuff that would make it so popular. The ingredients list is tame in terms of no additives, preservatives, or chemicals: celery salt and celery seed, mustard, red pepper, black pepper, laurel leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon, and paprika. It is high in sodium (160 mg per ¼ tsp), but it has 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 carbohydrates, 0 protein, and 0 fiber.

I will be looking for this little product on my grocer’s shelves soon. Or, even better...I might just order it from Amazon right now! Meanwhile, here’s a recipe straight from the Old Bay website that you might like. I’ll be interested to know if you already use this product and what you think of it, so drop us a line and share your perspective!