If you’re a Baby Boomer like me, one of the great questions in your life has probably been, “What the heck are those 11 Different Herbs and Spices in KFC?” Now, we may have the answer. A descendant of KFC founder Col. Sanders says he’s found the recipe. The new question is: Do we really care?
It’s the Dead Sea Scroll of the KFC cult: A list of 11 herbs and spices unearthed
by the Col.’s nephew (left) It’s probably the real thing. But what
does it prove about KFC’s addictive appeal?
Yes, I know that I’m a little late, in breaking news terms, in reporting this one. But I had to think a bit about how I felt about it…
The list reads thus:
Salt
Garlic Salt
Celery Salt
Black Pepper
White Pepper
Thyme
Oregano
Mint
Paprika
Ginger
Now…
What stands out to you, about the above list? C’mon. You’ve been reading my blog for years, now. You know all about seasonings and spices. It should just jump out at you. That’s right! There’s a Hell of a lot of Salt and Pepper in there! And, while most of the ingredients are specified in tiny amounts – a teaspoon or less each – there’s a total of 3 2/3 tsp. Salt and 4 tsp of Pepper. Together, there’s more Salt and Pepper than there are other ingredients combined. But that should come as no surprise to all of us folks who know food. Salt and Pepper are the essential additions to almost all foods to boost the sensitivity of our taste buds so we can enjoy the flavour of the food to its max.
What’s the real secret?
So, if the famous Col. Sanders Recipe is mainly just Salt and Pepper, why do we consider it so special? For one thing, there’s also 4 tsp. of Paprika in there! That’s gonna give it a zingy, spicy edge for sure. The other stuff? It will make the blend unique, sure. But does it really make that much difference to our enjoyment? I say, no. It’s that Salt and Pepper, mainly. And, between them, mainly the Salt. As I’ve said in this space in the past, Humans are hard-wired to crave Salt, as well as Sweet. It was originally a visceral survival instinct. At the most basic, we need Salt and Carbs to live.
Now-a-days, though, we still crave Salt and Sweet but we can get as much as we really need very easily. In fact, the Junk Food manufacturers long ago discovered that we’re all potential Junk Food junkies. That’s why Salty, fried snacks and Candy Bars have long been the western world’s fave treats. Also, Ice Cream, Baked Goods and Sugary drinks of all descriptions. And that, we’re told, is why there’s an obesity epidemic. But I’m drifting off topic.
A simpler route to the KFC experience?
I’m going to try a simpler route to ‘KFC Nirvana’. I’m going to put together 4 tsp. of Salt, 4 tsp. of White Pepper and 4 tsp. of Paprika in a little bowl. I’ll mix that into two cups Flour as a dredge and fry me up some ‘Chiggn’, as the Col. used to pronounce it. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Hmm… I’ll bet there’s a pile of Salt and Pepper in KFC’s signature Gravy, too…
~ Maggie J.