Lee Kum Sheung of Guangdong Province launched his business in 1888 selling only two products: the mysterious, dark sauce made from oyster juice and a shrimp paste.

FORBES: Hong Kong's Lee Kum Kee: Supplying the Sauce Worldwide

You can use breast meat, but the more flavorful dark meat will do better justice to your secret sauce.

NPR: Dinner's Secret Weapon: The Make-Ahead Marinade

Coming in first place, by the way, in the bedandbreakfast.com pancake competition is a long-shot, dark-horse entry: a lemon-blueberry ricotta-cheese pancake with a sweet lemon sauce, garnished with fresh strawberries.

NPR: Washington Experience a Liability for Democrats?