CONDIMENTS!

[mamachef]

So, what condiments would you have a difficult time cooking/living without? Mine are mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, and hot sauce of any kind. I use them plain, of course, but mainly I appreciate them for the flavor boost and/or convenience that they provide to other dishes.
What are yours?

[Flaco]

My apologies if this was already posted...

[JayL]

Besides fish sauce & fish sauce with chilies...

...my wife is from the Caribbean so we always have pepper sauce on hand. Some bottled commercially available pepper (like Matouk's) and some that we make at home.

Either way, de peppa is never far away boy...

[fldhkybnva]

Vinegar - any and all vinegar!

[Flaco]

Condiment freaks might enjoy this site, it went away for awhile but seems to be back. http://condimentstation.com/

[Perilagu Khan]

In the words of Rocky Balboa, "I never use 'em."

[fldhkybnva]

I am a condiment freak, but for some reason this weekend I enjoyed my usual scrambled sans-condiments. I admit it was also very tasty and no-condiment eggs will now be added to the rotation of egg and condiment combinations.

[eclecticsynergy]

I keep two kinds of soya sauce around, Kikkoman for plain soya or sushi, and Wuan Chuang for when I want deeper, more nuanced flavor. Also Bragg's Liquid Aminos for a tamari-like taste.

+1 for Maggi; to me it's just an umami miracle drug!

On the mayo vs Miracle Whip issue, I've never liked MW on sandwiches but I've found I really do like it in a macaroni salad...

Worcestershire and its Cajun cousin Pickapeppa.

Always have a number of vinegars- wine, cider, white, tarragon, raspberry and Jianshang black vinegar at a minimum. And a number of hot sauces- Louisiana, Sriracha, Frank's with lime, Tabasco, and Dave's Insanity. Also a few mustards: dijon, coarse country style, honey mustard, horseradish mustard. Plus horseradish and a few horseraish-based sauces- Woeber's Sandwich Pal regular and smoky, and Gold's Ginger-Wasabi.

I don't think anyone's mentioned Durkees Famous Sauce yet. Slightly spicy & sour and a little bit creamy. Best stuff in the world on a ham sandwich or a BLT. Also makes good deviled eggs.

[suzigirl]

+1 on the pickapeppa.
Also add A1to my list.
Lots of things on your list I haven't tried and am curious about.

[sisterfunkhaus]

Vinegars
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Tamari
Hoisin
Sesame oil
Oyster sauce
Chili garlic sauce
Dijon mustard
Sour cream
Fage Greek Yogurt (like crazy!!)
Chipotle Tabasco
Occasionally Duke's Mayo
Pesto sauce ( I buy the house made at a local market. In the summer when I have a basil plant, I make it myself.)
On the rare occasions I use ketchup or BBQ sauce, I make it. I also tend to make my own raw fruit jam when fruits are in season, otherwise I buy French preserves. I make my own apple butter. I've done mayo, but I love Duke's so much that I was underwhelmed by homemade. I almost always make my own dressings, but when I buy, I love Del Monaco's balsamic dressing.

[Gio]

Condiments R us...

Soy sauce - light, dark, sweet, mushroom
Tamari
Fish sauce
Oyster sauce
Kecap manis
Hot chili oil
Hot chili sauce
Pickled ginger
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha
Tabasco
Pestos
Ketchup
Mustards
Mayonnaise - Trader Joe's organic
Worcestershire
Chutneys

Home made would be the chutneys and pestos, some of the other condiments are combined to make more complex condiments/dipping sauces..

[mamachef]

Gio, my ex- used to call me the condiment queen, but I'm passing the sceptre to you!

[Harters]

Couldnt be without:

Mustard (Dijon, grain & English)
Mayo
Mint sauce (for the winter when there's none fresh)

And that's just the Ms.

[mamachef]

Harters, can you recommend any particular brand of mint sauce? Love it on lamb. Oh yeah.

[Harters]

No help to you, mama. When I'm not making my own I buy the "own brand" organic sauce from our usual supermarket and fiddle around with it to get the sugar/vinegar balance right.

My mother would never do mint sauce in the winter but would change over to a onion white sauce.

[suzigirl]

Marci, Cross And Blackwell makes a brand that my boyfriend loves and he is also from the UK. Try that one.

[mamachef]

Harters, that onion sauce sounds SO good!! Must try - was it a regular Bechamel?
suzigirl, I've seen that in several local stores. Now, with your recommend, I'll actually buy it instead of staring at it longingly. Not too sweet? Just right with the leg o' lambie?

[suzigirl]

It is sweet but my honey just loves the stuff. Also the same company makes a picalilli that really rocks. I recommend it for cold ham. It is a mustard base veggie relish. Really tart filled with pickles and cauliflower

[suzigirl]

I think the label calls it chow chow and picalilli in small print. If you like tart things and relish type things it is a must try.

[sedimental]

My daughter just brought me some hot chow chow from the south. I haven't tried it yet. I know it is a condiment but will have to figure out what to do with it. I don't eat many sandwiches, hot dogs, etc.... sounds like its kind of a relish?
What does he eat it on?

[suzigirl]

He likes it on cold meats. Ham mostly but also roast chicken and leftover beef and lamb. Is the chow chow the tomato style or the mustard? If its southern it is tomato and likely to be sweet. The English style is very tart and based on mustard. He also likes it in sandwiches of any style.

[cacruden]

Nam Pla Prik - Fish sauce with Thai chilies -- Also contains a little pungent garlic (thai garlic), bit of sugar and a bit of fresh lime juice.

I have it with fried rice, stir fried holy basil and chilis, ginger chicken etc. Most thai restaurants in the west don't have this on the restaurant table, but it is one of a number of fundamental condiments found on tables everywhere in Thailand.

[kubasd]

I've only seen plain fish sauce around me... I must look into the prik version!

[jo_jo_ba]

mustard, wasabi, hot sauce

[rozz01]

I think if I could figure out how to have Maille Dijon in a intravenous pump, I would be a very happy man.

[jmcarthur8]

Duke's.
Multiple types of mustard.
Multiple types of vinegar.
Sweet relish.
Sesame oil.
Hot sauce.

This is a tough question. I have a wide shelf full of bottles of things, and I use all of them sooner or later, but there aren't many that I would have to run to the store for at the last minute because there's no substitute. Usually I would just tweak the ingredients to suit what I have. The ones I've listed are the ones I could think of that just can't be substituted without changing the recipe drastically. Thanks, mamachef. I love it when CHers ask us questions that are real posers!

[Marusik]

No surprise here - ketchup and mayo.

[pedalfaster]

Since I saw butter (mmm butter) mentioned...does olive oil count?

I use it both in cooking("dressing" really) AND on it's own. As a dipping "sauce" for bread and veggies for instance.

Also have pre-made oelek sambal in the fridge. OMG good for so many things.

[mamachef]

Well, I definitely wouldn't eat it by the spoonful, but I'd use it as a drizzle, or a dip, and so would a lot of other people, so I guess it qualifies for this purpose!! :) Guess some things are just more versatile than others. Works for me.
And I re-iterate, I'm not trying to stomp anybody's good time.

[suzigirl]

+1 on the sambal. I love that stuff. Use it in a to of things. I mix it in MWto make sandwiches, I dip things like fried dumplings and crab rangoons. I scramble it into eggs.I love it all likds of stuff. I listed it on my favs post

[mamachef]

I'm breaking my own rule when I add lime pickle, it being a fruit and all, but I wouldn't eat that by the spoonful either, so maybe, just maybe, it qualifies?

[kseiverd]

What's "salad cream"?? Guess I'll have to google that. Have several Asian condiments... soy, teriaki, ponzu, mirin, etc... all on recommendations from very nice people at little Asian market I go to. Bought all the ingredients needed to try home-made Miso soup a while back... did NOT like the broth with the bonito flakes... WAY to fishy for me. Have containers of light and dark miso in fridge... that apparently lasts forever??

Always have mayo and several different mustards around. I don't grate my own horseradish (or at least haven't yet), so always have jar of Kelcher's (spelling?) in fridge. When first opened, can sometimes take tthe top of my head off... I try to use it as soon as I can cuz it loses it's kick after a while. Have a lot of what others have already listed as staples.

[mamachef]

Just to clarify: when I say condiments, I mean things that you add into or use on other things. That may be no more clear than my OP, but it's basically what I had in mind. While I'd eat a whole can of diced tomatoes (and have, many times) or Greek Yogurt by the spoonful and snacked on shaved Parmigiano.....I can't say the same for those things I consider to be condiments. Different strokes, though; and I'm certainly not trying to offend anybody, or stomp on a happy place, or yuk your yum. :)

[suzigirl]

Fun thread. Love condiments very much

[bonobo]

Mayo! I love the stuff, it goes with EVERYTHING (within reason of course). I also like to dip things in mayo, then whatever darker sauce is on the plate. Like those philly dipper things with the salsa and crackers.
BBQ sauce is another sauce I often put on the side of the plate, it's like mayo in it's versatility.
Dark gravy such as beef, yummm!
English mustard, goes well with meat and two veg meals and also when doing my dipping in mayo first thing.
Marmite, I find it improves many a savoury sandwich!
Chutneys and pickles that go with cheese.
I don't have it often but I think that wasabi tastes fun.
Ketchup for the "goes well with everything" factor.
Mint sauce on meat and two veg meals is always a favourite of mine, I used to drown my food in the stuff as a kiddling.
I used to love salad cream in my younger years but it's taken the back seat since I started eating mayonnaise more often.
If I'm being naughty I do like to use soft cheese like philly as a dipping sauce!

[suzigirl]

You are quite the dipper. Me to. Love sauces to dip so many things

[bonobo]

On the weekends me and my best friend have pizza and chicken strips, the chicken strips are merely a vehicle for sauces, I have about 4-5 on the plate.

[mamachef]

bonobo and suzigirl, I bet you love sate, don't you? ME TOO!! Double Yay on the Dippable Foods. I love them! Gimmee that Ranch dressing, please pass the peanut sauce, and I'll be needing a double order of nuoc cham for my freshroll, if you would be so kind!!!

[bonobo]

I assume sate is sate sauce? If so then yes I love it.

[mamachef]

The Sate is the skewered meat that's generally marinated and grilled, and it is typically served w/ a peanut sauce that I could drink a bowl of. :)

[suzigirl]

I could drink a bowl too. And then some. And seconds on the cucumber sauce too.

[bonobo]

Ah yeah, I love that peanut sauce.

[mamachef]

Nice list, bonobo. Quite thoughtful. Do please to be telling me about salad cream, though? Is it like mayonnaise, only not as thick?

[bonobo]

It's a little runnier and also very tangy and vinegary. It doesn't go with as many things as mayo, but it goes well with cold sandwiches. Hot things don't suit it though.

[mamachef]

Have you tasted Miracle Whip? (Will Owen: Run - run away fast!!) Is it similar to that?
I think I may need to seek this out, just for curiosity's sake. I just read "Toast," by Nigel Slater, and he mentions the product several times, which inspired said curiosity.
Thanks so much for responding!! :)

[bonobo]

Nope, never tasted it. I can't get Miracle Whip in the UK unless from import websites. I do want to try it though.

[mamachef]

I wonder how long it would take if I sent you some, ground freight? Everyone should try it, at least once!

[bonobo]

A long time, a couple of week or more. I do know of a website that sells American groceries and their warehouse is in the UK. But I'm not sure if they have Miracle Whip.

[Harters]

Assuming that's American Soda at Ashton (just a few minutes from me), then yes they do.

http://www.americansoda.co.uk/uk/Amer...

[bonobo]

That's the one! And thanks, I check that site all the time but forgot they had Miracle Whip!

[Harters]

The website says they now have a shop. Only 45 minutes or so from where you are, looking at your profile.

Worth the trip if you like south asian food as well, as there's a largish "Indian" supermarket in Ashton, as well (I used to work just opposite)

[suzigirl]

I know I am gonna hear it but Miracle Whip.
ketchup
Ballpark mustard
Woshershire sauce
Soy sauce
Ginger paste
Sambal oleck.
Picalilli, mustard style not the tomato based
Makoto ginger dressing
Ken's lite Caesar dressing
Hidden Valley Ranch
So many more

[Will Owen]

Ah, the old Miracle Whip v. Mayo thing. Whatever blows your skirt up. But a week or so ago I would have included ketchup only because although I hate it my wife loves it and it's essential for meatloaf … and then I saw, at the Altadena farmer's market, a man selling a ketchup I'd just read about, Molonay Tubilderborst Savory Ketchup. I tried a taste of the Spicy and immediately bought a bottle. Not only is it delightful (and only a little sweet), but I was imagining the look on Mrs. O's face when she saw me putting ketchup on something …

Miracle Whip, though, is essentially the commercial version of the boiled dressing my mom made because mayonnaise was hard to make (in a 1950s midwestern kitchen) and too expensive for us to buy. There are worse things than MW on a bologna sandwich, and if you make the Pea Salad in Jane and Michael Sterns' book "Square Meals" you'll be told the it's the ONLY dressing that's correct for this recipe. I haven't yet, but I might need to sometime.

[suzigirl]

If that ketchup can convert a ketchup hater I will be keeping my eyes peeled for it . Thanks for the tip

[mamachef]

LOLOLOL. Oh, Will. You and your Miracle Whip Hateration. I despise the stuff myself, but will use it in the Pea Salad. OTOH, if you want to ease into it, try the pea salad with regular best-quality mayo. into which you've mixed 2 T. sugar. It's very good, if not the CLASSIC recipe. I think I may have told you that elsewhere, but I'm old and can barely remember what I had for breakfast, if I don't record it on What's for Breakfast. :)

[suzigirl]

I love MW.its all my moms fault. She raised us on it. One of the few brand names in my house growing up.

[Floridagirl]

That's how I make pea salad. I never have Miracle Whip and to me, it has an odd aftertaste that I don't like. My fave condiments change all of the time, based upon what I just discovered, except for the oldies, ketchup, mayo, worchestershire. This week I'm in love with fish sauce, duck sauce, and sweet chili sauce. And I just rediscovered my old friend, Guldens spicy brown mustard.

[Will Owen]

Oh - and chutney! Gotta be Major Grey's, too. We recently had a very odd experience: in Nashville, any corner store had it on their shelves alongside the other relishes - I think even 7-11s carried it! So here were are in Pasadena, CA, one of the Hubs of the Civilized Universe, and our big Ralphs store didn't even have shelf space for it. What's more, we had to explain what it is! One of the employees called the branch on West Colorado that we refer to as "Rich Folks' Ralphs", and they did have it, in an area devoted to the more strange and exotic pantry items. The whole thing reminded me of a '30s-era limerick I've read (say it in a broad Down-Easter accent):

If you go to the store in Ascutney,
Don't bother to ask them for chutney.
You may beg, you may tease,
You may fall to your knees,
'Twill do you no good. They ain't gut'ny.

[mamachef]

<laughing my butt off. A poim. As quoted by W. O.

[fldhkybnva]

All of the above + Maggi seasoning (recent introduction to my condiment repertoire - is it a condiment?)

[mamachef]

Definitely yes, Maggi's a condiment.

[Veggo]

Linghams sweet chili sauce from Malaysia is sometimes the perfect fit.

[Paprikaboy]

Does parmesan count? Cos I use it like a condiment and I'm not making my own.

[mamachef]

Mmmmm: Parmigiano's a food, IMO, not a condiment. I don't think cheese qualifies. :) But don't let me rain on your parade. :)

[mamachef]

OMG that is good stuff, isn't it? When I can find it, that is. I love it as a dip for Vietnamese Fresh Rolls.

[Will Owen]

I would've said Tabasco a few years back, but now it's that plus Tapatio and a screaming fluorescent-green habañero sauce that's killer with eggs. Soy sauce, both Japanese and Chinese for sure, and the other things chefathome mentions except for finishing salts. I can do without hot chili oil, but I'd rather not. Ketchup, mustards and mayonnaise I buy, though I make mayo frequently too, and I always have to have Trader Joe's wasabi mayo on hand.

One item I love and miss is the French Le Cabanon brand of harissa paste. It's a delicious alternative to Sriracha, a bit less heat and a more complex flavor. I bought six tubes from an Amazon site to save shipping costs, and by the time I was finished with the second one the rest had all gone bad, bursting open and messing up the canister I'd put them in. So I'll get some more and refrigerate them this time …

[chefathome]

You reminded me of more. Yes, harissa. That brand sounds good. I have never bought it as I make my own but it would be nice to have some on hand in case. Love your story. :-)

Capers. I would have a difficult time without them.

Can I include honey? We always have at least five kinds of honey on hand.

[Will Owen]

There are two brands of harissa paste that I've seen, and I've tried both. Le Cabanon wins out for me because it's more coarsely ground and has a fresher flavor; the other (can't recall the name) is as hot but otherwise undistinguished. One favorite use for it is to blend it into some mayonnaise and spread that over fish filets before baking them; works for lamb chops too

I wouldn't have considered capers a condiment, but I guess they are used that way. I always add some to pico de gallo to top panbroiled fish. The rest of the time, though, I'm mostly just really glad they last a long time!

[chefathome]

Coarse ground harissa is best in my books as well. I have not tried it with mayonnaise on fish or lamb - that sounds wonderful! Will keep that in mind for sure.

Capers are a condiment at our house - we go through the huge jars like wild. If you have not tried fried capers, do - it is a revelation. They "bloom" and become light and crispy.

[suzigirl]

Fried capers. That sounds delicious

[jmcarthur8]

Fried capers ARE delicious, suzigirl.

[suzigirl]

I had a bad experience with capers the first time and they tasted like kerosene. They were old and breached by fingertips in the jar(why do people do that to pickled items?) I gave them a shot years later and am never without them in my fridge. But fried? I am southern. Fry me a flip flop and i am in. I am so going to hook up with fried capers soon. I am thinking all by themselves or tossed on a salad with lemon aioli. What other ways are good?

[pinehurst]

chefathome, how do you fry them?

[chefathome]

Simply in hot olive (not extra virgin) oil. All it takes is about 30-60 seconds and they sort of puff up a bit. They are sooooo tasty as a snack and also sprinkled liberally on all manner of food including fish, pasta dishes, baked potatoes, duck, lamb, on cheese/charcuterie boards with mostarda, Mediterranean dishes, whatever. Anywhere you desire a briny crunch. The flavour changes when fried, sort of like garlic becoming more mellow roasted. It was a revelation to me the first time I tried them. I am very, very addicted to the little suckers.

[pinehurst]

I love Tapatio, but have to give a shout out to my beloved Cholula.

[mamachef]

Going on the list of things to try: Le Cabanon harissa. Love the stuff, especially used as a rub for lamb or chicken, or mixed into plain yogurt as a marinade for a multitude of things or as a baste for grilled vegetables. Yum. Thanks for chiming in!

[sedimental]

Mama chef, I just had a brunch dish that included " Harissa cream" over poached eggs. It was amazing.

[chefathome]

Aha! I knew I had forgotten some. Sour cream. Creme fraiche. Greek yogurt. Whipping cream. Do these count??

Love Umami #5 but I could live without it.

[sedimental]

Yup, yup, yup I make a ton of them too......and chutney, sweet and savory jam, "curds" of all things citrus, homemade "cream cheese" from sour cream and "yogurt cheese".

[sedimental]

Butter. Is butter a condiment? I make it in the food processor and love to make interesting compound butters for the freezer.
Oh, Duxelles......always have those in my freezer too.

[pinehurst]

Butter is not a condiment.
Butter is a food group.
:-)

[mamachef]

Just ask Paula Deen!

[chefathome]

Yes - our pantry is lined with homade chutneys, jams, jellies, fruit butters, nut butters...

And I think butter can be a condiment. Compound butters - oh, yes! I don't even know how many kinds I have in the freezer. When we buy truffles in Europe truffle butter. And duxelles.

Tomato paste. Preserved lemons.

[mamachef]

chefathome, what do you find to be the major difference between Umami#5 and plain old MSG?

[chefathome]

Umami #5 tastes earthier, almost sort of mushroom-y. As a paste it blends so nicely and can stand on its own with some cream as a pasta sauce, for example.

[mamachef]

I don't think those dairy foods qualify, though......but I'm no facist. By this do you mean that you use them as add-ins, toppings?

[chefathome]

I didn't think they counted. I got slightly carried away! However, I do use creme fraiche as a topping to swirl in soups along with some spicy pepitas.

[mamachef]

In that context, it certainly works as a condiment. Maybe it's the choice of words? I dunno. But yeah, that works for me. I like it used that way too!

[pinehurst]

Oh good heavens, yes, yay Condiments!

1) Mayo--good Mayo!--I use it copiously on sandwiches and to keep chicken, etc, moist when broiling.

2) Dijon mustard....in salad dressings, on pork, a little dab in cheese sauces for a punch.

3) Sour cream...plain as a garnish, or swirled into all kinds of goodies, hot or cold

4) Soy sauce

5) Canned Diced tomatoes (all sorts of things)

[mamachef]

I think I think..........those diced tomatoes qualify as a veggie, not a condiment. :)

[chefathome]

"Condiments" is one of my favourite words in the English language. Honest. I make almost all except:
- soy sauce
- Worcestershire
- fish sauce
- Sriracha
- finishing salts, vinegars and oils (but I do make my own blends)

Those I make:
- BBQ sauces
- pesto
- ketchups
- mustards
- mayonnaise

I have the distinct feeling I am missing a few very obvious things...

[Veggo]

Sweet and dill relish for tartar sauce. The obvious one you missed are the condiments that optimistic young men who can't spell carry in their wallets.

[chefathome]

Relish - of course! I love to make tartar sauce. Your response made me laugh.

[mamachef]

Those, I make. I'm nowhere near chefathome's level of expertise when it comes to that kind of home cooking (and was never ever once challenged to do it in a restaurant) but since I love home canning and preserving, relishes and chutneys are definitely the things I do myself. That being said, I'd love a not-too-sweet ketchup recipe, if anybody's got one to share!

[chefathome]

Oh, do I have ketchup recipes. I'll go through them and get back to you. Do you find canning and preserving therapeutic? And then you get the bonus of eating what you have created!

[mamachef]

Yep. I totally find my Zen in the kitchen, indeed I do. And I thank you in advance, for those recipes. I'll be looking forward to them, so I appreciate that generosity.

[pinehurst]

FISH SAUCE!!!! Only started using that this year and wow~!

[chefathome]

Isn't it amazing how one can live years without it and then use it once and become hooked? It is ESSENTIAL!

[JayL]

We have a bottle around, but we keep a jar in the fridge with fish sauce and cup up chilies (Thai chilies are preferred).

[mamachef]

I love on the fish sauce too, but because it has a distinctive flavor in larger applications, I've got to stick w/ my choice of soy sauce, as it's more familiar to the palates of the people I cook for. They're not picky eaters, but for general purposes, yeah: I'd have to stick with soy. At home however, I use it all the time. Would NEVER attempt to brew my own though, because I'm lazy and I hear it really really smells during the fermentation:)

[bonobo]

I find the word condiment makes me giggle childishly as it sounds too much like condom.

[Paprikaboy]

Agree it can cause confusion and some embarrassment.
Several years ago I went to a department store and asked a sales assistant if they sold condiment sets.
She looked at me rather confused and and suggested that I might try a chemist instead.
I thought this response was odd and then twigged that she had misheard me, Being only 16 I slinked out of the shop.