stories : The Ten
 |
Beyond Ketchup and MustardOur favorite condiments for your spreading, dipping, and dribbling pleasure |
Condiments are like makeup—often unnecessary and easily overused. Done right, however, they balance and enhance; whether it’s a smidgen of salt, heat, or acidity, condiments have the ability to play up a dish’s best features. So here are some of our favorites that go beyond ketchup and plain old yellow mustard.
1. We can’t get enough Rick’s Pick’s GT1000s. These sweet and spicy curried green tomatoes are perfect on a burger, and are equally delicious on a turkey or grilled cheese sandwich, or simply on their own.
2. Hellman’s Mayonnaise was one of the most popular responses when we polled our staff for their favorite condiment, but if you find prepared mayo a little banal, try Terrapin Ridge Spicy Chipotle Squeeze, a mayonnaise-like spread that’s great on sandwiches, fries, fish, or eggs.
3. Frank’s RedHot is touted as the secret ingredient that spiced up the original recipe for Buffalo hot wings. This searing vinegar-and-chile-based sauce is well suited to any dish that needs a little heat and acidity.
4. Ajvar is a savory red pepper and eggplant spread, often spiced with paprika, popular throughout the Balkans. Several jarred varieties are available. Passport brand, imported from Bulgaria, is a tasty one.
5. Bragg Liquid Aminos is a soy sauce–like condiment with a cultish following. This salty, savory protein concentrate is nice dribbled over salads or mixed into stir-fries (we don’t really endorse spraying it directly into your mouth, though).
6. Sarson’s Original Malt Vinegar is ubiquitous in Britain, where it’s paired with fish and chips. You can dash a bit onto anything that needs a little acidity.
7. Ipswich Ale Mustard, made from Oatmeal Stout, is a grainy, slightly creamy mustard with a malty flavor that comes from the beer.
8. Spicy, salty, and sour, Indian Lime Pickle is perfect with rice dishes and grilled or fried breads. Kalustyan’s fiery version is particularly fantastic.
9. Huy Fong Sambal Oelek, made by a California company looking to replicate the sambals popular in Indonesian cooking, is simply a thick, chunky paste of puréed chile peppers. Mix it into sauces to add a dose of pure heat. We also love the company’s smoother Sriracha, available in a squeeze bottle.
10. Mostarda, a biting compote of whole fruit and mustard, is popular in northern Italy. Though most commonly used as an accompaniment to roasted meats, it’s versatile enough to top hard cheese, bread, or anything else you feel like spreading it on. Mostarda di Milano is a nice version.
Sriracha!
My dad is gluten intolerant, so Bragg's is a really great soy sauce substitute (the gluten-free soy sauces just don't tango with my tastebuds.) I'm not a vinegar fan myself, so hummus, salsa, and tzatziki are my condiments of choice. I also really love mixing something spicy (harissa or any red chile goop) with a little garlicky yogurt (Greek set style is best) for a spicy/smooth topping or dip.
I can't beleive that kimchi was not part of the top ten! Nothing goes better on a sandwich than kimchi. Read on for more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi When you're done visit the folks at Sunny and Annie's Deli on 6th and Avenue B. They make what's possibly the best sandwich in NYC and kimchi is a featured ingredient. Check them out: http://www.yelp.com/biz/pWywDImlX0n_X...
Glad to see you included Frank's Red Hot on your list. There's really nothing like it. It's great in stir-fry, thick soups (it adds a lot of life to legume-based soups in particular) and adds zing to salad dressing.
I love it so much I even brought a bottle of it to college with me and kept it in my dorm room fridge.
green tabasco!!!!!!!!!!!!! i used to carry it in my purse.
<img src ="http://countrystore.tabasco.com/image...
use. not used.
itsolivia, you had it right the first time.
yea, im not a grammar type. :)
I'm totally with you on the kimchi, norm! It was on my original list, but I couldn't find a good prepared version. Do you know of a tasty one? It's so much better homeade. Maybe we'll do a "10 Favorite Recipes for Condiments" in the future. Kimchi would definitely top that one. Ooh--I'm getting good ideas for it already...kimchi, sauerkraut, bbq sauce...
I like Robert Rothschild's Ginger Wasabi sauce and also Harry and David's Pepper and Onion Relish. And I use a lot of salsa although I don't really have a favorite.
GREEN TABASCO ROCKS! I PUT IT ON EVERYTHING. Itsolivia was right about that (and she was right about using the word "used").
Yea, Hot cock! My family and friends and I have always referred to any sort of chili paste with the bright red rooster on the bottle (sriracha, sambal oelek, etc.) as "hot cock." The phrase "Honey, can I please have some hot cock?" is a common one in our household...
kimchi counts as a salad or veg. putting kimchi on a burger is like putting coleslaw on BBQ. if you have never tried curry ketchup, heat 1 cup ketchup gently with a generous spoon of your favorite indian or thai curry base, adjust to your taste. The essential ingredient of a currywurst!
I dont' know how I lived without green El Yucatero habanero sauce, look for it at your local mercado, you won't go back to Tabasco. If your local mexican restaurant has red and green El Yuc, nicely ask to buy a bottle.
I agree about the kimchi, but thats not really a condiment....more of a side dish.
kimchi on a burger is great in the summer time.
kimchi on anything is good anytime
Mango chutney with cheese sandwiches is divine.
Sriracha is good on anything (meat, eggs, as a dipping sauce) but chimichurri has also shown itself to be increasingly versatile.
My favorite hot sauce right now; and I change favorites as often as I finish bottles, is Monty's Green Scream Jalapeno Hot sauce. I got it on amazon and I don't think I have ever tasted a green hot sauce with more flavor. It won't burn your taste buds out but you know it's a hot sauce.
Taramosalata? Is that a condiment? Also, in the mass market category, I nominate Hellmann's Dijonnaise
I second Indian lime pickle, and add patis and white vinegar with peppers floating in it (I forget what it's called), and Maille dijon mustard with tarragon. A better mayonnaise than Hellman's (esp now that the recipe has changed) is Trader Joe's- it is salty, creamy and lemony, and not sweet at all.
Edit: the vinegar mentioned above is also from the Philippines.
Another favorite of mine is Pickapeppa Sauce from Jamaica. It's sort of Worcestershire-like, but thicker and sweeter; it's delicious!
http://www.pickapeppa.com/
I used to use a lot of the Pickapeppa before I got a taste for something spicier. Try Monty's Green Scream; not too spicy but incredible flavor. I saw that they have won an award for this stuff!
http://www.montysgourmet.com
Crystal brand hot sauce is my favorite, and I must admit I do take swigs from the bottle every now and then.
my mom's cesaer dressing... its so thick and garlicy you need to use a knife to spread it! great on salad and as a dip or used instead of mayo on a sandwich...
i also love sweet thai chilli sauce... sweet and spicy... this super sticky sauce is great for tempura, egg rolls and on prawns!
I'm curious why kimchee would be less of a condiment than any other type of pickle. Is saurkraut not a condiment either? How about relish? Kim chee rocks on burgers and dogs.
I like to mix hummus and either yogurt or sour cream and use in place of mayo.
Trader Joe's aioli mustard is good. I like the Vietnamese garlic/chili sauce from the rooster people (something like Truong Ot Toi Viet Nam), too.
If you like Yucateco go for the XXX green habanero. Very tasty. Much better than Frank's, which as hot sauces go is nowhere near searing. Purgatory's Cat Scratch Fever is another excellent hot sauce. Lots of heat, plenty of flavor. CaJohn's Sauce 10 and Talon are also good sauces. The Fatallis lend an unusual flavor.
mango chutney. yuu mmmmm mm
Franks Red Hot?? Crystal?? hardly any heat or flavor...
Tabasco??? too vinegary, all heat and not enough chile flavor...
Green Tabasco?? - yucky jalapeno sauce!
Try a regional Mexican sauce like Huichol, Cholula or even U.S. made Tapatio or hot Pico Pica brands...
Ajvar - big thumbs up. Most markets here carry Zergut brand which appears to make TJ's version at 2x the price.
Big thumbs up on TJ's regular mayo - agree that Hellman's has screwed it up recently. And make your own chipotle mayo (trivial)....
Dijon style Grey Poupon is still a worthy American brand name, along with Morehouse, Plockmans and Guldens in a different mustard category...
Indian Lemon pickles would be good right now...
Some very cool choices in mustard flavours with Mrs. McGarrigle's Fine Mustards! Favourites like Wasabi Lime, Canadian Maple, Balsamic Cracked pepper and more! There are 14 amazing choices at www.mustard.ca. Check it out-great recipes too!
No one mentioned Chow Chow or tapenade...these make wonderful additions to sandwiches, hot or cold.
Great article! I also highly recommend Canadian artisan mustard producer Mrs. McGarrigle's Fine Mustards! They have a variety of 13 different ones including flavors like Chipotle Lime, Wine Peppercorn, Canadian Maple and more. Check them out at www.mustard.ca!