I live in a family that adores sauces. In fact, you could say sauces are our jam. (What? I like bad puns.)
So I figured it was high time to discuss condiments, a topic I tend to find endlessly fascinating. For example, one of the guests at Indy’s birthday party refuses to put anything on a hotdog or hamburger. He just eats them…plain…with a dry, unsauced bun. He will also only eat noodles plain with a bit of butter and a squeeze of lemon.
I feel like people have very strong opinions about condiments, with some being utterly repulsed by certain varieties.
One last note, it’s a bit confusing what constitutes a condiment. Is it a flavour enhancer? Something that isn’t critical to a recipe? Some lists include salt and pepper as condiments (I would have called them a spice), but as per usual I’m declaring this discussion to be an art and not a science. List whatever suits your fancy.
TOP FIVE
- Ketchup. Without a doubt, ketchup is my most beloved condiment. On hotdogs, hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, scrambled eggs, French fries. NONE of the aforementioned foods are worth eating without the addition of ketchup.
- Mayonnaise. And here’s where I’ll lose a lot of you. Is it the texture? The taste? What is it that people find so revolting about mayo? I am a big fan and we use it in some sauces and as a spread on sandwiches and wraps.
- Peanut butter. I wasn’t sure this could be considered a condiment, but it showed up on enough lists that I’m running with it. I adore peanut butter. In sauces, mixed into a bowl of cottage cheese, on toast (especially if topped with bananas), as part of a dessert, incorporated into chocolate bars, or straight from the jar with a spoon. Peanut butter I love thee, let me count the ways.
- Soy sauce. Sushi is meaningless without soy sauce. Great as an addition to sauces and absolutely necessary for sushi. I don’t actually use it that frequently, but our fridge is never without a bottle.
- Butter. Again, not sure this is a condiment, but it showed up on lots of lists and I do adore butter. Butter makes just about everything taste better.
Bonus: Smoky Honey Mustard (Great Value brand) from Walmart. It is a near perfect copycat of Chick-fil-A Sauce.
BOTTOM FIVE
- Hot sauce. Regardless of flavour or intensity of heat, it’s a hard pass on all of them.
- Sour cream. Ick. Don’t like the flavour or the texture. Plus, it hurts my stomach.
- Cranberry sauce. It’s okay when mixed in as a recipe ingredient, but to eat this plain alongside turkey dinner? No thanks!
- Tahini. I don’t like the flavour at all. Sesame seeds as a garnish? Great. Sesame seeds ground into a bitter paste? Yuck.
- Chili paste. I guess this could go hand-in-hand with hot sauce, but the former tends to be of the add-what-you-like format, while chili paste is generally integrated into a dish and will make anything far too hot for my liking. I have the wimpiest tastebuds on the planet (and happen to be married to a man who wants the spiciest version of just about anything – his running joke is that I find ketchup spicy which is an exaggeration…but not by much).
Your turn. Top five/bottom five condiments. How do you feel about mayo? Does anyone else avoid spicy foods?
Header photo by Fernando Andrade on Unsplash
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Birchie
Yes!!!! Let’s do this!!!! Team Mayo4Life. But also Team Hot Sauce and Spicy with a daub of sour cream to balance it out.
What I really want to know is how many others are in a “mixed marriage” where one spouse loves spice and the other needs mild. Both you and I are in that situation. What about the kids, are they spicy or mild?
Elisabeth
I’d say the kids are mostly mild, though Indy does love Piri Piri, so I think he’s going to end up veering into spicy territory.
My parents are VERY anti spice, so I think a lot has to do with your family of origin? I grew up never having spicy things, so I never developed a taste for it? At least that’s my theory 😉
Maureen
Count me in the “mixed marriage” category — husband loves a little spice and I don’t. I don’t even like Buffalo sauce. And ranch (apparently the sauce of WV), forget about it. A hard pass on those 2 sauces. A BBQ sauce or sweet n sour sauce is my jam. And a honey mustard is the way to go. My husband even likes a little spice in his mustard, so we have a few varieties of mustard in the fridge. We only have yellow mustard in this house for visitors.
We try to stay away from ketchup as it has way too much corn syrup. We do purchase the kind without the corn syrup, but even then it’s sweet. My son in law on the other hand loves ketchup like you do. And my granddaughter loves Ranch. **sigh**
Elisabeth
I know ketchup is not the most nutritious option, but I just…adore it. I will say that I go weeks without having it, but when I have it…bliss!
I don’t know if I’ve ever had Buffalo sauce? I don’t mind ranch, but we don’t keep it in the house. I like BBQ sauce on things that are BBQ’d but never plain (as in, added to a wrap)…but Indy and John LOVE BBQ sauce.
Jenny
I’m not sure I would consider peanut butter a condiment, but if it is, it’s my #1. Mustard and soy sauce are also on my top five list. And… I know what you mean about tahini, but I like to make it into a sauce with lemon juice, water and salt. I don’t like it plain though.
Growing up, I hated mayonnaise, and I couldn’t really tell you why. Now we get a vegan mayonnaise, which my husband and son love. I’m still a little leery of it, but I’ll use it every once in a while and admit it tastes pretty good. But I’m still a mustard person.
I like spicy foods, but not TOO spicy. Last week I made enchiladas, and when I said they were at the limit of my spice tolerance, the rest of the family laughed at me. Sigh.
Elisabeth
I was surprised PB kept showing up on condiment lists, but I love PB enough I’d put it on the list of spread, condiments and garnishes! Peanut butter is perhaps the one food item I couldn’t live without.
Maureen
@Elisabeth, Buffalo Sauce is the sauce that the Buffalo Wings are made with. Think Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. I was wondering why I didn’t like Buffalo Wings and I went to a restaurant on vacation and they had Buffalo Cauliflower as an appetizer. Well that’s is where I figured out that it’s the sauce and not the wings. Altho I do prefer boneless wings with BBQ sauce and blue cheese dressing – the traditional dressing for wings. Skip that ranch stuff!
Elisabeth
Would you believe I’ve never had blue cheese dressing! Or blue cheese for that matter…
Kyria @ Travel Spot
I am going to say that PB, butter and cranberry sauceare not condiments, but only because I consider a condiment to be a garnish, topping or flavor enhancer. But whatever, you do you. If PB and butter are in fact condiments, I do love them.
I am team mayo all the way and am not sure why people don’t like it…because it is creamy, fatty? I remember my first time to France when I realized that they put mayo on their fries and I was in love with their culture. Anyone who puts mayo on their fries is okay in my book. However, I cannot join you in the love of ketchup. It is just runny sweet tomato sauce and I could do without it, not to insult your jam or anything.
I have a friend who is a no condiment burger person, which is just weird. I want it all, drippy and sloppy! I will even put ketchup on my burger if there is enough other condiments, and I also like relish! And if there is hot sauce, all the better. So I guess my favorites are mayo, ranch, Sriracha, sour cream and sesame oil (is guacamole a condiment? If so, put it at the top too). And my least favorites are ketchup, soy sauce (I will eat it on sushi, but don’t really love it on everything), tabasco (weird flavor, and not even that spicy!). I can’t really think of others that I don’t like.
Elisabeth
I don’t like mayo on my fries. I mean…it’s fine, but I need ketchup or bust for fries.
Relish is good on burgers, too! If I had to skip one thing on a burger it would be mustard – ketchup and relish being the most critical.
I like sesame oil, too!
Jessica
I am team mayo as a condiment for sure, but mayo based salads are not my thing. I especially love mayo mixed with siracha or even ketchup. I would also add a nice grainy mustard to my top 5. I don’t think I’ve ever had tahini but the way you described I would probably have that in my bottom 5 as well.
Elisabeth
I love potato salad and for me mayo is a MUST in that. I love the tang and creaminess. But I agree that mayo mixed with something else takes it to the next level.
mbmom11
I’m mostly a no condiment person. If butter counts, I’ll embrace that choice! Peanut butter sandwich occasionally (though my dad would put it on salami sandwiches? Yuck!).
Mayo has an awful texture. I only like sour cream baked into muffins or cake. Soy sauce only in stir fried vegetables. Nothing spicy ever.
I have a very bland palate. Butter, salt, and pepper work for me!
Elisabeth
PB and salami. Now that’s a first.
My family (not me) loves PB, honey and cheese. That is one of the kids favourite breakfasts. And I knew someone that made PB and mayo sandwiches. I never tried it, though they assured me it was delicious?
Diane
I had a friend one that said anything went well with either soy sauce or chocolate…. Try the thought experiment!!
Soy sauce and hot sauce are definitely at the top of my list- chili crisp lately has been our spicy addition of choice. (it feels so cliche to say that, be chili crisp was a staple for us long before it was trendy.) scallion ginger sauce too.
But along with soy sauce, I like vinegars. And sprinkles- furikake, everything bagel sprinkle, salted plum sprinkle, tajin…. I love them all.
Defining condiment *is* an interesting question, though. So many blurry lines there. Like sour cream? Condiment? I think of mayo as an ingredient because I don’t usually use it to enhance a prepared dish- I wouldn’t pass it around at the table.
Elisabeth
I suspect that’s pretty close to accurate! Some cultures use cocoa powder for a variety of dishes. And soy sauce is a staple for so many cuisines!
I know. What IS a condiment. It feels like just about anything can be considered a condiment, at least given the lists I read. I suppose it would vary by culture as well. What’s considered a condiment in one place might be an ingredient in another?
Michelle G.
I’m 100% team bland. My top 5 are butter, sour cream, ketchup, mayo, and cream cheese.
My bottom 5 are hot sauce, salsa, mustard, salad dressing, and relish.
I’m lucky that my husband and I are both on team bland!
Elisabeth
I don’t think I like bland food, but I don’t like spicy. Just about every other flavour I’m okay with…but spicy things burn my taste buds so I literally can’t taste anything!
Suzanne
Oooooh Elisabeth, you and I would be excellent roommates because I would never touch your mayo or peanut butter and I know my beloved hot sauce would be safe around you! Hot sauce is my everything. I could probably do a Top 5/Bottom 5 of hot sauces alone. (Sriracha is my top.) Barbecue sauce is perhaps my next favorite condiment — I like it on french fries and chicken and ribs. I also like ketchup and mustard and ranch. Is honey a condiment? If so, honey is in my Top 5. Let’s see. Low-ranking condiments include relish, blue cheese dressing, and Miracle Whip. I am not a FAN of peanut butter or mayo, but I do enjoy mayo on sandwiches (and if you mix hot sauce into mayo I am all over it) and PB can be okay in some things, like Reese’s peanut butter cups.
Elisabeth
How someone could go through life without peanut butter (aside from allergies, of course) is BEYOND me!
Ha – “Hot sauce is my everything.” Love it!
Miracle Whip is NOT mayo, though that’s what I grew up on. We never, ever buy Miracle Whip. It’s mayo or bust.
Steph
I LOVE sauces. It’s something I’m known for in my social circle. 🙂
My top condiment is various hot sauces. 😅 I also love pesto, hummus (is this a condiment?), chili crisp, gravy, soy sauce, olive oil, vinegars… I can keep going!
Oh I forgot good mustard!
No bottom condiments. 🙂
Elisabeth
Why didn’t I think of hummus? If PB is a condiment, hummus surely is too.
Pesto tends to hurt my stomach so I’m not generally a fan; a few years ago I would have said I dislike gravy but now I’m really coming around and all the rest of my family loves it so I’ve come to enjoy it more and more over time.
No bottom condiments! You have broad palate!
Alexandra
Peanut butter? I love me a good crunchy peanut butter, but as a condiment? Hmm … maybe when I make satay, or toast, but not beyond that. Maybe I’ve been missing out.
That’s a BIG no to mayo here, in our house. Neither of us like it, preferring miracle whip which has more flavour less calories. And while I’m a big spice fan the OH is definitely team wimp when it comes to hot and flavourful. Though I have got them eating mild curries.
Now I have to go write my own post to follow on from yours.
Elisabeth
I grew up with Miracle Whip and Miracle Whip only, but my husband has converted me to mayo and there is no going back 😉
I do like curry – but that tends to be a warmer, milder spice (at least when I make it!). I wish I loved spicy things, but thankfully my husband doesn’t hold it against me and he just adds Sriracha to just about everything. That’s the nice thing about hot sauce – it can easily be added on/in to individual portions to give the people that want it a spicy kick.
Alexandra
It was Heinz sandwich spread in our house growing up as kids. Mayo was something my mum only bought at special holidays to do devilled eggs. We didn’t even have Miracle Whip till I was in the military. 🙂
I should clarify, when I say spicy, I mean, I use a lot of spices. I love spices. And while I do eat some very hot and spicy food, I usually don’t cook really hot spicy. I tend to be the more mellow to medium in heat intensity because, let’s face it, who wants to burn the mouth so you can’t taste anything, anymore? Right? For me it’s all about flavour.
And Sriracha sounds like the perfect condiment for your husband!
Lisa's Yarns
I’m with others and can’t see how PB is a condiment! But I do love peanut butter…
I eat mayo in salads, like a tuna salad, but I do not care for mayo otherwise. I just don’t care of the taste of it overall. My absolute favorite condiment is a good, spicy mustard! I love the mustards that are on every restaurant table in France – they are so flavorful. I cannot find anything like that here in the US. I have tried buying French brands, like Maille, and it’s like they have Americanified it and toned down the flavor. Besides spicy mustard I also love salsa (medium heat preferred), yellow mustard, ketchup, and sour cream. Bbq sauce is a runner up.
Besides not really liking mayo, I don’t like Sriracha at all! I like spicy foods but that is a bridge too far and just feels like it’s all punch and no flavor beyond hot. I also don’t like honey mustard. It’s too sweet for me.
Phil and I like the same spice level. So at an Indian restaurant, we would order a 3 out of 5 and we like medium salsa.
Elisabeth
I’m not a fan of salsa at all. But I also didn’t grow up on it. We never – NEVER – had salsa in our household growing up. I do wonder how much food in childhood family impacts taste buds later in life? I have a much broader palate than my parents, but there are certain things that I just don’t care for and I wonder sometimes if it’s because I never had them growing up?
Elinoora
We never had ketchup growing up, and I still think it’s too sweet. Other people in our house love it though, so we generally have it in the fridge.
I’m team mayo, but I’m picky about the taste. My mom used to make it herself, so no sugar added and lemon juice added to the vinegar.
Top:
Mayo, sriracha, hummus, toasted sesame oil, walnut oil, soy sauce, balsamico vinegar, salsa, guacamole
Bottom:
Ketchup, and anything bbq flavoured. Just not my jam I guess?
Nicole MacPherson
Hot take: I don’t even LIKE fries. To me, fries are merely a vehicle for ketchup. I rarely eat them, but I do love ketchup. Which reminds me of my favourite chip flavour, ketchup.
I don’t think of PB as a condiment but I do think of jam as one, why is that? Isn’t that odd?
Salsa, I looooove a salsa! And guacamole, is that a condiment? I mean the way I eat it, no, it’s more like a full meal. Same with hummus. I use tahini in a ton of recipes but not on its own, so to me that’s more of an ingredient. I am getting weirdly pedantic with my definitions right now. I like soy, chili paste, vinegar, sriracha, etc., but those are ingredients for sauces? And then the sauces are condiments? Or are sauces their own things? You’ll have to excuse me, I am now getting way too involved in “what is a condiment.”
KV
Nicole, asking the question we all want to know: IS GUACAMOLE A CONDIMENT?
If yes, then it is definitely #2 on my list. Well, it would be #1, but I have save that spot for Peanut Butter. I actually don’t think I could ever narrow it to 5…salsa, hot sauce (2 kinds, actually), bbq sauce, mayo, sour cream, mustard, soy sauce, pesto, ranch dressing, tahini and miso are all taking up space in my fridge right now.
Related question–does a condiment have to be savory, or at least, put on lunch/dinner foods to count? What about maple syrup, nutella, whipped cream, or jam?
Ernie
I like catsup. I don’t like mustard. I don’t like mayo – which I think is because I grew up with a picky eater mom. I never tried most mainstream foods, because if she didn’t like it, I assumed I wouldn’t. I do like barbeque. Other than that, I don’t use condiments much. I can’t think of anything else I would add to my food. I don’t like spicy food. At all. And I don’t eat sushi. I like soy sauce, but I don’t eat many things that require soy sauce. I use a substitute for soy sauce when I cook, because of celiac. I don’t think of peanut butter as a condiment, but I do like peanut butter with apples.
Gigi
I’m of the camp that peanut butter is not a condiment; but a staple. Mayo would probably be in my top five. Ketchup? For me, ketchup is reserved for hot french fries or as part of a sauce for meatloaf. Other than that? It’s a hard pass for me. Imagine my shock when I realized not to long ago that my husband puts ketchup on his hamburger…the heathen; after 30 some odd years how has this only come to my attention?
Jan Coates
Mayo sparingly. And we use curry paste and hoisin/oyster sauce quite often. I’m guessing it’s oysters as in mushrooms, not of the sea. I like Dijon, too.
Melissa
Oh, this is hard. I can’t pick a top five or bottom five because I have particular favourites for particular foods. My most eaten condiment would be either tomato relish or my dad’s chilli jam. I use these interchangeably on BBQ sausages and meats and scrambled eggs. The only time I would eat ketchup (or tomato sauce) is on a pie if I don’t have relish. For steak I like horseradish. Mayo on a chicken sandwich. Sweet chilli sauce on noodles or a chicken and salad wrap. Apple sauce on pork and cranberry sauce on turkey. I love homemade gravy on any roast. Mint sauce on lamb. Aoli for fries. Tahini needs to be mixed with something into a sauce or dressing.
Katy @ Practical Walk
I’ve never tried peanut butter with cottage cheese, but sounds like it could be yummy!