Top 5 Condiments by Jason Bentley
Jason Bentley, KCRW Music Director.
Ketchup. The king of condiments! For years the only form of tomato I would eat aside from marinara sauce. Sad but true. I do have peculiar eating habits and one thing I cannot do without is my Heinz 57. Did you know that Heinz originally featured some 57 different ingredients to make this sublime sauce? Mostly sugar I’m assuming, along with a little tomato base.
Mayonnaise. I’m pretty incompetent when it comes to cooking – I can barely boil water, so you can imagine the limited range of meals I prepare. As such, Mayo is the amazing adhesive that keeps much of this menu together. It’s always a little disconcerting when you see a bit of Mayo that’s been left out and it’s turned into a dull glob of fat. It makes you think, oh that can’t be good for you. Of course, the great irony of fatty foods is that they’re delicious!
Kochujang. A more recent addition to the fave five of the condiment world. I married a Korean woman, and things got a lot spicier in the kitchen as a result! Enter this thick paste made from red chilis and soy bean used as a dip for meat and rice. Korean cuisine features a lot of small dishes, dips and sauces in the presentation of a traditional meal. It’s an impressive spread.
Sriracha. Named after a seaside city in central Thailand, the large red squeeze bottle with a rooster on the label has become another fixture in the fridge. I’ll throw this hot chili sauce in the mix when I need a quick shot to the chops. Expect to break a sweat if you don’t use caution with this condiment.
Steak Sauce. With myriad of brands to choose from, steak sauce (or brown sauce) can take meat to a whole other level. I’m not one to smother a good steak with sauce, but a little dollop of the classic A1 is a joy. Legend has it that steak sauce was first used by English royalty, and you can feel like a king too with this delightful condiment.
Tags: condiments, food, sriracha
