No, not juice. Banana sauce or ketchup is a Pinoy staple and a main ingredient in Filipino spaghetti: a stoner’s dream but a diabetic’s nightmare. Banana ketchup is also popular in the Carribean where it is less sweet and more complex. Red Dye #40 has been linked to everything from migraines in adults to temper tantrums in children. Questionable all around.
Mix it with cream cheese and you got the “big easy”. Although owned by the Jamaican-Chinese Lyn Kee Chow family, the sauce was originally brewed by Norman Nash in his kitchen. Nowadays, this sublime mango/tamarind/raisin elixir is aged in oak barrels for a year. Located in Shooters Hill, the company employs 42 people. Vegetarian, rasta approved.
Just one of many in Woeber’s “Sandwich Pal” series, a true gift to humanity and appropiately squeezeable. German founder Carl Woeber wound up in Springfield Ohio; there are 34 Springfields in the USA. The suffix “wich” in English placenames means there was salt produced nearby. The fourth Earl of Sandwich liked to eat his while playing cribbage, a game very popular with submariners.
A New England stalwart that’s found in many seafood restaurants of good reputation. It’s “tartare” everywhere else and the French served it with the raw shredded meat and egg that sends chills down vegetarians spines. One shouldn’t confuse the Mongols with the Tartars in learned company.
Accused of treason by the Avery Island bunch, B.F. Trappey had ten sons to help him get the business going. After a century long legal battle, the McIlhenny’s actually controlled the brand in the 90’s before selling it off. Trappey’s is still a very working class hot sauce found throughout the south, mild yet Lucifer approved. The original Anchor Bar wing recipe calls for Franks Red Hot, supposedly.
Courtesy of Soy Vay, Asian fever straight out of Humbolt County. Teriyaki is strictly a marinade in Japan. The teriyaki burger is a worldwide phenomena. The founders first marketed Veri Veri as a “chinese sauce”, the inventer is from Hong Kong. Kosher, naturally.
Big with the clog wearing truckers of Germany and Holland. With different versions available in Europe, Asia and Latin America, Maggi scratches everyone’s itch. One of the first processed products to address the nutritional needs of the working poor by imitating a meat based broth. Basically pure HVP/MSG, use sparingly.
A pilgrimage to Collinsville, Illinois is mandatory for every condiment lover. Cherished by Jews and Gentiles alike, horseradish is an integral element of many Passover and Easter dishes. Fresh grated horseradish root is volatile, but loses its pungency unless preserved in vinegar or some other acidic compound. Like so much of America, Gold’s Horseradish was conceived in a Brooklyn apartment during the Great Depression. Morris Gold came up with the slogan “we do the crying for you.” Much obliged.
Ubiquitous over the pond and in colonial backwaters like Santa Monica, CA. Very distinct bottle with Parliament and Big Ben on the label. Despite mutual hatred, the label through the 60’s was also in French. Sadly but not surprising, this most English of condiments is now exclusively manufactured in Holland and Spain. Errr… pass the brown sauce Harold, ta.
It’s easy to forget about the big commercial BBQ sauces since they’re all the same. Bullseye, Hunts, KC… does anyone care? BBQ is not grilling and the former is all about the dry rub, temp/smoke control and carcass quality. The legendary Stubbs once complained “what’s BBQ without a couple rats?” KC Masterpiece was founded by psychiatrist Rich Davis who also invented “Muschup”, a ketchup and mustard hybrid. Tomato versus vinegar based sauce is an existential exercise.
