My post yesterday is still in the queue so I'm sending it today, and like the topic of condiments it has been fine sitting the shelf.
I had thought that condiments was to preserve foods so that they could last. But that's not the case.
Here’s a great American-style question: What was ketchup before it was a condiment?
"... food experts and scholars believe that the origin of ketchup can be traced back to China wherein it was known as Ge-thcup or Koe-cheup, which was basically a fish sauce. This fermented sauce was made from fish innards and soybeans, this sauce was salty and had a pungent smell.
By 1736 sauce had some more twists in the recipe, it was made by boiling two quarts of stale beer and half a pound of anchovies, which was fermented and later relished as sauce. Then this recipe went through further changes when sailors took this recipe to England wherein it went through several experiments. It was finally in 1812, when an American named James Mease created a version of tomato based ketchup. It was believed that tomato was an aphrodisiac food as it was known as love apple, this recipe too had traces of alcohol."
I could never predict this sort of thing - that ketchup started as a fish sauce. At the same time I wonder about the evolution of condiments because we keep them in the fridge now. I think that’s about modern processed food.
Maple syrup - refrigerate or risk mould Maoyonnaise - refrigerate or die - think the potato salad at the picnic Nut-based oil - refrigerate or rancid Ketchup - up for debate Mustard - refrigerate blends such as dijon and horesradish
The question of condiment vs ingredient is defined this way: if the same element is used at the table after the dish has been served, for flavour, aroma, colour or as a texture improving purpose, it becomes a condiment.
It is not a condiment if you can eat it on its own - so don’t ruin things by eating ketchup in a soup bowl for lunch.
Here are some tomato-coloured Echinaceas that I found in the archives.
