CONDIMENTS
Condiments are the unsung heroes in the kitchen. They grab less attention in the culinary world of cooking, but they punch above their weight.
Condiment Families include salts, oils and vinegars, mustards, sauces, pastes and preserves.
Unlike scents which link to particular foods, e.g. dill with potatoes, basil with tomatoes - condiments link to specific cuisines (pesto, plum sauce and pomegranate molasses to Mediterranean, Chinese and Middle Eastern dishes respectively).
Like herbs and spices, condiments can spread like wildfire - finding their way into all sorts of nooks and crannies in the kitchen found in cool larders, jammed cupboards and fridge shelves alike.
The joy of condiments is the nuances they bring to your favourite foods. Safflower oil with apple cider vinegar and a touch of lime juice delivers if you want something bright and acidic. Vegetable oil with rice vinegar, soy sauce and white miso takes you into a different direction (emollient and umami).
The condiments you want to store in your kitchen are:
Salts
Oils
Vinegars
Mustards
Sauces and Pastes
Preserves.
What these give you are concentrated shots of flavour- sometimes delicate (cider vinegar over a pear salad) - and a range of condiments that suit your Go-To and Magical Foods - which you can use as an add-on (mayo) or a partner (a walnut-based dressing over beets and feta cheese).
Salts and oils and vinegars can be added both after and/or during cooking
Mustards, sauces and pastes are typically added after cooking - mayo, ketchup, pesto, wasabi
Other sauces and pastes are typically added during cooking - soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, tahini - with an extra shake over the dish at the end for emphasis
CONDIMENTS Payoffs
Adding concentrated shots of flavour to all types of dishes: savoury, sweet, delicate, robust. It is one way of food layering, where you add different but complementary flavours to give dishes more depth and authenticity.
Condiments added to dishes after cooking have a dual purpose: introducing new flavours and tastes, but also colours and textures. White sushi paired with green wasabi, for example.