Condiment


Jason from Traverse City called in to get an opinion on an ongoing difference that he is having with his wife. He thinks that the term condiment should be limited to catsup, mustard, pickle relish, salt, pepper, and items of that nature. His wife’s definition is much broader, including salsa, hummus, hot sauce, gravy, and so on. Sorry, Jason: I have to side with your wife after a few forays into dictionaries.

Huffpost Taste says that, "the world of condiments reaches far beyond ketchup, and even much further than your mustards and relishes. It's a vast and varied terrain of flavor-boosters, from fiery hot sauce to cooling tahini."

The Oxford English Dictionary defines condiment as “anything of pronounced flavour used to season or give relish to food, or to stimulate the appetite.” In the original Latin, condiment involved preserving or pickling. A later figurative application refers to anything that adds zest to a situation.

The Power Thesaurus includes as synonyms chutney, salad dressing, applesauce, mayonnaise, radish, broth, vinegar, and gravy. Relish is a common synonym. It came from an Anglo-Norman word that meant residue or remainder. In America, it is usually assigned to a sauce made of chopped pickles.

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