America’s most commonly-used condiments
When thinking about the foods you’ve eaten during your studies in online chef courses, what did you put on top of them? Think you can you guess the most commonly-used condiments? You may not use them because of your superior seasoning skills, but the rest of the country loves to slather sauces and other toppers on just about any food. Here are some of the most popular:
Mayonnaise
Creamy, eggy mayonnaise is in a perpetual fight for the most-used condiment in the U.S. Made with oil and eggs, this tasty concoction is often added to sandwiches, salads, and dips.
Ketchup
This tomato sauce is added to fries, onion rings, sandwiches, meatloaf, hot dogs and more. Many people even say the food item they’re eating with it is just a vehicle for the ketchup.
Soy sauce
Another oft-used condiment in the U.S. is soy sauce. Made from wheat, salt, water and fermented soy beans, this sauce is popular with Asian dishes, such as stir fry, fried rice and sushi. America is a place of many immigrants, including those of Asian descent, so it’s no wonder this salty condiment is on the list.
Salsa
Take a look in the refrigerator of 10 of your closest friends. Chances are quite a few of them will have some kind of salsa. Be it chunky and bold or pureed, most salsas start with a tomato base. They vary from there, with a simple version consisting of onion, parsley, tomato and jalapenos and less-common versions including fruits like pineapple and mango.
Mustard
In sporting stadiums and event centers across the country, ketchup would not be nearly as loved if it wasn’t also coexisting with mustard. This sauce also comes in many kinds, from typical yellow to Dijon, shallot, sweet and even Roquefort. Mustard is a topping for ballpark franks and backyard burgers, and even makes a seriously good marinade for pork and beef roasts.
Hot sauce
We all have that one friend that eats every meal with a hefty helping of hot sauce. They may use Sriracha, Tabasco or another brand, but all of these condiments have one thing in common: heat. Some have a more sweet aftertaste and less of a kick, whereas others are meant to knock your socks off. Whatever version you choose, just be sure you can taste the food’s underlying flavors. You don’t want to just burn your tongue and bypass the dish underneath the sauce.
