Favourite condiments (mustards, sauces, chutneys, etc)

[NameAlreadyTaken]

We’ve got the hot sauce thread for any chilli sauce related discoveries, but I want to hear your favourite condiments and what you eat them on.
All contributions welcome!
Always interested in new discoveries.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Some of my pantry favourites:

From left:
- Taiwanese chilli bean paste - awesome flavour on anything rice or pork related.
- Japanese roasted sesame oil - great for finishing
- my favourite soy sauce to date - great all round flavour - not too strong, but only for dipping, not for using as an ingredient (got cheaper stuff for cooking with)
- French made Dijon (although I think Japanese owned? And when it says French made I don’t think it’s made in Burgundy from Burgundy grown seeds) - used mainly for sandwiches and vinaigrettes - the kids favourite mustard at the moment
- my favourite German mustard at the moment - not hot, but great savoury flavour for a sausage
- Amba sauce - this is quite addictive despite being aggressively pungent. I went through a sabich phase last year and discovered this magic ingredient. I now make a home made version that’s less aggressive to my taste buds but if you haven’t tried it, it’s worth a shot, likewise if you get a chance for a good sabich, give it a crack.

@Michi - I know the Germans take their mustard almost as seriously as their sausages, so interested in recommendations for other European mustards I should try or a Bavarian sweet brown mustard for weisswurst (just can’t find a good one locally).

 

[Michi]

@Michi - I know the Germans take their mustard almost as seriously as their sausages, so interested in recommendations for other European mustards I should try or a Bavarian sweet brown mustard for weisswurst (just can’t find a good one locally).

The Kühne medium mustard is fine. Another option is Develey. (Kühne and Develey are about the same as far as quality is concerned. Minor difference in taste, you have to try them to see which one you like better.)

The best Weißwurstsenf is Händlmaier, without question. It's available at Amazon.

Another German hot mustard worth trying is Löwensenf Extra. Also available at Amazon. I believe it is no longer as hot as it used to be half a century ago. Either that, or my taste buds are burning out.

For a really hot mustard, try Colman's Hot English Mustard.

The Maille Dijon mustard is good, I use it a lot. But I also recommend checking out the various Dijon mustards by Edmon Fallot. As well as plain Dijon mustard, they make versions with grains, horseradish, walnuts, pinot noir, and more. They are all excellent.

 

[panda]

mix colman's with maille whole grain mustard and mayo.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Awesome recommendations!

 

[1315]

I logged into this and was going to say, "Waiting for @Michi.", but I'm already too late!
Your food posts rock!

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

mix colman's with maille whole grain mustard and mayo.

That’s a good point about mayo. My on the reg is the Japanese Kewpie Mayo (less sugar than the store bought mayos here), which I’ve been cutting a few different ways:
Mayo + lemon juice + pepper + prepared horseradish (kren) = surprisingly good salad dressing
Mayo + lemon juice + pepper + fresh dill = awesome salad cream for a chicken sandwich with shredded iceberg, Swiss cheese and gerkins

I’ll need to experiment with mustard combos.

 

[MarcelNL]

OMG, we already have 2 fridge shelves full.....I see more coming

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

OMG, we already have 2 fridge shelves full.....I see more coming

What are your faves at the moment?
We’re all friends here……

 

[MarcelNL]

What are your faves at the moment?
We’re all friends here……

I'll dig them out....and do a picture of shame ;-)

 

[Corradobrit1]

Two of my favs

​

 

[MarcelNL]

faves first.

 

[aporigine]

The Kühne medium mustard is fine. Another option is Develey. (Kühne and Develey are about the same as far as quality is concerned. Minor difference in taste, you have to try them to see which one you like better.)

The best Weißwurstsenf is Händlmaier, without question. It's available at Amazon.

Another German hot mustard worth trying is Löwensenf Extra. Also available at Amazon. I believe it is no longer as hot as it used to be half a century ago. Either that, or my taste buds are burning out.

For a really hot mustard, try Colman's Hot English Mustard.

The Maille Dijon mustard is good, I use it a lot. But I also recommend checking out the various Dijon mustards by Edmon Fallot. As well as plain Dijon mustard, they make versions with grains, horseradish, walnuts, pinot noir, and more. They are all excellent.

I will need to try the Händlmaier!

For German sausage — indeed any — the one true manna from heaven is Mautner Markhof Kremser Senf. Sadly, the online prices are stupid high (staring you down, Bezos.)

It’s sweet, mild and has a flavor that the Bavarian pretenders just cannot touch. Omg with Bratwurst and any other boiled sausage.
Divine with simple grilled/roasted pork.

On the not-sweet side, same brand Estragon is no slouch.

 

[MarcelNL]

I will need to try the Händlmaier!

For German sausage — indeed any — the one true manna from heaven is Mautner Markhof Kremser Senf. Sadly, the online prices are stupid high (staring you down, Bezos.)

It’s sweet, mild and has a flavor that the Bavarian pretenders just cannot touch. Omg with Bratwurst and any other boiled sausage.
Divine with simple grilled/roasted pork.

On the not-sweet side, same brand Estragon is no slouch.

O yes....blast from the past....would you believe I just found these in the little village we currently live in at an Austrian pricepoint?
(even Stiegl Biersenf)

 

[aporigine]

O yes....blast from the past....would you believe I just found these in the little village we currently live in at an Austrian pricepoint?
(even Stiegl Biersenf)

I alternate between vicarious joy and envy.

 

[MarcelNL]

its a ridiculous coincidence, we have a shop in town selling Austrian beds and other things made from 'Zirbenholz', and they happen to import some food stuff.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

I will need to try the Händlmaier!

For German sausage — indeed any — the one true manna from heaven is Mautner Markhof Kremser Senf. Sadly, the online prices are stupid high (staring you down, Bezos.)

It’s sweet, mild and has a flavor that the Bavarian pretenders just cannot touch. Omg with Bratwurst and any other boiled sausage.
Divine with simple grilled/roasted pork.

On the not-sweet side, same brand Estragon is no slouch.

Interesting! I’ll add that on the list to try. Big props for the tube, that’s a great idea.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

faves first.

Awesome! I’m going to need a bigger list!

 

[VincenteFox]

Im very big on sauces and the like. Ill need to check what a few of them are, but... on the asian front, I havent found a chili crisp i like better than lao gan ma. Ive gone through a few different gochujangs looking for a favorite. Top so far may be Bibigo. Housin has always been one of my favorite sauces, but I'm happy with just Lee Kum Kee. I like Bulldog Fruit and Vegetable sauce for something sweet and tangy.

My favorite blue cheese sauce was trader joe's, but they discontinued it a couple years ago.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Hey @Michi - have you found Händlmaier in Aussie stores?
Amazon USA doesn’t seem to ship to Australia and EBay’s shipping costs are exorbitant.

 

[Benuser]

About the Maille Dijon: please be aware the French rules don't apply with their export variant. The home version has a much higher amount of mustard seed.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

About the Maille Dijon: please be aware the French rules don't apply with their export variant. The home version has a much higher amount of mustard seed.

Oh that’s interesting.
Any other Dijon recommendations?

 

[Benuser]

Oh that’s interesting.
Any other Dijon recommendations?

A small firm in Groningen, the North of the Netherlands, produces a Dijon mustard following the French standards. No idea whether it gets exported.
The name has nothing to do with the Marne river in France, famous for the batlle in WW1. There's a river named Marne in Groningen as well.

 

[Jovidah]

I really can't stand the scent of vinegar (had that problem since birth) so that takes the majority of 'normal' condiments off the table for me.
However... there's plenty of other itneresting things I haven't really seen mentioned yet:
-parmiggiano reggiano
-pomegranate molasses
-kecap manis
-tare sauce

Though generally I try to make and flavor my food in such a way that it doesn't require extra additions.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

With you on the parmiggiano! Totally.
I’ve only recently discovered pomegranate molasses, and it’s one I don’t have a lot of confidence knowing when to use it (other than a wild drizzle over a salad). What do you rock it on most commonly?

 

[Jovidah]

With you on the parmiggiano! Totally.
I’ve only recently discovered pomegranate molasses, and it’s one I don’t have a lot of confidence knowing when to use it (other than a wild drizzle over a salad). What do you rock it on most commonly?

Well yeah mostly salad. A good pomegranate molasses is basically perfect instant dressing without any work.
Also works well with poultry or anywhere else where sweet (or sweet with a hint of sour) would work. But generally speaking I use it on veggies most of the time.
I'm inclined to think it would probably also work reasonably well wherever one would otherwise use balsamico.

 

[aporigine]

I really can't stand the scent of vinegar (had that problem since birth) so that takes the majority of 'normal' condiments off the table for me.
However... there's plenty of other itneresting things I haven't really seen mentioned yet:
-parmiggiano reggiano
-pomegranate molasses
-kecap manis
-tare sauce

Though generally I try to make and flavor my food in such a way that it doesn't require extra additions.

Interesting.

I like a vinegary snap to my mustard.
However the faint butyric/ baby barf smell of Parmigiano repels me.

I wonder if there might be a niche for mustard made with citric acid in place of vinegar. All the flavor, none of the odor (of vinegar.)

 

[Jovidah]

Interesting.

I like a vinegary snap to my mustard.
However the faint butyric/ baby barf smell of Parmigiano repels me.

I wonder if there might be a niche for mustard made with citric acid in place of vinegar. All the flavor, none of the odor (of vinegar.)

My solution for dressings is to just use citrus (lemon, lime or both) for my dressings. Tastes a lot fresher to me anyway. But it's a bit more work to zest and juice lemons than to just toss something from a bottom, hence why I haven't ever seen a restaurant do it.
It would probably work for stuff like mustards, mayonaises and other products that rely on vinegar but I haven't ever seen anyone do it.

 

[HSC /// Knives]

mango pickle
it's not for everyone

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

mango pickle
it's not for everyone

Yeah, this stuff is good. Also like a good lime pickle too, but have had mixed results from my random purchases at the Indian / Asian grocery store. Any specific brands to recommend?