A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavor, to enhance the flavor,[1] or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is served separately from the food and is added to taste by the diner.
Condiments are sometimes added prior to serving, for example, in a sandwich made with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise. Some condiments are used during cooking to add flavor or texture: barbecue sauce, compound butter, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, Marmite and sour cream are examples.
Many condiments, such as mustard or ketchup, are available in single-serving packets, commonly when supplied with take-out or fast food meals.
Definition
The exact definition of a condiment varies. Some definitions encompass spices and herbs, including salt and pepper,[2] using the term interchangeably with seasoning.[3] Others restrict the definition to include only "prepared food compound[s], containing one or more spices", which are added to food after the cooking process, such as mustard, ketchup or mint sauce.[3]
Etymology
The term condiment comes from the Latin condimentum, meaning "spice, seasoning, sauce" and from the Latin condire, meaning "preserve, pickle, season".[4] The term originally described pickled or preserved foods, but its meaning has changed over time.[5]
History
Condiments were known in Ancient Rome, India, Greece and China. There is a myth that before food preservation techniques were widespread, pungent spices and condiments were used to make the food more palatable,[6] but this claim is not supported by any evidence or historical record.[7] The Romans made the condiments garum and liquamen by crushing the innards of various fish and then fermenting them in salt, resulting in a liquid containing glutamic acid, suitable for enhancing the flavor of food. The popularity of these sauces led to a flourishing condiment industry.[4] Apicius, a cookbook based on fourth and fifth century cuisine, contains a section based solely on condiments.[4]
List of condiments
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Market
Template:Globalize In the United States, the market for condiments was US$5.6 billion in 2010 and was estimated to grow to US$7 billion by 2015.[8] The condiment market is the second largest in specialty foods behind that of cheese.[8]
Gallery
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Chrain (horseradish sauce)
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Ajika, spicy sauce in Caucasian cuisine
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Packets of duck sauce
See also
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- Condiments by country (category)
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References
Citations
- ↑ Merriam-Webster: Definition of condiment
- ↑ Collins: Definition Condiment
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Template:Harvnb
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Template:Harvnb
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- ↑ Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Yale University Press(2008). ISBN 978-0-300-21131-3
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Spreading the Love, Sax, David. Bloomberg Businessweek(October 7, 2010). Retrieved 9 October 2010.
Sources
- Collins: Definition Condiment. Collins Dictionary(n.d.). Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- Spices, Condiments and Seasonings{{#if:Farrell|, Farrell}. Aspen Publishers(1990). ISBN 9780834213371
- Merriam-Webster: Definition of condiment. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
- De Condimentis, Nealon, Tom. HiLobrow(7 September 2010). Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- The Oxford companion to American food and drink{{#if:Smith|, Smith}. Oxford University Press(May 1, 2007). ISBN 978-0-19-530796-2
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