When it comes to the holiday season, we can come across a lot of dead ends when thinking about what to gift our loved ones. What better idea than to give something as useful, tasty, and dynamic as condiments? Here’s your guide to the best condiments to give, and some suggestions on what foods to pair them with:
1. Sriracha
When it comes to all things spice, one of the first things that come to mind is sriracha sauce. With its roots stemming from Si Racha, Thailand in 1949, sriracha has since become one of the most versatile condiments in the world of food, with a simple, yet refined spicy garlicky pepper taste. Due to this, sriracha really pairs with anything and adds spice to foods without majorly altering the taste. In the U.S. during the 2010s, sriracha’s popularity skyrocketed to the point that there was a shortage at some point. Nevertheless, with all the hype in the U.S. surrounding this spicy sauce, it’s almost a no-brainer to include it in this list.
2. Truff
For a more flavorful type of spicy sauce to pair with your food, Truff can come to the rescue. Created fairly recently in 2017 by Nick Ajluni and Nick Guillen, Truff is a truffle-based hot sauce condiment that adds a nuttier, intense flavor stemming from truffle, as its name suggests. Much like sriracha, this condiment really can pair with anything. However, since Truff does have its own distinct truffle-infused flavor, pairing the sauce with milder dishes, like canned oysters, makes for a simple, yet refined mid-day snack.
3. Chick-Fil-A Sauce
Not into spice? Here’s a suggestion: Chick-fil-A sauce. Created by the popular fast food franchise Chick-fil-A, their signature Chick-fil-A sauce is created with familiar staple ingredients that can be found in our pantries. Back in a 2012 tweet, Chick-fil-A revealed that their condiment is actually made from honey mustard, ranch, and barbecue sauce. Sweet, tangy, and smoky, this creamy sauce goes perfectly with fried and crispy chicken dishes, a favorite of the Chick-fil-A franchise.
4. Sweet Chili Sauce
Much like Sriracha sauce, sweet chili sauce shares its origin in Thailand and is popular in Asian dishes. Used mainly as a dipping sauce for chicken, vegetables, and fish, sweet chili sauce offers a familiar sweet and sour flavor from the sweetener and vinegar, but with mild some spice from the pepper flakes scattered throughout. When looking for something sweet, but still has a little “kick” to it, sweet chili sauce is the way to go.
5. Tartar Sauce
When it comes to all things seafood, tartar sauce is definitely a go-to. Although sources differ about the true origins of tartar sauce, it is said to have been created in France as sauce tartare. With the main ingredients of mayo, pickles, capers, and herbs, tartar sauce creates a creamy, thick condiment that adds some tart tanginess to seafood dishes, like cod, salmon, shrimp, and haddock.
6. Peter Luger Steak House Old-fashioned Sauce
Not a seafood fan? Not a problem. The Peter Luger Steak House Old-fashioned Sauce is here to save the day. Originally opened in 1887, the Peter Luger Steak House is an NYC classic, even earning itself a Michelin star as proof of its glory. No matter how far you are from the big city, this steak house makes it possible to bring a taste to your home through its sauce, which is sold in grocery stores or online. Featuring a slightly sweet and tangy flavor, this sauce pairs well with steak, hamburgers, chicken, and more.
So, when it comes to gift-giving, it’s easy to see from above just how easy, useful, and all-encompassing condiments can be. Gifted by themselves or as stocking stuffers, these condiments are sure to make your loved ones (as well as their tummies!) happy.