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I have a confession to make. I collect condiments the way other people collect rare books or unusual stamps. I'm always on the lookout for interesting mustards, regional mayonnaise (the trip out to Lancaster County a few weeks ago introduced me to Duke's), funky hot sauces or ethnic flavor enhancers (that bottle of Kecap Manis is an Indonesian condiment I fell in love with the summer I spent in that country. Dark, sticky and sweet, it has no relation to ketchup and is amazing with chicken and rice).
The problem with my condiment collection is that I'm also something of a hoarder. The condiments come in, but rarely do they go out again. I dole them out, horrified at the idea of using the more exotic ones up, because what if I can't find them again?
However, since Scott moved in with me, I've been forced (to a certain degree) to change my ways, because he finds my desire to hang on to aging foodstuffs a little insane and totally disgusting (objectively, I can see his point). So I've been cleaning out, throwing away questionable bottles and jars (the picture you see above is pre-purge).
How about the rest of you? Do you pick up condiments (mustards, vinegars, jellies, chutneys and jams to name a few) as vacation souvenirs? Or are you with Scott and find this practice a little nutty?
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6-05-2008 @1:11PM Monika said... I have an addiction to rare condiments I find in stores, but I also try to use them up when I see that I'm getting too many -- sundried tomato pesto gets thrown into spaghetti sauce, etc.
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6-05-2008 @1:23PM Christine said... I"m with you...I am a condiment hoarder. When our fridge died, I had to get a smaller one (18 vs 20 cu ft) because all the new models wouldn't fit into our 'fridge cubby' built into the wall. Ugh. I had about 20 bottles/jars of interesting things that I had to sort through. However, I've hoarded more...just last week the hubby said "the fridge is full, there's a whole door of condiments I don't even use. Can you clean it up?" What, and throw away my unagi sauce, the two year old bottle of jerk paste, and the 5 different sweet mustards? Ack. Oh well. Better get to cleaning. Now I just make sure to check the 'good by..' dates on the bottles to make sure they're not too old. Found a jar of sun dried tomatoes just yesterday! Yahoo!
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6-05-2008 @1:41PM Richard Ahlquist said... My wife has put it in no uncertain terms that my ability to walk hinges on me not bringing home anymore condiments. I do use them albeit with so many I do it slowly.
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6-05-2008 @1:52PM Gobo said... When I moved in with my housemates, my condiment collection (in its own travel cooler) filled a whole shelf of the fridge. I was forced to weed it out to a serviceable level. But I've got a few that I hate to use; they're precious! ---
Champs Herbes de Provence Mustard
New Orleans "Jazz" Garlic Hot Sauce
Montgomery Inn BBQ Sauce from Cincinnati
HP Curry Sauce... hard to find!
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6-05-2008 @2:04PM James Gess said... i make a point in my travels of checking the grocery stores. ifound dukes mayo in south carolina. i make a point of telling anyone who will listen, that is the best mayo you can get
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6-06-2008 @8:26AM Patrick R said... I've never done it traveling, but I do tend to buy a lot of sauces and condiments. I even have the same bottle of Kecap Manis around, as well as another brand of more-or-less the same thing.
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6-05-2008 @2:32PM Larry Davenport said... I am the same way. I have been in the hospital now since last August and will be getting out soon. The first thing I am going to do is replace all my condiments (I had dozens) which my friends got rid of when they put my stuff in storage. Some of the condiments will be easy (Makers Mark Sauce), some I'll have to order off the net (Smith & Wollensky Steak Sauce), and some will be downright impossible to find because I can't remember the name of the sauce (it had the word Hamburger in the title and looked like 1000 Island, but didn't taste like it).
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6-05-2008 @2:39PM GL said... Hot sauce, bbq, mustards...I love them all. I do use them, but I always find it hard to use the last of anything.
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6-05-2008 @8:58PM Adriane said... Around here we have a name for this- Condementia.
"Condimentia. You may not have heard of this mental affliction, but probably know someone who suffers from it. Unlike regular dementia, where the victim loses track of reality, condimentia seems to attack the part of the brain that controls our sense of how many bottles and jars will fit in the refrigerator. Chronic sufferers are unable to gauge appropriate quantities of marinades, mustards, jams, salad dressings and the like, and are believed by their loved ones to have a hoarding mentality. Never content with using up what they have, these poor souls keep adding more and more types until the railing in their fridge doors buckle and crusty little jars fall off the top shelf every time they open the door. Although there is no known cure, the behavior can be modified by gentle and supportive team culling of the fridge ("remember, we didn't like this one", e.g.). Some caregivers have also been successful with setting limits and providing consequences for those in the early stages of the condition. " [ http://www.woodstockfarmersmarket.com/condiments.aspx ]
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6-05-2008 @7:37PM Ami said... today during my lunch break i went to my local farmers market (every thurs may-nov) ummm came across some pear ginger preserves! i was sooo tempted, but its one of those things i'll use about 3 times and forget about, sigh, well he's there every thursday, i think i'll head back :-)...
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6-05-2008 @4:28PM Alex said... You don't have to go to Lancaster for Duke's mayo. You can find it in Giant stores. As well as in various stores in 17 other states. And they sell it on-line.
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6-05-2008 @7:47PM Nicole said... I am definately a condiment/sauce hoarder and I find it hard to throw them out too!!!
And, I LOE ketjap manis...so jummy!
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6-05-2008 @9:34PM hallahallahalla8 said... I totally hoard condiments. It's spilled over from the fridge door now, and is taking over the top shelf. Luckily, my S/O doesn't go near condiments other than ketchup and bbq sauce, so there's no danger of them being thrown out!
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6-06-2008 @1:09PM Ly La said... Actually, kecap does have a relation to ketchup, it being the precursor to ketchup, evolutionarily speeking.
"Ketchup-like sauces originated in Asia as a fish sauce, long before anyone outside the Americas had ever seen a tomato. The word "ketchup" comes from the Malay / Indonesian word kichap or kechap (e.g., kecap manis — Dutch spelling ketjap manis) which itself was derived from the Chinese ke'tsiap. English and Dutch sailors brought the Asian styled ketchup to Europe, where many flavourings, such as mushrooms, anchovies and nuts, were added to the basic fish sauce. Ketchup, as it is eaten today, first appeared in American cookbooks during the early 19th century."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchup
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6-06-2008 @9:53AM Kearns said... I'm a total hoarder too. Mostly mustards, but lately jams and butters (I found cherry butter, yum). Also have Kecap Manis, but I'm cheating my wife is Indonesian. We prefer Kecap Bango brand, though, though ABC brand is my favorite Soy Sauce (Kecap Asin in Indonesian).
And I've had to toss out much of my condiments 1/2 dozen times over the years. It's that or buy more fridges.
Oh, and a mayonaise to try? Kewpie Japanese mayo...
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6-06-2008 @10:31AM ABT said... I don't hoard because I don't like clutter and I don't like to buy what I won't use. That said, I will SAMPLE all the condiments when they're laid out for sampling with little pretzel sticks.
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6-06-2008 @10:47AM Mary said... When we moved into our new house last Oct., we bought a new, big fridge...it has 3 double wide shelves on the door for condiments...etc.....
they're full.....
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6-06-2008 @12:41PM anglematic said... I am a little different than most, I have most of a pantry shelf of Asian condiments, sauces, etc. I must have at least 6 or 8 soy sauces alone.
Then there are chili sauces, chili garlic sauces, bean sauces, fermented whatevers....
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6-06-2008 @7:53PM Jessica said... Mustards. And yes, condiments in general. Me and the boyfriend have finally started co-habitating, and we currently have a mustard _shelf_ in the fridge, as well as a general condiment shelf that is stocked with different salsas, vinegars, sambal, chili sauces, ketchups, everything. It's a condiment smorgasbord! :)
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