# Foods/condiments you ONLY like when combined with something else **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183 "2011-02-13T02:25:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/1 "2011-02-13T02:25:40Z")
I’m not a big fan of mustard generally, but a pastrami sandwich just doesn’t taste right without it. They work beautifully together - yet I’ll avoid mustard in most other situations. Do you have any foods or condiments that you normally don’t like yet you not only tolerate but actually enjoy when combined with some other specific food? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/2 "2011-02-13T02:28:25Z")
Tonic water is bitter swill but add some ice, a lime and some vodka or gin and it’s wonderful. Hell, it even works with tequila. Let me turn that around. Add some tonic to your vodka or gin. Not trying to make a joke, but a weak vodka/gin and tonic tastes pretty terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/3 "2011-02-13T05:01:00Z")
Mayonnaise is just awful, unless a part of tuna, potato, or macaroni salad. Egg salad too. Joe ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/4 "2011-02-13T05:09:31Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Mayonnaise is just awful, unless a part of tuna, potato, or macaroni salad. Egg salad too. > > Joe Same here, add turkey sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/5 "2011-02-13T05:19:12Z")
Olives are only good soaked in gin. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/6 "2011-02-13T05:50:41Z")
Mayo…I eat it on sammiches, but I rarely eat sammiches. - Peanut Butter…I can’t recall the last time I ate a peanut butter sammich. At most, I eat a spoonful or two a year cause it sounds good. - Pickles…I like them enough, just rarely think about eating them. Put them all together in a peanut butter, pickle and mayo sammich, however, and I will eat them until whichever ingredient runs out first. 😛 Oh, and on the drink angle…I typically ahve a bottle of angustura bitters around, simply to add to 7-UP, which is another thing I don’t drink hardly ever, except in this combination. Beats any ginger ale, ever, except maybe Vernors. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/7 "2011-02-13T05:58:13Z")
I only eat mustard if it’s on a hot dog, and then it has to be a brown, spicy, or dijon. Never that bright-yellow, French’s crap. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/8 "2011-02-13T07:48:21Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Same here, add turkey sandwiches. Nah, it has to be part of a matrix, not slathered on. Blech. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/9 "2011-02-13T14:34:47Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I only eat mustard if it’s on a hot dog, and then it has to be a brown, spicy, or dijon. Never that bright-yellow, French’s crap. Opposite for me. I use brown mustards on a variety of things, but only the bright yellow stuff works on hot dogs, and hot dogs are the only thing it works on. I’m not sure condiments should count. Their very definition is that they are combined with other foods. Pickles for me. Lots of people eat them plain. I’ll only eat them on a cheeseburger. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/10 "2011-02-13T14:36:36Z")
Can’t stand spinach. Only tolerate artichokes. But put them together in some Spinach Artichoke dip, and YUM! ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/11 "2011-02-13T16:07:42Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Mayonnaise is just awful, unless a part of tuna, potato, or macaroni salad. Egg salad too. > > Joe Nah. Tuna. Just tuna. Vile stuff otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/12 "2011-02-13T16:21:14Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Mayonnaise is just awful, unless a part of tuna, potato, or macaroni salad. Egg salad too. > > Joe > [@runner pat](#): > > Same here, add turkey sandwiches. Both of these…except for me it’s on Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/13 "2011-02-13T17:52:33Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Tonic water is bitter swill but add some ice, a lime and some vodka or gin and it’s wonderful. Hell, it even works with tequila. I don’t mind tonic water, but it’s not something I would generally drink on its own. Same thing with gin. But together with a bit of lime? I don’t know what happens, but it’s some kind of beverage alchemy. Turns into the perfect summer drink. ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/14 "2011-02-13T18:10:00Z")
LOL about the tonic water. I love it straight up, and if there is a blacklight nearby, the stuff fluoresces eerily. People really get disturbed to see me drink something that looks like nuclear waste dump seepage. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/15 "2011-02-13T18:10:29Z")
By definition, condiments are meant to be eaten with something else. You don’t really hear of people sitting down to a nice bowl of mayonnaise. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/16 "2011-02-13T19:12:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > By definition, condiments are meant to be eaten with something else. You don’t really hear of people sitting down to a nice bowl of mayonnaise. > [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](#): > > I’m not sure condiments should count. Their very definition is that they are combined with other foods. Yeah, I should have been more clear in the OP. What I meant is that you only like them combined with something _specific_. Like in my case I’ll put mustard on a pastrami sandwich but nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/17 "2011-02-13T19:17:42Z")
Anyone see the Zimern food show with the mayo milk shake in Japan? Blech! Maybe a little mustard would have made it palatable? ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/18 "2011-02-13T20:07:21Z")
I can’t stand tomatoes on their own, but I love all kinds of tomato-based sauces. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/19 "2011-02-13T21:53:13Z")
I only put A-1 sauce on burgers. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183/20 "2011-02-13T21:56:06Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > By definition, condiments are meant to be eaten with something else. You don’t really hear of people sitting down to a nice bowl of mayonnaise. When I was a kid I’d heat up ketchup in the microwave and eat it with my fingers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-condiments-you-only-like-when-combined-with-something-else/571183.md?page=2)