# The Third Condiment - what should it be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [June 25, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091 "2023-06-25T19:48:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [June 27, 2023, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/61 "2023-06-27T01:47:25Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Or Tapatio, which doesn’t use vinegar. Whaddaya mean? It says “acetic acid” on the label, but close enough. ---
**Author:** ![Blindmellowjelly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindmellowjelly/32/13920_2.png) [@Blindmellowjelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blindmellowjelly)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/62 "2023-06-27T03:05:29Z")
This is easy and quite pre/ historic. Cominos was the third medieval spice. Cumin, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/63 "2023-06-27T03:31:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > but the true jewel of Middle Eastern condiments is amba. I’ve tried so hard to appreciate amba sauce, but have failed. Is there a particular brand you can recommend? Or maybe I’m just not pairing it with the right complementary dish? ---
**Author:** ![Blindmellowjelly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindmellowjelly/32/13920_2.png) [@Blindmellowjelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blindmellowjelly)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/64 "2023-06-27T04:19:24Z")
Nutmeg was also the most komplett spice, from few countrjes, the rar. Fully used from fruit jam, to nut, mace and pit. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CT8Yuxaauzc/maxresdefault.jpg "Meet The NUTMEG MAN | The Nutmeg Farm Tour | Amazing Health Benefits Of Jamaican Nutmegs") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT8Yuxaauzc) ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/65 "2023-06-27T06:50:57Z")
Beer. No other ingredients required. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/66 "2023-06-27T07:14:39Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Snooty steakhouse? Maybe A1 / Worcestershire, but more likely (at least where I live) chimichurri and other pesto-like products. I’ve been to snooty steakhouses. They typically won’t have A1 or Worcestershire (or anything similar that can be purchased in a supermarket), because “our chef’s cooking is so exquisite that it doesn’t need to be complemented by a sauce.” However, if you insist, the waitperson will helpfully suggest the “house steak sauce,” which is on the menu along with the bearnaise sauce and the peppercorn sauce. Note that each sauce costs $6 at least, while dropping a bottle of A1 or Worcestershire on the table costs nothing (to you, anyway). Note that I have nothing against “snooty steakhouses.” I’ve had some great steaks in them, and thoroughly enjoyed them. They typically have extensive wine lists, a great selection of wines by the glass, and the know-how to make a good dry gin martini as a pre-dinner cocktail. The chef’s skills at cooking steaks are indeed exquisite, and worth every penny. Such steakhouses are expensive, though, and a rare treat. But nice when I can! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/67 "2023-06-27T12:14:47Z")
_ **The Third Condiment** _ works well as a title, really drawing my interest. A novella by Stephen King? Gruesome. A mystery by Agatha Christie? I’m thinking HP Sauce involved. A jazz piece by The YellowJackets? Sounds cool. A Frederick Forsyth WWII novel? I’m in. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2023, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/68 "2023-06-27T12:20:48Z")
Easy peasy. For condiment, hot sauce. For spice to go with the salt and pepper, hot pepper. Those would both get used by far the most by me. Runners up: brown sauce (HP, Daddy’s) for condiment; MSG for “spice.” ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/69 "2023-06-27T12:28:38Z")
Good one! How about “And Then There Were Three…_Condiments_”? Leaving now. 👋🏽 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/70 "2023-06-27T15:08:52Z")
What are they trying to do, trick me? It doesn’t taste like vinegar. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2023, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/71 "2023-06-27T15:09:53Z")
I can’t think of any hot sauce without vinegar off the top of my head. Maybe citrus juice instead of vinegar, but they all pretty much have some sort of acid, usually acetic. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/72 "2023-06-27T15:20:08Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > There is no “third”. I agree because salt and pepper are the closest to being universally used. Things like sugar, mayo, mustard, ketchup, sugar, etc. are only used on certain types of food. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/73 "2023-06-27T16:06:09Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Things like sugar, mayo, mustard, ketchup, sugar, etc. are only used on certain types of food. At least we like to think so. I didn’t notice people dipping their fries in Mayo until Pulp Fiction came out. And some god-awful people put ketchup on everything. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/74 "2023-06-27T16:08:44Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > I didn’t notice people dipping their fries in Mayo until Pulp Fiction came out. And some god-awful people put ketchup on everything. Um … … … 🤢 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/75 "2023-06-27T16:12:35Z")
Don’t tell the Belgians. Europe is where I learned how excellent fries can be with **good** mayo. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/76 "2023-06-27T16:36:32Z")
As the Dutch and Belgians never tire of telling me. That fritessaus, not mayo. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/77 "2023-06-27T16:40:37Z")
Nobody has mentioned Jamaican Ketchup yet? ([Pickapeppa Sauce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickapeppa_Sauce)) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/78 "2023-06-27T16:43:08Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Europe is where I learned how excellent fries can be with **good** mayo. The French Caribbean is where I learned that frites with mayo go well with moules. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/79 "2023-06-27T16:48:17Z")
The OP (and many others) seem to be reaching for [umami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami). Why not soy sauce, or if we’re doing dry spices, then MSG? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091/80 "2023-06-27T16:49:06Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > I’ve seen this thread over the past few days and each time I’ve read it as “The Third **CONTINENT** - what should it be?” > > You’re not alone, I keep misreading that way too. I suspect there are many others who do as well. Realistically, the Americas are just one chunk of dirt (ignoring the Panama Canal) and that’s true as well for the Africa/Eurasian landmass (ignoring the Suez Canal). If we mark those down as the first two, I believe that the third would be Antarctica. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-condiment-what-should-it-be/986091.md?page=5)