# What condiments do other cultures and nations use that may seem odd to north Americans **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774 "2011-12-19T21:43:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/141 "2011-12-23T14:40:11Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > A novel twist on the “British food sucks” theme. You’re saying that it sounds too… _nice_? What would you suggest? “Bacon processed by industrial machinery”? “Turkey from unknown source”? > > If you’re saying that it sounds a bit chi-chi and la-di-da, well, yes it does. Pret kind of has that reputation over here too. We do also have regular sandwich shops selling good old-fashioned ham sandwiches. Not “corn-fed Norfolk ham”, just ham. When they say “Beech Smoked Bacon”, it also brings to mind the differences between American and British Bacon, is it Beech Smoked Belly Bacon in the American style or English Back bacon? I couldn’t be sure of what I am getting there because of the English influence. And hell, if their model is healthy n’ fresh, I’d rather have local American Turkey than British Turkey that might have come in on a boat or plane. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/142 "2011-12-23T14:45:58Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > What I’m saying, is that, self respecting Americans want Hickory Smoked Bacon and American Turkey. Anything else just seems substandard… not fancy. I see. Their [US menu](http://www.pret.com/us/menu/sandwiches) does in fact specify such all-American ingredients as Niman Ranch Smoked Ham and New York Cheddar. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/143 "2011-12-23T15:10:32Z")
I just saw a picture of the [inside of one of their stores](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pret_a_Manger_Strand.JPG) on the Wikipedia page and I was surprised to see that it essentially seems to be an expensive [Automat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat). I thought this was a made to order sandwich shop more in the style of a a deli or Nordsee… surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/144 "2011-12-23T15:14:10Z")
In Bengali culture, the standard table condiments are – - Salt - Lime wedges - Achar (spicy oil-preserved pickles, such as chili pickles or mango pickles or lime pickles) In my family, it is also standard to have on the table - guava jelly - spicy ketchup (such as Maggi Hot and Sweet Tomato Ketchup) ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/145 "2011-12-23T15:15:56Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > oh, yes, he’s a wanker, too. But I know what I mean and what I am writing, Sweetheart… he’s a (English Food Nazi and Health) wank. You sure? In my thirty seven years of being British, the only times I’ve ever come across (guffaw) people referring to someone as “a wank” has been foreigners, mostly American, getting their British slang all mixed up. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/146 "2011-12-23T15:40:45Z")
No, it’s like a wonk-only British, my coinage… you call us “Yanks”, I call you “Wanks”. He is a self-righteous, buggered, little Healthwank. And besides I really wanted to call him a “C **t" or a "T** t”, but I already got in trouble for that, so I was self censoring and being, mild and creative, all at the same time. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/147 "2011-12-23T15:43:34Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > A number of US entrepreneurs have tried to add some variety to ketchup, but these efforts have largely failed. Americans appear to want their ketchup to be the same, everywhere & all the time. Which means Heinz or Heinz-like, it seems. > > [the Ketchup conundrum](http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_09_06_a_ketchup.html): More than you’ll want to know about trying to market specialty ketchups. I’ve noticed fancy artisan ketchups have become trendy lately, but it’s mostly something made by small producers and restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/148 "2011-12-23T15:56:44Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I see. Their [US menu](http://www.pret.com/us/menu/sandwiches) does in fact specify such all-American ingredients as Niman Ranch Smoked Ham and New York Cheddar. I see, I went to their mainpage which had the dot /us/ apellation and saw a much different, and apparently British menu. My Bad. But still, I imagine those are some of the differences that they had to deal with in formulating their American Menu, to come back to your point. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/149 "2011-12-23T15:58:27Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I just saw a picture of the [inside of one of their stores](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pret_a_Manger_Strand.JPG) on the Wikipedia page and I was surprised to see that it essentially seems to be an expensive [Automat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat). I thought this was a made to order sandwich shop more in the style of a a deli or Nordsee… surprised me. We visited Pret many times while in London on vacation a few years ago and loved them. The turnover in the sandwiches is rapid and the staff come out often to take away sandwiches that have been out too long. We found their sandwiches to be tasty, convenient and quite affordable. I wonder if their problem with their “salad” sandwiches in the US stems from Americans’ germophobia when it comes to mayo. Many many people in the US are horrified by the notion that mayo might be “sitting out” and becoming poisonous enough to kill you if you even think about eating it. It’s an overblown fear that annoys me often. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/150 "2011-12-23T16:06:00Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I wonder if their problem with their “salad” sandwiches in the US stems from Americans’ germophobia when it comes to mayo. Many many people in the US are horrified by the notion that mayo might be “sitting out” and becoming poisonous enough to kill you if you even think about eating it. It’s an overblown fear that annoys me often. 🙂 I think it more likely that, by local law in NYC, calorie counts for each individual item must be posted adjacent to the price label; tons of mayo sends calories through the roof and Pret sandwiches are ridiculously caloric already (seriously, how does a sandwhich made of a few slices of roast beef, some shreds of parmesan, and greens have 580 calories? WTH is in that bread?). Also, I pretty much rage out at their slogan “Pret a Manger means Just Made.” No, it doesn’t. It means “ready to eat.” Yes, yes, it’s just a slogan but it annoys me with its counterfactuality, ok? All that said, its ok for fast food. Needlessly posh, expensive, and Britishy, but ok. The do donate a lot to Second Harvest, so at least they aren’t total bastards. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/151 "2011-12-23T16:08:42Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Also, I pretty much rage out at their slogan “Pret a Manger means Just Made.” No, it doesn’t. It means “ready to eat.” Does Fosters’ “Australian for Beer” slogan make you “rage out” as much. I mean, seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/152 "2011-12-23T16:15:39Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Does Fosters’ “Australian for Beer” slogan make you “rage out” as much. I mean, seriously. “Australian” is not a foreign language word capable of translation into English. Well, maybe to some 😛 ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/153 "2011-12-23T17:34:18Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Does Fosters’ “Australian for Beer” slogan make you “rage out” as much. I mean, seriously. It makes **me** rage out. “Fosters” is Australian for “dingo piss.” ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/154 "2011-12-23T19:25:32Z")
I once drank Fosters tankard, ironically, in the 90’s on 1$ special. Much like the 12 oz. cans of PBR in the “naught O’s”. Think you can get a Big Boy of Fosters for around 2 or 3 dollars at a bar, these days. In- flay-shun and Spek-u- lay-shun. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/155 "2011-12-23T19:38:07Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Eating it off the spoon. DUH. Oooh, all hoity-toity are we! Too elegant to eat PB off the knife like an 'onest man! ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/156 "2011-12-23T19:46:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Oooh, all hoity-toity are we! Too elegant to eat PB off the knife like an 'onest man! You had knives? Luxury! we had to use a stick we found by the side of the road. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/157 "2011-12-23T20:47:27Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Tunnbrödsrulle. > > Sausage, mashed potato, lettuce, some seasoning, mustard, ketchup and shrimp salad, all wrapped up in a thin bread wrap thing. > > Awesomesauce. > > [http://urbanpilgrimblog.com/2010/05/19/weird-swedish-food-tunnbrodsrulle/](http://urbanpilgrimblog.com/2010/05/19/weird-swedish-food-tunnbrodsrulle/) That scares me. I’m married to a man who likes lutefisk, and that scares me. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/158 "2011-12-23T21:01:11Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > You had knives? > > Luxury! we had to use a stick we found by the side of the road. Ooohhhh, a stick. We used to long for a stick. It’a been like the Queen’s silver to us. We had to lick peanut butter off side of road. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/159 "2011-12-23T21:23:36Z")
Englishman living in California here… > [@Jennyrosity](#): > > Why wouldn’t you want butter on your ham sandwich? What were you using to make it moist if not butter? I played one of those guessing games not long after I arrived here where you have to get the other folks to guess your secret word. My word was “butter”. I went with a thousand frantic variations of “you put it on bread when you make a sandwich” and everyone stared me like I was an idiot. When I finally revealed the answer they were like “Yuck! You put butter on your sandwiches?” I thought I had entered the twilight zone. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/160 "2011-12-24T21:52:11Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Wow. I like mayo on a sandwich as much as the next (American), but that seems like overkill. Mayo’s good, in moderation. You’ve never had a chicken or tuna salad sandwich? Done correctly, you aren’t going to taste the mayo. It just acts like a glue that keeps the various ingredients together. Oh, and I never use mayo with wet ingredients. I know why I should (thanks to Alton Brown), but I usually deal with this by either eating the sandwich right away, or by toasting the bread, so that it only at most softens to regular bread consistency. Maybe if I had a homemade, super-thin mayo, I’d do it. But store bought mayo just adds to much flavor. And, unless I melt it and brush it on, butter’s even worse about giving you way too much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774.md?page=9)