# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/161 "2011-12-25T00:01:20Z")
> [@LorieSmurf](#): > > In the USA, Miracle Whippers and Mayonnaisers tend to be in a taste war. If a person likes Miracle Whip, they tend to blech! at mayo and vice versa. Me, I prefer Miracle Whip. I don’t gag at mayo, but I don’t seek it out. > > For some reason in Oklahoma and parts of Texas, “ranch” dressing is a popular condiment, not just for salad, but to dip things in like potato chips, pizza, breadsticks, fries, lots of stuff. It’s weird how that type of salad dressing became popular. Ranch is very popular up here in the Pacific Northwest, too- maybe not for potato products, but definitely for dipping pizza, breadsticks, and/or wings if you’re not putting it on your salad. Oh, and it’s great on baby carrots! ---
**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 25, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/162 "2011-12-25T00:53:22Z")
I think plain old Ranch sucks mightily, but add a bit of BBQ sauce to it and it turns into something wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/163 "2011-12-25T01:11:10Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > Ranch is very popular up here in the Pacific Northwest, too- maybe not for potato products, but definitely for dipping pizza, breadsticks, and/or wings if you’re not putting it on your salad. Oh, and it’s great on baby carrots! Is this not true pretty much everywhere in the U.S.? I’ve had pizza, breadsticks, and wings served to me with ranch dressing in California, Delaware and Michigan. Here in the Bay Area just last night we got pizza from a local chain and the garlic breadsticks came with ranch and marinara. Hooters, a national chain started in Florida, offers ranch or blue cheese with their wings. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/164 "2011-12-25T01:31:59Z")
Ranch is vile. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/165 "2011-12-25T09:50:05Z")
> [@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.” Yes, yes, it’s just a slogan but it annoys me with its counterfactuality, ok? Yea, if that’s their slogan it kind of peeves me too… and just FYI, I had never heard of Pret a Manger until Ximenean brought it up and I googled it. Their google mainpage that appears here in the U.S. somehow took me to their English menu, and I was under the impression that was their franchise-wide menu, including here in the U.S. The menu and webpage also make no allusion to the fact that this isn’t some French-English deli, as I was under the impression. Instead it is a glorified automat or the equivalent of the Stewart sandwiches I can get at a Gas Station. Really, their self serve style in open refrigerator bins isn’t even as interesting as an Automat, it really does seem cheap and scuzzy to me, reminds me of a Gas Station deli in style. You see these open refrigerated units in gas stations where they sell cheap food in sandwhich wedges and plastic contaners like that. I’d go to the Supermarket deli over that, just because of their presentation… that refrigerator presentation may be sleek and modern in Europe, but here, it just reminds me of the sub-optimum. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/166 "2011-12-25T11:14:41Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > it really does seem cheap and scuzzy to me, reminds me of a Gas Station deli in style. You see these open refrigerated units in gas stations where they sell cheap food in sandwhich wedges and plastic contaners like that. I’d go to the Supermarket deli over that, just because of their presentation… that refrigerator presentation may be sleek and modern in Europe, but here, it just reminds me of the sub-optimum. Or if they were really smart and wanted to expand in America and introduce their product, they could bring quality to Gas Station food franchises… perhaps sign contracts with BP gas Stations for sandwich service. Subway has very little competition. The time is right. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/167 "2011-12-25T12:02:11Z")
Hell, they already sold out to McDonald’s and got traded away… says more about them than me. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/168 "2011-12-26T21:19:02Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Is this not true pretty much everywhere in the U.S.? I’ve had pizza, breadsticks, and wings served to me with ranch dressing in California, Delaware and Michigan. > > Here in the Bay Area just last night we got pizza from a local chain and the garlic breadsticks came with ranch and marinara. Hooters, a national chain started in Florida, offers ranch or blue cheese with their wings. Yea, here the local pizza place serves not only ranch and pizza sauce with their cheezybread, but a little tub of garlic butter and their “house sauce”, which I would guess is a concoction of mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, horseradish, and some other things… kind of a modified onion ring or bloomin’ onion sauce. I love their cheezybread because of the 4 sauces that are included. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/169 "2011-12-27T00:59:13Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > … and their “house sauce”, which I would guess is a concoction of mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, horseradish, and some other things… kind of a modified onion ring or bloomin’ onion sauce. Actually, IIRC, and in the interests of being accurate, it is not really bloomin’ onion sauce, it is a smoky and considerably spicy chipotle mayo/sauce. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/170 "2011-12-27T02:49:54Z")
[Cashoo or Kattha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechu) is one that is quite uncommon, or at least little known here and which is sometimes an ingredient in the slightly stimulating and relaxing Betel Nut wraps that arguably border on being a kind of condiment. Betel Nut and betel leaves wrapped together with some slaked lime, and maybe some Kaath, Clove, or Cardamamom seems like it might have some Condi-/Medica -ment qualities. or properties, as a whole, in its usage. Anybody know if there are any condiments that are reputed to have healing or healthful properties traditionally? ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/171 "2011-12-27T13:30:01Z")
The Malaysians and Singaporeans have an interesting breakfast spread known as _Kaya_- it’s coconut jam. I’ve found it in Asian Grocery places here but it’s nowhere near as nice as the stuff you get in Kopitiams in those countries. Australians have Vegemite and New Zealanders have Marmite as well- they’re both savoury yeast spreads generally applied to toast, and also used on crackers and as a sandwich spread. The British have Marmite too, but it’s different to the New Zealand stuff-- albeit with the same application. Most of the fish & chip shops I’ve been in have Tomato Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Vinegar, and sometimes Soy Sauce as condiments. You can also get gravy (and sometimes mushy peas, if you’re lucky!) on chips at sandwich bars, and most places that serve wedges usually have sour cream and/or sweet chilli to go with them in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/172 "2011-12-27T14:00:10Z")
When I was in Malaysia, I enjoyed kaya every day. The stuff is addictive. It’s made with coconut cream, eggs, and sugar. The word _kaya_ literally means ‘rich’. Gee, ya think? It isn’t available here, but what I can get here in the United States is British Marmite. I happen to like it… but I have to say of all the condiments of the world discussed here, Marmite is _by far_ the weirdest. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/173 "2011-12-27T15:17:28Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Australians have Vegemite and New Zealanders have Marmite as well- they’re both savoury yeast spreads generally applied to toast, and also used on crackers and as a sandwich spread. > > The British have Marmite too, but it’s different to the New Zealand stuff-- albeit with the same application. Just thought I’d comment as it reads a bit like “oh the Brits have it too”. British Marmite (1902) predates both Vegemite (1922) and the version of Marmite they have down there (1908 although their own recipe came later). In fact Vegemite only came about as they were having difficulty getting the British stuff down there. > **[Marmite | History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmite#History)** > > Before Marmite, Vegemite and Cenovis, the first yeast extract spread was invented during the late 19th century when the German scientist Justus von Liebig discovered that brewer's yeast could be concentrated, bottled and eaten. Initial attempts to manufacture this yeast extract for commercial purposes had little success. This was until 1902, when the Marmite Food Extract Company was formed in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England with Marmite as its main product and Burton as the site o By 19... > **[Vegemite | History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite#History)** > > In 1919, following the disruption of British Marmite imports after World War I, the Australian company Fred Walker & Co. gave Cyril Callister the task of developing a spread from the used yeast being dumped by breweries. Callister had been hired by the chairman Fred Walker. > Callister used autolysis to break down the yeast cells from waste obtained from the Carlton & United brewery. Concentrating the clear liquid extract and blending with salt, celery and onion extracts formed a sticky black past... ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/174 "2011-12-28T10:53:35Z")
I know the British Marmite came first but it’s really not very much like the New Zealand Marmite at all. What might come as a shock to non-Antipodeans is that there are about half a dozen savoury yeast spreads in the same vein as Marmite/Vegemite available here- and that’s not counting Bovril, which is a strange British paste concotion best described as a cross between Oxo cubes, Soup Mix, and Marmite. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/175 "2011-12-28T11:15:40Z")
I can’t bear Marmite or Vegemite but I lurves me some Bovril on toast. ---
**Author:** ![eldowan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@eldowan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eldowan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/176 "2011-12-28T15:15:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > is there anywhere where mustard is considered a staple (rather than a secondary) condiment? Personally, I use mustard in everything that other people use catsup and mayo on. I’m American, Houston Texas area. > [@Candyman74](#): > > No idea. Conversely, which condiments do Americans use which seem odd to other countries? I prefer mustard, usually the spicier the better. Also, a staple in my house is sriracha – [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriracha\_sauce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriracha_sauce) I do like to keep a small bottle of some hot horseradish sauce as well. > [@LorieSmurf](#): > > For some reason in Oklahoma and parts of Texas, “ranch” dressing is a popular condiment, not just for salad, but to dip things in like potato chips, pizza, breadsticks, fries, lots of stuff. It’s weird how that type of salad dressing became popular. Ranch is supremely popular down in my area of Texas as well, on everything from wings to salad to pizza, burgers, and even chik-fil-a has bunches of it. Personally, I’ll take ranch and mix it with sriracha (above) until the mixture is a dark pink. Then I’ll enjoy a spicy ranch sauce. > [@Dr.Righteous](#): > > Multiple things: > > [LIST=1] > [li]Other than on fish & chips, what do people use malt vinegar for? I’m here in the U.S. and I do like it on fries, but what else can I put it on? [/li] I use all kinds of vinegar with meat dishes. and bean dishes. and greens. But the most interesting vinegar use that I’ve found is Balsamic vinegar on icecream. Yes, it sounds very odd, and yes it looks very odd. But the taste is _delicious_ > [@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. As for the US ketchup innovations being… less than spectacular, please remember that the US FDA has strict rules over what can, and cannot be called ketchup: the FDA rules for ketcup [http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=155.194](http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=155.194) and the FDA’s 1992 release of “United States Standards for Grades of Tomato Catsup” (PDF warning) [http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3010835](http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3010835) ---
**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 28, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/177 "2011-12-28T16:41:07Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > most places that serve wedges Wedges? Lettuce wedges? Fried potato wedges? > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > is there anywhere where mustard is considered a staple (rather than a secondary) condiment? Well what do you consider the line between “staple” and “secondary”? I’m given to understand that in Philadelphia and Chicago, mustard is king and ketchup is sneered at. Also, I was once told that Colman’s mustard was a staple of English pubs. I also understand that there are places in France where coarse grain mustard is always on the table. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/178 "2011-12-28T23:55:59Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Wedges? Lettuce wedges? Fried potato wedges? Fried potato wedges, sometimes known as “Buffalo Wedges”, or “Buffalo Chips”. Usually coated in some sort of seasoning before being cooked. I’ve never come across lettuce wedges before. ---
**Author:** ![eldowan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@eldowan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eldowan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/179 "2011-12-29T00:18:28Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Fried potato wedges, sometimes known as “Buffalo Wedges”, or “Buffalo Chips”. Usually coated in some sort of seasoning before being cooked. > > I’ve never come across lettuce wedges before. The only time I’ve come across lettuce wedges are in wedge salads. [![](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2239/2468153843_caf69a9f7b.jpg) ](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2239/2468153843_caf69a9f7b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-condiments-do-other-cultures-and-nations-use-that-may-seem-odd-to-north-americans/606774/180 "2011-12-29T03:41:10Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Fried potato wedges, sometimes known as “Buffalo Wedges”, or “Buffalo Chips”. . . We are truly separated by [a common language](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_dung#Variants). [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=8) [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=10)