Ketchup Drowning

Some Indian factory workers drowned in a giant vat of ketchup.  Funny how one man's fantasy is another's tragic death.

Image: Bursting with flavour (No.37), by PhotoGraham

Marinade / Finishing Sauce: World Harbors Mexican Style Fajita Sauce

I talked about the World Harbors line when I covered their Sweet 'n Sour Sauce a few weeks back.  This week, I'm taking a look at their Mexican Style Fajita Sauce and Marinade.

---

FLAVOR - Heavy sweetness, followed by a substantial dose of cumin and chili powder and rounded out with a mild vinegar kick
CONSISTENCY - Mild to medium thickness with a smooth pour, grainy (from spices) on tongue
APPEARANCE -  Rust brown, with flecks of green, brown and white spices 
SMELL - Sugary vinegar, with an earthy chili undertone
AVAILABILITY - Readily available

INGREDIENTS - Water, HFCS, vinegar, modified food starch, sea salt, lemon juice concentrate, dried garlic, spices, canola oil, xanthan gum, natural flavors, jalapeno peppers, potassium sorbate & sodium benzoate (as preservatives), soy lecithin

---

I primarily use this fajita sauce on enchiladas, burritos and the occasional taco.  Actually, just about the only thing I haven't juiced with it are fajitas (but I'm sure they would be great).  Like most World Harbors sauces, the fajita sauce contains vinegar, so it can be used as a marinade.  

Note:  I'm also very impressed with the label's artistic rendering of what must be Mexico.

Hot Sauce: Cholula (packet)

Although no different then the wooden topped Cholula bottle, TCB wanted to shed light on the condiment packet scene. For too long, we dreaded condiments that were associated with take-out. Sure, this wasn't always the case with certain establishments (think McDonald's sweet and sour, Wendy's honey mustard, duck sauce from Chinese spots) but too often we were stuck with generic no-name ketchup, yellow mustard or the occasional mayonnaise packet. These days it seems more high level condiments are finding there way into packet form (Ken's Steakhouse Dressings @ Yankee Stadium). Cholula packets are just one example.

---

FLAVOR - Balance between heat and flavor is key; little vinegar flavor
CONSISTENCY - Thick considering its first ingredient is water (that's where the xanthan gum does its magic)
APPEARANCE - Opaque burnt red
SMELL - Peppers come through much more then the vinegar here (compared to Louisiana hot sauces)
AVAILABILITY - Finer burrito carts everywhere

INGREDIENTS - Water, peppers (Arbol and Piquin), salt, vinegar, spices, xanthan gum

---

Cholula was the first hot sauce to really change the game for me. Thick, flavorful with just enough spice, in contrast to Louisiana hot sauces that are thin and vinegary. Still made in Mexico, Cholula is great on, well, anything.

Tip: mixing Cholula with sour cream to make a pinkish smooth peppery crema is one of my favorite taco condiments.

Recipe: Ginger Mayo

Here's a super simple recipe for some Ginger Mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise (1 jar, 15 oz. - I prefer Hellman's, and I used Hellman's Light for a slightly healthier mayo)
• Ginger powder (2-4 tbsp. to taste)
• Sugar (2 tbsp.)
• Black pepper (to taste)

 Mix well, chill and set for at least one hour.  Recipe courtesy of a delicious chicken sandwich served at Stoney's in South Orange, NJ.

Image: Mango Chicken Sandwich, by sheilaz413

Boycott Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest!!!

Every Fourth of July, I cheer wildly for USA's Joey Chestnut to beat the piss out of Takeru Kobayashi in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

NO MORE!  

Eating a hot dog with no condiments should be a crime.  Write your legislators!  Even the Nathan's logo has an inspiring strip of mustard!

Note:  OK, OK, so I'm still watching...and cheering for Joey to reenact WWII (Kobayashi has retired!)...but under protest.  Plus, I respect the event's vuvuzela ban.

Image: Nathan's, Day Shot, Coney Island, by Tony the Misfit

Mustard: Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard

Sometimes the best condiments are the simplest ones.  Gulden's Spicy Mustard might not be for everyone, but if you're looking for a spicy mustard (opposed to a yellow or honey), look no further.

---

FLAVOR - Vinegar and mustard, rounded out with mild to medium heat and a tart vinegar finish
CONSISTENCY - Very thick
APPEARANCE - Dark golden yellow with brown flecks
SMELL - Mild vinegar and mustard kick
AVAILABILITY - Readily available

INGREDIENTS - Vinegar, mustard seed, salt, spices, turmeric

---

I'm a big honey mustard eater, but I love Gulden's on any wurst...brat, knock, kielbasa, etc.  It's also pretty damn good on hot dogs, ham and cold cut sandwiches.

Image: DSC04780, by ekkun

Feeling Stressed?

Mellow out to some choice condiments on this YTMND.

Know your internet meme (from Wikipedia):  "YTMND, an acronym for You're The Man Now, Dog!, is a website community that centers around the creation of YTMNDs, which are pages featuring a juxtaposition of a single image, optionally animated or tiled, along with large zooming text and a looping sound file. YTMND is also the general term used to describe any such site."

Ketchup: Heinz Tomato Ketchup

 Ketchup.

---

FLAVOR - Ketchup
CONSISTENCY - Ketchup
APPEARANCE - Ketchup
SMELL - Ketchup
AVAILABILITY - Ketchup

INGREDIENTS - Ketchup

---

Ketchup.  Enough said.


Image: Ketchup, by AJBeanster

Hot Sauce: Melinda's Hot Sauce: Original Habanero Pepper Sauce

This is the original and flagship product from the Melinda's brand, which manufactures over a dozen hot sauces and other condiment goodness. Made in Costa Rica, I originally became intrigued with this sauce because it's main ingredient was carrots. I've since found the carrot's don't really add a "carroty" flavor so much as a natural, light sweet base, that allows the flavor from the peppers and lime to really shine, with out over powering your meal.

---

FLAVOR - Surprisingly sweet, mild Habanero flavor with a touch of salty lime at the finish (think margarita)

CONSISTENCY - Thick, almost gel-like (believe that's a result of the pureed carrot base), which makes deployment from the "shake top" slow. That said, well worth the extra couple shakes.

APPEARANCE - Translucent burnt orange color w/ visible specs of red habaneros.

SMELL - Fresh, spiced but not spicy, with a hint of acidity from the lime juice.

AVAILABILITY - Readily available

INGREDIENTS - Fresh carrots, choice red habanero peppers, onions, lime juice, vinegar, garlic and salt.

---

This was a pleasant surprise. While it won't take over as my daily Mexican style go-to hot sauce (think Cholula, Tapitio, Valentina, etc.), it has its moments. I would highly recommend this for consumption with lighter seafood's given its fresh, lime flavor.

On a side note, Melinda's claims credit for "making the Habenero a household name."

HAZMAT Deployed for Rancid Mayo

A HAZMAT unit was deployed to several Florida homes after residents complained of "trouble breathing and burning eyes."

Turns out it was just some rancid mayonnaise! Yum!

Via Northwest Florida Daily News


Image: Hellman's mayonnaise, by jamesks