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Condiments on your table?

(71 Posts)
Daddima Wed 06-Jun-18 09:49:00

The salad cream thread reminded me that my friend always had loads of ‘ stuff’ on the table at every meal. There would be salt, pepper, vinegar, tomato sauce, HP sauce, salad cream,beetroot, Branston pickle, and probably more. They were all added liberally to any meal!
We were strictly salt and pepper, with vinegar for chips, and tomato ketchup for fried haddock in breadcrumbs.

What about you?

paddyann Wed 06-Jun-18 10:04:17

sounds like my MIL* Daddima* she has a little lazy susan thing with containers for all her stuff .I only ever put salt and pepper and an oil and vinegar thingy for salad out and if someone wants sauces or pickle etc they have to ask or fetch it themselves ...And it has to be brown sauce for fried haddock.lol

shysal Wed 06-Jun-18 10:36:08

Don't usually need anything as food is seasoned as it cooks. I occasionally use lightest mayo, and ketchup for GCs. I am not a lover of sauces or pickles.

Nanabilly Wed 06-Jun-18 10:41:56

I don't put any condiments out unless it's a roast dinner and then I will get out mint sauce or horseradish or whatever goes with it.
As someone earlier said I season food as it's cooked or just before serving up

Greyduster Wed 06-Jun-18 10:57:08

Usually sea salt and black pepper grinders, but DH hates grinders and so he insists on a salt cellar, and I have given up trying to stop him putting salt on his food, though I rarely put it on mine. I love freshly ground black pepper - pepper was always white, fine and powdery when I was a child and came to the table in the container it was bought in! My mother did not stand on ceremony! Any other sauces and condiments make an appearance when requested. Branston, and brown sauce for the full English, ketchup for fish fingers when GS is here, and the indispensable Henderson’s Relish when there is meat and potato pie on the menu!

NfkDumpling Wed 06-Jun-18 11:00:26

A chef friend told me you can judge the quality of a restaurant by the number of condiments available. A top restaurant will have none as everything is perfect! The most I’ve seen was at the Old Faithful eatery in Yellowstone Park where I think I counted 46 satchels of different sauces. They were needed. The food was not good!

NfkDumpling Wed 06-Jun-18 11:03:24

(I do have sauces, but not as many. Salad cream / mayo for salads, mint sauce with lamb, HP for bacon butties. But that’s it.)

Cherrytree59 Wed 06-Jun-18 11:13:19

Black pepper if just us.
Salt & pepper mill if we have visitors.
Would put out other things such as vinegar tomato sauce etc if meal required it.
Tomato sauce for grandchildren.

I can't stand vinegar or sauces bottles on the table.
Even for DGS I put a little tomato sauce on side of their plates or in a small dish.

That has just reminded me?
Years ago my grandparents would always put a little pile of salt on the side of their plates, they never just sprinkled salt all over their meal

ninathenana Wed 06-Jun-18 11:40:34

I have a basket with salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard, tom sauce, brown sauce and BBQ sauce (DS uses it) that is put on the table. It all goes out because it's in the basket together.
If we are having roast I don't use the basket but put out mint or apple sauce depending on the meat. If it's salad then mayo and french dressing.

sodapop Wed 06-Jun-18 12:11:09

I agree Nfkdumpling my chef husband gets really annoyed when people add seasoning etc to a meal he has prepared before they have even tasted it.

Fennel Wed 06-Jun-18 12:14:57

With a salad meal only homemade dressing (oil vinegar mustard honey.) One salad has mayo anyway.
No salt.

Alima Wed 06-Jun-18 12:24:38

Ketchup and salad cream if the GC are here. DH sometimes has HP or Worstershire sauce. Must have horseradish sauce available for roast dinner.

Willow500 Wed 06-Jun-18 12:42:59

Definitely black pepper for me and I have to have salt as I can't taste anything so it improves the food experience. We don't have anything else on the table normally but I will put sauce out if we're having chips or mayo/salad cream for my husband. Salad days it's dressings.

humptydumpty Wed 06-Jun-18 12:44:05

We don't even eat at a table, never mind condiments... (no room for table)

Welshwife Wed 06-Jun-18 13:29:00

We have young DGS who require tomato ketchup on every meal! In fact will often not eat their meal without ‘dipping sauce’. I never have it myself - only use it if knocking up a quick dressing for prawns.
I use salt on some things - eggs, tomatoes, chips and roast potatoes and very little else as I put any salad dressing on my lettuce etc in a bowl before serving.

kittylester Wed 06-Jun-18 15:10:55

Always salt and pepper grinders plus whatever else is appropriate.

BlueBelle Wed 06-Jun-18 15:14:22

Humptydumpty I was then going to post that I only eat at the table if I ve got people round once in a blue moon

M0nica Wed 06-Jun-18 15:23:28

Salad cream/dressing with salads, homemade apple chutney with cold meat and pies, mince sauce/horseradish/mustard with the appropriate meats, tomato sauce with chips. DH has vinegar with cabbage and sprouts and HP sauce with bacon and sausages. Never put salt or pepper on the table and rarely use either when cooking. I also use all these condiments in recipes of various sorts.

I hate eating anywhere but at a table. Sooner have a table and chair in the house than an armchair

Oldwoman70 Wed 06-Jun-18 15:43:44

I don't have any condiments on the table. I do ask visitors if they want anything but they usually stay in the cupboard (the condiments - not the visitors!)

kittylester Wed 06-Jun-18 16:06:18

We always eat at the table too, Monica, and I always set the table with mats, serviettes and we use serving bowls.

But, on Saturday night we slob it with trays on our knees with food like a stir fry, chili or pizza.

paddyann Wed 06-Jun-18 17:13:04

nfk surely "perfect" is a personal choice and everyone's perfect is different.I would be most irritated if there wasn't salt and pepper available for my food

kittylester Wed 06-Jun-18 17:15:45

I agree paddy, DH and I have vastly differing tastes.

BlueBelle Wed 06-Jun-18 17:31:58

Haha Kitty you say slob it with stir fry, chilli or pizzas that’s my everyday food well not the pizzas change that to jacket potatoes or salad

kittylester Wed 06-Jun-18 17:59:53

I meant slob it because we can eat that slabbing in front of the TV - just a bowl and fork!!

kittylester Wed 06-Jun-18 18:02:11

Slobbing not flipping slabbing. I enjoy cooking and serving it properly but can just as easily slob in front of the TV for a change!