I love mayonnaise.
“Ranch” does absolutely nothing for me. Yuck.
I am amazed by how many people hate ketchup!
Mayo:
- 7-layer salad
- Pasta salads galore
- Burgers and sandwiches
- Fries, if necessary
- Flavor versatility (mixes well with garlic, mustard, ketchup, 1000 Island, etc.)
A very close 2nd would be ranch. Salsa and ketchup would be tied for 3rd.
For burgers: Ketchup & mayo in tandem
Fries: Ranch, then ketchup, then mayo
Other sandwiches: Mayo
Salads: Blue cheese, then ranch
Pasta Salads: Mayo, then ranch
Tex-Mex: Salsa & sour cream & guac
If I had to choose just one condiment, it would be mayo. And I do love Heinz Chili Sauce to top my meatloaf.
Vinegar, unless I could pick unlimited salad dressings which would allow me to cheat with a serious vinagrette. In which case, have to be mustard, as long as I still get butter (which makes everything better!).
Oyster sauce, soy sauce and salsa are among my favorites. I don’t use any often but can’t choose just one. We rarely use catsup, mustard, ranch, hot sauce or vinegar.
What do you use oyster sauce on ? I don’t think I’ve ever had - or even heard of it! (unless I know it by another name).
Oyster sauce is a common ingredient of many Chinese dishes. It’s salty and tastes like oyster (which is a major ingredient). Most Chinese households and restaurants around here have it in a bottle.
Cholula. I will be able to use it on anything from soup to pizza so I am covered :-B
Hunger is the tastiest condiment.
(And oyster sauce is more of an ingredient than a condiment–I’ve never seen anyone put it on their food after it’s been served…)
Actually, in HI, it can be either or both. I’ve seen folks add it to food that’s served and know some restaurants here who readily offer it to any patrons who request it. I doubt many would say that hunger is their favorite condiment.
That’s interesting! I’ve spent some time in HI, but not enough to have seen that 
The hunger line was a joke. I guess I should have used an emoji or something :-@
BBQ sauce. But I like them all.
Balsamic glaze! Yum!
I stand corrected regarding horseradish. Grew up with the catsup version for shrimp and kielbasa.
Cocktail sauce reminds me that there are two uses for ketchup that fit my palate. Cocktail sauce for shrimp is one, Heinz 57 sauce for stuffed peppers is another. (I’m assuming Heinz’s sauce is made from ketchup adding spices). I still don’t like ketchup by itself on things though. It needs to be spiced for a different flavor.
Mayo is still my favorite condiment, but it wouldn’t work for shrimp or stuffed peppers. It works just fine for french fries though malt vinegar is much better - or turn the fries into poutine.
“Mayo is still my favorite condiment, but it wouldn’t work for shrimp”
Sure it does. Remoulade is awesome on shrimp and its base is mayo. Same for tartar sauce and green goddess dressing.
IMNSHO, things like vinegar and butter are not condiments, they are ingredients. A condiment is something that is almost always used ON something that is cooked separately; for example, tartar sauce is clearly a condiment, butter clearly is not. Ground mustard and mustard seed are ingredients, prepared mustard, although it can be used as an ingredient, is a condiment. Fresh horseradish is an ingredient, prepared horseradish veers into condiment territory. The aforementioned tartar sauce, confusingly, is usually composed of several other condiments: mayo and relish or pickles.
The opportunities for hair-splitting discussion here are rife! B-)
As a side note, I’ve always been amazed by the invention of mayonnaise. How did someone have the idea of an emulsion of egg yolks and oil?
Tartar sauce is necessary for fish (for me), but not shrimp. Shrimp are very specifically tailored taste-wise for cocktail sauce.
Malt vinegar - when added to french fries as it should be (post cooking) - is a condiment.
Butter - when added to hot dogs post cooking as they sit on the bun (YUM!) is also a condiment.
The best hot dogs have butter, mustard, and sometimes shredded cheese on them.
The best french fries have malt vinegar sprinkled on them. This can vary if there’s a tasty gravy and cheese curd added instead (poutine) - or add all three condiments.
Or at least that’s what my taste buds tell me… YMMV
No comment on the health aspect of my examples… though I think the vinegar and mustard are at least in the plus column.
Now I want a meal of hot dogs (Berks only) and french fries (sigh). Not happening as I have neither in my house… but my brain is begging.
@Creekland There’s a place called Flo’s in Maine that has hotdogs with a special sauce, mayo, and celery salt. They are awesome, even though both the dog and the bun are steamed, which is not usually my preference.
Their hot dogs are the good old-fashioned kind where the skin pops when you bite into them. I can’t find any like that in stores. I tried Kayem beef, which someone told me were good, but they lacked the real pop. Any advice would be welcome.
Oh, and there’s a place in Portland that specializes in craft beers and hot dogs/sausages. Fabulous, albeit pricey. It’s called The Thirsty Pig. Should you ever be here. 