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Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Condiments and Sauces That Add a Spark to Everyday Meals

some of the condiments that I make: watermelon pickles, blackberry syrup, ketchup, crabapple jelly, 
spicy mustard, mint syrup, yellow mustard, pickle relish, thyme vinegar, chive blossom vinegar


A while back, Ruthie asked if we could discuss condiments and sauces that we keep on hand. So, today, I put together my list of condiments/sauces that I use on a regular basis, including those that I purchase and those that I make from scratch. 



Having a well-stocked kitchen with interesting herbs, spices, sauces, and condiments helps me create tasty meals at home, which in turn saves us a small fortune on eating out. 



Seriously, in my house, I can make scrambled eggs topped with salsa and everyone thinks its the most delicious thing. Or, I can open a packet of ramen, add a drizzle of sesame oil, a boiled egg, a dash of chive blossom vinegar, and spoonful of plum sauce and I get rave reviews from my crew. How about a simple grilled cheese sandwich that is spread on the inside with spicy mustard and served with a few green bean dill pickles on the side? See, you take something utterly simple, add one, two, or three condiments, and the simple is elevated to sublime. 



A condiment is an ingredient that is used to enhance the taste and texture of other foods. Condiments can also be used for food preservation or to stimulate the appetite. Sometimes they're used during cooking. More often, condiments are added just before serving a prepared food. They are typically pungent, spicy, tangy, or otherwise highly flavorful. 



I estimate that I save about $150 per year by making as many of our family's favorite condiments as I can. If it makes sense dollar-wise, I make it myself. Some condiments are made on an annual basis (or alternating with other condiments every two years) and others are made periodically throughout the year. For the once per year condiments, I make a batch large enough to last my family for 2 or 3 years. This way, I don't have to make as much variety each year. 

Here's my list of my homemade condiments and links to some of my recipes:

  • ketchup -- using tomato paste, vinegar, molasses, sugar, onion powder, salt, and water
  • yellow mustard -- I follow a copycat recipe found online
  • spicy mustard --using mustard powder, vinegar, salt, herbs, and water (and sometimes apple cider)
  • pickle relish --  a sweet relish and a dill relish, both using green tomatoes
  • sweet pickles -- watermelon spice pickles, watermelon bread & butter pickle slices, and zucchini bread & butter pickles
  • dill pickles -- using green beans
  • chutney -- using apples, plums, raisins, vinegar, brown sugar, onions, and spices
  • Chinese plum sauce -- I use this to make Chicken with Plum Sauce and as a dipping sauce for egg rolls and wontons
  • herb beverage syrups -- peppermint, spearmint, and basil to add to beverages like lemonade
  • jams, jellies, preserves, and spreads -- a wide variety of sweet spreads, using apples, plums, cherries, figs, berries, and rhubarb from our gardens
  • infused honey -- my two favorite infused honey flavors are lavender and vanilla bean. The flavored honeys are delicious on scones, toast, and in tea.
  • blackberry pancake syrup -- using foraged blackberries and prepared according to these instructions. The syrup can be made with frozen berries as well. So I make several pints a few times per year. 
  • flavored vinegars -- chive blossom, rosemary or thyme, blueberry, blackberry or raspberry 
  • salad dressings -- both creamy and vinaigrette. For creamy dressings, I use a base of homemade yogurt and mayonnaise then stir in herbs, garlic powder, and salt. 
  • tomato salsa -- big batch recipe using canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos, vinegar, cilantro and seasonings
  • barbecue sauce -- I make this a few times per year and only make a jar at a time.
  • herb pesto -- basil and sorrel
  • plain yogurt -- we use plain yogurt as one would use sour cream, to garnish a bowl of soup, a tostado, or baked potato


This is my list of the condiments that I feel make the most sense to buy already made:


  • mayonnaise -- commercial mayo keeps far longer than homemade. I buy it in a 1-gallon container at the restaurant supply and decanted it a pint at a time into glass jars, as needed.
  • soy sauce -- making soy sauce at home sounds like a very long and risky process. If making your own soy sauce interests you, here's a link to instructions.
  • plain vinegar -- one of the food-making activities that I remember from reading the Little House books was Laura's description of making apple cider vinegar. It's definitely possible to make vinegar at home, using a mother to start the process. However, this is one ingredient that I'm pretty happy to simply buy. Vinegar is a cheap ingredient and I can add a lot of flavor to plain white vinegar with very little effort.
  • plain honey -- we talk about getting bees. But so far, that's just talk. Beekeeping might just be a very good hobby with benefits, as honey is very expensive in the stores and my orchard would definitely benefit from having pollinators living on site. I'll let you know if I ever feel comfortable enough around bees to keep them as residents.
  • lemon juice -- if I lived someplace that I could grow a lemon tree, I would definitely juice my own lemons and freeze the juice. 
  • lime juice -- ditto on lime juice
  • toasted sesame oil -- you can replicate the flavor of toasted sesame oil by adding toasted sesame seeds to the food that you're preparing. Some folks make a toasted sesame oil substitute by infusing safflower (or other light-tasting oil) with toasted sesame seeds. I may give that one a try soon. Toasted sesame oil is expensive but adds a unique flavor to Asian soups and stir fries.
  • oyster sauce -- oyster sauce is what I've used in homemade beef with broccoli. The flavor of the sauce comes very close to restaurant Chinese beef with broccoli dishes. A small bottle lasts a long time and keeps well in the fridge, for about 6 months or longer.
  • red pepper sauce -- like Tabasco
  • maple syrup -- we do make a fake maple syrup using maple extract, molasses, granulated sugar, salt, and water. But we greatly prefer the real deal when we can get it. I buy it in half-gallon jugs and decant into pint-size bottles.
There are also the condiments that I would like to start keeping. These include:
  • chili sauce -- not the sweet kind that's a little like ketchup, but the hot, spicy kind
  • hoisin sauce
  • kimchi -- I've only had kimchi once, but thought it was quite good and would add some zing to many dishes, not just Korean ones.

There are a couple of hidden benefits to making my own condiments. In addition to saving money, I can control the ingredients and I always have a small supply of last-minute gifts to offer friends. Some bakers twine and raffia tied around the neck of a jar and I've got a pretty little gift.

You can add significant variety to ordinary and otherwise bland foods with the addition of condiments. Sandwiches can be spicy, tangy, or sweet by dolloping or drizzling with mustard, chutney, salsa, jam, vinegar, relish, or pickles. Fried or scrambled eggs are transformed by salsa, chutney, mustard, ketchup, barbecue sauce, sesame oil, red pepper sauce, or Chinese plum sauce. Beans and rice take on spicy, sweet, tangy, or earthy tones with the right condiment. The week's menu might repeat many of the same basic foods but taste unique due to the condiments that are added. And keeping all of these unique flavorings needn't be costly. Many of them are easily made at home from scratch ingredients.

What's on your list of must-have condiments and sauces? Do you make any yourself? Link to recipes, if you'd like.


This is a companion piece to  my guide to basic seasonings associated with different cuisines.

You may also be interested in my complete guide to essentials in my baking cabinet.



27 comments:

  1. That is quite a list you have - your ingenuity and resources come together in a beautiful and flavorful way.

    One of our favorite sauces/marinades came from our catering days. It was requested all the time. I got the recipe from Cook's Illustrated and uses such simple ingredients, but is so flavorful. We marinate chicken breasts, however, any parts could be used. We used skinless - the flavor can absorb without the skin. And the sauce on top is so delicious.

    2 1/2 T. lemon juice
    1/2 c. olive oil
    1 1/2 T. salt
    1 1/2 T. pepper
    1/4 c. garlic minced, or equivalent dried garlic
    1 1/2 T. sugar
    1/3 c. water
    soak chicken for at least a couple of hours - 3-4 if possible. Grill or bake until chicken is done. Be careful not to overcook. Dry chicken is the worst! If you slice breasts horizontally, it is easier to not overdo it. Let rest for at least 10 minutes.

    Sauce to serve with:

    1 T. Dijon mustard
    2 1/2 T. lemon juice
    1/2 c. olive oil
    1/8 c. parsley
    3/4 t. salt
    3/4 t. pepper
    3/4 t. sugar

    The sauce is good on baked potatoes also.


    Another sauce that is so good - enchilada sauce. This makes quite a bit so I freeze it in two cup portions.
    1//2 c. butter
    1 1/2 T. minced garlic
    1/2 c. flour
    1/2 t. black pepper
    1 1/2 t. salt
    1/2 t. onion powder
    4 t. cumin
    1 t. oregano
    4 T. chili powder
    2 T. tomato paste
    1/2 t. sugar
    4 c. chicken broth
    2 T. lime juice

    In a medium skillet melt butter medium low. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour, stirring until light brown - 3-4 minutes. Add all dry ingredients and tomato paste and cook another minute, stirring often. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Add lime juice. Reduce to low, simmering for 15-20 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BBQ sauce, Yes!. I have made the copycat of sweet baby rays but it makes a lot. It also has too much sugar for the new me. I like the idea of one jar at a time. Care to share your recipe? Does anyone want to share low or no sugar sauces, and other condiments? I'd love to have a few more options that are low sugar and low carb.

    Alice

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a sauce that my husband and children like. It's a Vietnamese dipping sauce. I make this and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 weeks at a time. It's a lime and soy sauce dipping sauce for spring rolls and dumplings. I like Chinese soy sauce. It is most like what my mother bought. It is 1 part lime juice, 1 part sugar, 2 parts good soy sauce, and almost but not quite 2 parts water. Add a crushed garlic piece and 1 small crushed red chili. Stir together and use for dipping.

    I would also add fermented fish sauce and rice vinegar to your list. My mother used to make pickled daikon and carrots and those were served as a condiment with almost every meal.

    My name is both an English name (my father is from America) and Vietnamese (my mother was from Vietnam). My name is Kim, which my mother told me means I am like gold.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a great list. I make my own ketchup and BBQ sauce with very little sugar, as we don't like the sweet versions of these. I also make my own mayo (a fermented version that lasts a couple weeks in the fridge).

    I love daikon (white radish) kimchee. I have made it myself and it is not difficult. The recipe below is similar to how I make it.

    https://whatgreatgrandmaate.com/carrot-radish-kimchi-kkadugi/

    - Tina

    ReplyDelete
  5. ruthie said...
    That is quite a list you have - your ingenuity and resources come together in a beautiful and flavorful way.

    One of our favorite sauces/marinades came from our catering days. It was requested all the time. I got the recipe from Cook's Illustrated and uses such simple ingredients, but is so flavorful. We marinate chicken breasts, however, any parts could be used. We used skinless - the flavor can absorb without the skin. And the sauce on top is so delicious. . . . Another sauce that is so good - enchilada sauce. This makes quite a bit so I freeze it in two cup portions.


    Hi Ruthie,
    Thank you for those delicious sounding sauce recipes! The mustard sauce served with the marinated chicken sounds amazing. And I love your enchilada sauce. Sounds yummy. Thank you for sharing, Ruthie! Tasty meals on the horizon. . .

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think I would happily eat at your table, or really anyone's table who commented. Such skilled cooks! I use some of the sauces/condiments on your list, Lili, but by no means all of them. We also use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream--I also like to use it in place of sour cream in my baking recipes--I haven't noticed a difference in taste or texture and you know that I like to "health things up" a bit!

    Kim, above, made a comment in her recipe about "good" soy sauce. I'm curious as to how you know what a quality soy sauce is. I've only recently been foraying into making my own Asian recipes so you have me intrigued.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Alice said...
    BBQ sauce, Yes!. I have made the copycat of sweet baby rays but it makes a lot. It also has too much sugar for the new me. I like the idea of one jar at a time. Care to share your recipe? Does anyone want to share low or no sugar sauces, and other condiments? I'd love to have a few more options that are low sugar and low carb.


    Hi Alice,
    I think of Sweet Baby Ray's as a Memphis-style sauce. And I associate Memphis, St. Louis, and Kansas City with really sweet BBQ sauces. So it's no wonder the copycat seems to sweet for you now, going so low to no sugar. Wing sauce is usually a lot less sweet. Also, Eastern Seaboard barbecue sauces, like from North Carolina, tend to be much less sugary and more vinegary (what I'm thinking of does have some sugar, it's just not nearly so sugary). Here's a link to what I'm thinking about: North Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce, Taste of Home
    I use a lot of mustard-based sauces for grilling either chicken or vegetables. Here's another link: Epicurious recipe for veggies with mustard basting sauce Low-Carb, the sauce is dijon mustard, vinegar, and olive oil.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kim said...
    This is a sauce that my husband and children like. It's a Vietnamese dipping sauce. I make this and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 weeks at a time. It's a lime and soy sauce dipping sauce for spring rolls and dumplings. I like Chinese soy sauce. It is most like what my mother bought. It is 1 part lime juice, 1 part sugar, 2 parts good soy sauce, and almost but not quite 2 parts water. Add a crushed garlic piece and 1 small crushed red chili. Stir together and use for dipping.

    I would also add fermented fish sauce and rice vinegar to your list. My mother used to make pickled daikon and carrots and those were served as a condiment with almost every meal.

    My name is both an English name (my father is from America) and Vietnamese (my mother was from Vietnam). My name is Kim, which my mother told me means I am like gold.


    Hi Kim,
    that's beautiful about your name. that dipping sauce sounds very tasty and uses very simple ingredients. I love that! Thank you for sharing.

    I used to buy rice wine vinegar. Maybe that will be on my list again soon. How do you use fish sauce?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Tina said...
    This is a great list. I make my own ketchup and BBQ sauce with very little sugar, as we don't like the sweet versions of these. I also make my own mayo (a fermented version that lasts a couple weeks in the fridge).

    I love daikon (white radish) kimchee. I have made it myself and it is not difficult. The recipe below is similar to how I make it.

    https://whatgreatgrandmaate.com/carrot-radish-kimchi-kkadugi/


    Carrot and Radish Kimchi
    Hi Tina,
    the Kimchi recipe looks really interesting. I see it calls for fish sauce, an ingredient that Kim, above, suggested. It also calls for Korean red pepper flakes. Is there anything that makes the Korean pepper flakes special? Could other types of pepper flakes also work? IIt looks like I'm going to have to check out our local H Mart. Thanks for the contribution, Tina!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kris said...
    I think I would happily eat at your table, or really anyone's table who commented. Such skilled cooks! I use some of the sauces/condiments on your list, Lili, but by no means all of them. We also use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream--I also like to use it in place of sour cream in my baking recipes--I haven't noticed a difference in taste or texture and you know that I like to "health things up" a bit!

    Kim, above, made a comment in her recipe about "good" soy sauce. I'm curious as to how you know what a quality soy sauce is. I've only recently been foraying into making my own Asian recipes so you have me intrigued.


    Hi Kris,
    You know, I don't even notice any more when I use plain yogurt in recipes in place of sour cream. And when I see a recipe that calls for sour cream, my mind automatically thinks "yogurt," without having to think about subbing yogurt. The other benefit to using yogurt in place of sour cream, when I have bought sour cream, we have to find ways to use the rest up. Yet, when I have yogurt, there's no problem using the rest up, just eating as yogurt. We wouldn't do that with sour cream for some reason. It might just be psychological.

    I'm curious, too, about how to tell if soy sauce is good or not. We have been trying mushroom soy sauce for the last couple of months. The flavor is not as salty as Kikkoman, and more earthy and potent-tasting. It's been interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  11. There are so many possibilities with condiments and sauces. My son has been introducing us to several new ones usually with some kind of an international flair.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Lili,

    You can make the daikon kimchee without the fish sauce if you want. Usually I just use salt and leave out the fish sauce. If you do want to use fish sauce in the recipe, get one that is preservative free (like Red Boat). Or you can use preservative free soy sauce instead. Preservatives will inhibit the fermenting of the kimchee.

    As for the Korean pepper flakes, they just taste different, slightly sweeter and not too hot (at least the kind I bought). You will definitely find them at H Mart, and I don't recall them being particularly expensive. But, again, you can substitute what you have, maybe a TBSP red chili flakes ground finely, plus a couple TBSP of paprika. It won't taste exactly the same, and it won't be completely authentic, but it will still work well and be delicious.

    - Tina

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi, it's Kim. When I say 'good' soy sauce, what I mean is Chinese light premium or superior soy sauce. Chinese soy sauce tastes different from Japanese. But Japanese soy sauce is what most Americans know as soy sauce. Light refers to color, consistency and length of time it took to make. Light does not mean less sodium. There is also a Chinese dark soy sauce, but it is thicker, sweeter, darker in color and not used as much as the light soy sauce, at least not in my home. My mother would add dark soy sauce at the end of cooking, to add flavor to the meal. But she always used light soy sauce when making dipping sauces. So, that's what I meant by 'good' soy sauce. I'm sorry if it was confusing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Kim, you weren't confusing at all--I'm just trying to learn! Thanks for your thoughtful response.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lili, I am happy to report that I have made your watermelon pickles and sweet green tomato relish with very good results. I recently was at a meeting at church where we heard a lecture about memory loss. (I'm in my 70's.) Anyway, one of the suggestions was to continue to learn to do new things so I've plunged into trying new food preservation ideas for our garden produce! Thank you for the recipes. Another thing that I have tried is the chive blossom vinegar. That was an idea of your's from several years ago. In addition, it is easy to find recipes online for fajita and taco mixes. Those are so much better than store bought, and I can get uses for 4 or 5 meals from one quick mix up. They are also cheaper and don't have artificial flavoring and preservatives added. Thanks so much for your and your commenters many suggestions.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Live and Learn said...
    There are so many possibilities with condiments and sauces. My son has been introducing us to several new ones usually with some kind of an international flair.


    Hi Live and Learn,
    That sounds like a lot of fun. It's like you and Ward get to dine out at all of these neat restaurants without the extra expense of eating out! Are there any sauces or cuisines that stand out in your mind as being especially good?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Tina said...
    Hi Lili,

    You can make the daikon kimchee without the fish sauce if you want. Usually I just use salt and leave out the fish sauce. If you do want to use fish sauce in the recipe, get one that is preservative free (like Red Boat). Or you can use preservative free soy sauce instead. Preservatives will inhibit the fermenting of the kimchee.

    As for the Korean pepper flakes, they just taste different, slightly sweeter and not too hot (at least the kind I bought). You will definitely find them at H Mart, and I don't recall them being particularly expensive. But, again, you can substitute what you have, maybe a TBSP red chili flakes ground finely, plus a couple TBSP of paprika. It won't taste exactly the same, and it won't be completely authentic, but it will still work well and be delicious.


    Thank you for this info, Tina. That;s good to know about the sauces needing to be preservative-free. I'll look for that. Okay, that's what I was wondering, if the chili peppers were milder/hotter/sweeter. Kimchee is now officially on my list of foods to try making! Thanks again for your valuable info. I'd not have the courage to try this without it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Kim said...
    Hi, it's Kim. When I say 'good' soy sauce, what I mean is Chinese light premium or superior soy sauce. Chinese soy sauce tastes different from Japanese. But Japanese soy sauce is what most Americans know as soy sauce. Light refers to color, consistency and length of time it took to make. Light does not mean less sodium. There is also a Chinese dark soy sauce, but it is thicker, sweeter, darker in color and not used as much as the light soy sauce, at least not in my home. My mother would add dark soy sauce at the end of cooking, to add flavor to the meal. But she always used light soy sauce when making dipping sauces. So, that's what I meant by 'good' soy sauce. I'm sorry if it was confusing.


    Hi Kim, thanks for that information. I am learning so much this afternoon! I'm embarrassed to admit, I didn't know there were different soy sauces associated with different cuisines/countries. Now I know! I'm also now curious about the different categories of quality, such as premium or superior. I'll look around some and see what I find in my area. We have an H Mart (Korean) and a Ranch 99 (I'm not sure if it's Chinese in specific but a friend of mine is from Hong Kong and she shops there). I'm now very eager to try out some different soy sauces. Thanks for the original recipe and now this info!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Bonnie said...
    Lili, I am happy to report that I have made your watermelon pickles and sweet green tomato relish with very good results. I recently was at a meeting at church where we heard a lecture about memory loss. (I'm in my 70's.) Anyway, one of the suggestions was to continue to learn to do new things so I've plunged into trying new food preservation ideas for our garden produce! Thank you for the recipes. Another thing that I have tried is the chive blossom vinegar. That was an idea of your's from several years ago. In addition, it is easy to find recipes online for fajita and taco mixes. Those are so much better than store bought, and I can get uses for 4 or 5 meals from one quick mix up. They are also cheaper and don't have artificial flavoring and preservatives added. Thanks so much for your and your commenters many suggestions.


    Hi Bonnie,
    I'm so glad to hear that you liked the pickles, relish, and vinegar! I can support what you learned at your meeting. My father-in-law was 97 when he passed away, and it was his body that gave out, not at all his mind. He had another book planned out in his mind the week before he passed. (He was a writer among other things.) He continued to read, learn, and write for his entire life. He was working on his own blog up until his last month. He was always curious. Even if an area of interest hadn't been something he'd been acquainted with, he still tried to learn about it. So, good for you to continue trying new things. I believe this is a tip that could help us all.

    Thank you for your suggestion on fajita and taco mixes. I think you're right, that a homemade mix would be more flavorful, less expensive, and be better for us. I'll look for those recipes online, especially the fajita one. That sounds tasty! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I have to disagree with Kim that Chinese soy sauces are superior to Japanese soy sauces. If you're referring to the ubiquitous Kikkoman soy sauce seen in most American grocery stores, that's probably an inferior product compared to a more authentic Chinese product, but it seems unfair to say that all Chinese soy sauces are good, whereas Japanese are not. I wouldn't want anyone to be misled that way. That would be like saying that all cheddar cheese produced in Wisconsin is better than all cheddar cheese produced in Vermont. They're just different, there is no "better."

    Japanese soy sauces are available in a lighter or darker variety just like the Chinese soy sauces Kim mentioned, the lighter being usukuchi and the darker called koikuchi. Similarly to the dark Chinese soy sauce being thicker and sweet compared to the light soy sauce, the darker Japanese soy sauce is also richer and thicker and less salty than the light soy sauce. You can find versions of alll four of these varieties at varying price and quality points.

    I typically like to keep a light Chinese soy sauce, light Japanese soy sauce, and a dark Chinese soy sauce on hand, though either the light Chinese variety or light Japanese variety are good for most every day applications. I buy them at 99 Ranch or at one of the specialized Japanese grocery stores we're lucky enough to have a few of in LA, like Mitsuwa. I shop at HMart quite a bit, but I don't typically buy soy sauce there, because it's a Korean grocery that has many more Korean products, and I prefer Chinese/Japanese soy sauce to Korean brands.

    ReplyDelete
  21. It's Kim again. I'm so, so sorry. I knew my words were confusing. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that Chinese soy sauce was better than Japanese soy sauce. I meant they were different but that my mother bought Chinese soy sauce in the market. For superior what I meant is within the Chinese grades or classifications, my mother bought a soy sauce that on the label had a word that meant 'premium' or 'superior' as opposed to 'gold' or 'silver'. It was a word on the label. For making a dipping sauce, I like Koon Chun's Superior First Extract and Pearl River Bridge Superior Light. Those are closest to what my mother bought for making Vietnamese dipping sauces. Again, I am so, so sorry. I did not mean to say the Chinese was better than Japanese soy sauce. Thank you to Allie for pointing out my error.
    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Allie,
    Thank you so much for your information. Like I said above, my experience with soy sauce has been very limited. I think I need to take a look around at 99 Ranch, Maybe my friend from Hong Kong will come with me. She's a good one to shop with in that store. She has pointed me in the right direction for a couple of items. That's interesting that you have several good Japanese groceries in LA. In Seattle, I think we may have a few too. Umajimaya being the biggest name that comes to mind for my area.
    Once again, thanks for adding your valuable information. You're a very good resource, here. If you'd ever like to write something for creative savv, just send me an email.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Kim,
    Thank you for taking the time to explain what you meant. I thought that was basically what you were saying. As far as soy sauce, I've always bought the least expensive option from SmartFoodservice (formerly Cash & Carry, a restaurant supply). I just checked their website to see if they carried Koon Chun or Pearl River Bridge and they carry neither. So, I went to 99 Ranch and found Pearl River Bridge Superior Light Soy Sauce for $2.69/16.9 oz. They also carry Pearl River Premium Light for $3.09 for 500 mL (16.9 oz). For use in making a sauce, these might be affordable for me. Thank you for your recommendation. And thanks for the original recipe for a dipping sauce. That sounds delicious and I have just the occasion in mind where I could make that. I so appreciate both yours and Allie's input on a couple of types of cuisine about which I know so little. As I said to Allie, if you'd ever like to write a piece about cooking which merged your mother's heritage with how you've known American cooking, please send me an email. I know I'd find it very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Fabulous list, Lili. And to all of you ladies who contributed additional information and recipes, a big thank you to you, too. So many lovely people here.
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  25. That would be lovely! I've actually heard of Uwajimaya! It sounds quite lovely and like a great resource for your area (though quite pricey from what I gather).

    ReplyDelete
  26. LindaJimLevitt said...
    Fabulous list, Lili. And to all of you ladies who contributed additional information and recipes, a big thank you to you, too. So many lovely people here.
    Linda


    Thank you, Linda. And I whole-heartedly agree with you about the company that we keep here -- very lovely people!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Allie said...
    That would be lovely! I've actually heard of Uwajimaya! It sounds quite lovely and like a great resource for your area (though quite pricey from what I gather).


    Hi Allie,
    yeah, they're very expensive, but fun to go and look around.

    ReplyDelete

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