Recipes for curry powders, curry pastes, atjars relishes, pickles, and chutneys. Years ago, the term condiment recipes referred to a few relishes and sauces, but today it refers to any type of mixture used to enhance the flavour of food, whether it is a sauce, powder, or spread. These types of seasonings come in many flavours, textures, and colours and can be used with a nearly limitless range of foods.

Types of condiments include curry powder or paste, mustard, relish, steak sauce, hot sauces, including horseradish, salsa, and tabasco as well as ethnic-inspired sauces such as wasabi, chutney, and soy sauce.

When making homemade varieties, feel free to experiment with different spices, additives, and proportions to create a unique and distinctive taste. While the basic ingredients should remain constant, the seasonings can easily be adjusted to suit individual preferences.

The key to delicious condiment recipes may not be in the preparation at all, but in the presentation. Always serve sauces with appropriate utensils to make seasoning food easy and convenient (small serving spoons, squirt bottles, etc.), and place condiments in a common area, particularly for often-embellished foods such as burgers and hot dogs. Exotic varieties are best displayed in attractive dishes to focus attention on their uniqueness and consider providing crackers, pretzel sticks, or other small foods for dipping to allow guests to taste the sauce first.

Relish recipes add spark to just about any dish. Think about it - What would a hot dog be without catsup and pickle relish? Pretty bland, right? Well, whipping up a batch of this well-known condiment at home is quick, easy, and tastes even better than what you’ll find in the jar at the supermarket.

You can make relish recipes out of just about any kind of vegetable, from celery to pickles and far beyond. Relish makes an excellent side dish, especially for picnics and outdoor entertaining, but it can also be used as a quick sauce for meats and fish. Once you learn the basics of making relish, try substituting ingredients and flavourings, and you’ll soon come up with your own unique and yummy recipes. For example, try substituting baby carrots for cucumbers, and create a carrot relish your family will really, well, relish!