Condiments
Condiments
Condiments are the sauces that come to the table rather than the stove — flavor concentrates meant to contrast, brighten, or deepen the food they accompany. They divide broadly into fresh preparations (salsas, pesto, vinaigrettes) and fermented or preserved preparations (mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, chutneys). The fermented condiments represent some of the oldest food technologies: salt and time converting perishable ingredients into shelf-stable, intensely flavored liquids.
Preserved Fish
Preserved Fish
Fresh fish is about 80% water and spoils faster than any other animal protein. Before refrigeration, most harvested fish required immediate preservation — and the methods developed to solve this problem created some of the most complex flavors in any cuisine. Drying, salting, smoking, and fermenting didn’t just preserve fish; they transformed it into tradeable commodities that built European maritime prosperity and underpin Asian flavor systems to this day.