June 2011 Prepared Foods – Anyone who has dined at a trendy American restaurant or one of the increasingly popular ethnic eateries is no stranger to the dazzling display of spice-laden condiments available these days. Chefs are garnishing plates with tasty little mounds of spicy-chutneys, bright relishes, fruit catsups and other intriguing accompaniments. It is an easy way of adding pizzazz to the simplest grilled foods or the finishing touch to a more complex dish.
Most condiments have their roots in distant lands. Pickles, relishes, catsups, sambals, salsas and chutneys--practically every country has its own versions.For example, all-American tomato catsup evolved quite dramatically from the original Asian, salty fish-based sauce: called ketsiapin China, kechap in Malaysia and ketjap in Indonesia.