What's your ethnic spice/sauce?

[Cooking Goddess]

I'm of Polish descent so when I think of those spices I get a nosefull of garlic! I know that, along with caraway seed and horseradish, were very popular in my home growing up. Since I cook a wide variety of foods I have a "spice cabinet" in our kitchen that is a standard 15" wide upper cupboard in our kitchen. Three shelves of smelliciousness!

[olmoelisa]

As Italian, my herbs are basil and parsley, but since I discovered fresh coriander I cook with coriander and basil as they do in Peru. I'm also growing it.
Sauce: homemade mayonnaise. Ans aioli, made with my homemade mayonnaise.

[MrsLMB]

I suppose mine would have to be Malt Vinegar due to the overwhelming amount of English in me and how much I love fish. Most used in this house though would be ketchup, mayo, mustard, Worcestershire and malt vinegar. Oh and chocolate of course

[Gravy Queen]

I am English . We love HP Brown Sauce . Fab on a bacon or sausage buttie .

[Steve Kroll]

I'm not sure I really understand the question, but here goes. I'm an American, and when I think of American sauces, I think of barbeque sauce, Heinz ketchup, and French's mustard. They aren't necessarily my "go to" sauces, however. I make a lot of my own sauces and condiments from scratch.

[Siegal]

Only thing I can Think of is schmaltz, but not sure if that counts

[CraigC]

Originally Posted by Siegal

Only thing I can Think of is schmaltz, but not sure if that counts

I think you could count it as a spice! But, where would blintzes and latkes be without sour cream?

[Rocklobster]

Hunger is the best sauce.....

[olmoelisa]

Originally Posted by Rocklobster

Hunger is the best sauce.....

Not ever: if you are really hungry, you eat so fast you don't feel the flavors.
A moderate appetite is a better seasoning.

[Rocklobster]

Originally Posted by olmoelisa

Not ever: if you are really hungry, you eat so fast you don't feel the flavors.
A moderate appetite is a better seasoning.

Everything in moderation. Including moderation.

It's a cliche battle...

[Claire]

My parents are of French-Canadian descent, born and raised in New Hampshire. I'm not trying to say my grandparents were bad cooks .... oh, yes, I am. I am not saying all New Hampshire-ites are. My father bought my mother a cookbook for a wedding present, then the other military wives taught her their cuisines, plus we lived in Germany and France. As far as I know the only dish my parents grew up with was New England boiled dinner, and the only spices they had coming up were salt and pepper, heavy on the former, light on the latter. In other words I'm an ethnic nobody in my genes, an ethnic everybody by nature. I have a huge cabinet of spices, a big herb garden, and a cabinet full of sauces/vinegars, none of which have anything to do with my ethnic background, more to do with the friends I've made over the years, friends Mom made, and travels.

[Steve Kroll]

Originally Posted by Claire

My parents are of French-Canadian descent, born and raised in New Hampshire. I'm not trying to say my grandparents were bad cooks .... oh, yes, I am. I am not saying all New Hampshire-ites are. My father bought my mother a cookbook for a wedding present, then the other military wives taught her their cuisines, plus we lived in Germany and France. As far as I know the only dish my parents grew up with was New England boiled dinner, and the only spices they had coming up were salt and pepper, heavy on the former, light on the latter. In other words I'm an ethnic nobody in my genes, an ethnic everybody by nature. I have a huge cabinet of spices, a big herb garden, and a cabinet full of sauces/vinegars, none of which have anything to do with my ethnic background, more to do with the friends I've made over the years, friends Mom made, and travels.

Excellent point, Claire.

My own mom was a wonderful mother, but a terrible cook. When I was a kid, the only spices we had in the cabinet besides salt and pepper were ground oregano, Accent, and season salt. And they had all been in there long enough to collect dust on the containers.

I didn't learn to cook from my mother, but rather from TV programs and books.

To this day, I think if mom had been a great cook I might not have had as much interest in it myself.

[Zagut]

I'm a mongrel but would call myself American.

Hot sauces and/or bacon can make any dish better.

[cave76]

Originally Posted by CraigC

Spices, herbs and sauces of whatever cuisine I'm cooking defines my "go to".

I'm the same---- a pantry/refrigerator full of different cuisine spices/sauces will attest to that. So many in there I barely have room for ketchup/catsup or yellow mustard for my hot dogs. (Nathans or Caspars, of course, my dear)

To start with one ethnicity----- Asian------ I just discovered Maggi's Seasoning about a year ago. Yum.

[cave76]

Originally Posted by cave76

To start with one ethnicity----- Asian------ I just discovered Maggi's Seasoning about a year ago. Yum.

Oh, dear! I just reviewed my answer and want to apologize profusely for lumping all Asians into one ethnicity! There are many wonderful ethnic groups, all separate and different from each other, that come under the aegis of 'asian' to my simple mind when thinking of cooking.

I hope everyone will understand my gaffe.

[Claire]

Originally Posted by cave76

Oh, dear! I just reviewed my answer and want to apologize profusely for lumping all Asians into one ethnicity! There are many wonderful ethnic groups, all separate and different from each other, that come under the aegis of 'asian' to my simple mind when thinking of cooking.

I hope everyone will understand my gaffe.

Don't worry, I think we all knew what you meant! Yes, I learned to cook from Filipinas, Japanese, Korean, and I cannot even start to get into the various Chinese cuisines there are. Oh, Cambodian. Laotian. Then add Indian, which flavors a lot of southeast Asian foods. Then start heading .... well, confusion is understandable! I love it and miss it!

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by cave76

Oh, dear! I just reviewed my answer and want to apologize profusely for lumping all Asians into one ethnicity! There are many wonderful ethnic groups, all separate and different from each other, that come under the aegis of 'asian' to my simple mind when thinking of cooking.

I hope everyone will understand my gaffe.

My Godmother was Japanese, Daddy spent time in Korea and all the years of good, bad and ugly Chinese...Now I work with Filipinos and they are a varied bunch too, from different islands. We all just like food...

[cave76]

Another favorite hot sauce of mine for Chinese cooking is Hunan hot oil sauce.
I can't find a recipe that resembles in on the Internet but it has peanut oil, fermented black beans, LOTS of dried red chili flakes, LOTS of garlic, sesame oil and probably a few other ingredients I can't remember.

My daughter makes it in HUGE amounts and gives it in quart jars as a present.
She's been doing this for years. I have a picture of her with a NIOSH air filter mask on, outside on the patio and her Cuisinart. LOL

It's FIERY and oh so good!

[kadesma]

hound dog i'd guess But dh is Italian, i'm French,Irish,scottish,english so all ethnics appeal to me I do love majoram and small amounts of oregano along with basil and garlic.
kades

[Andypants]

Chrain (horseradish). Maybe garlic and sour cream too, as others have said.