A recent issue of “Time Out New York” devoted an entire page to condiments.
“Ode to condiments” was indeed the headline, and the magazine used a combination of high gloss photography and highly glorified language to hail nine of the magazine’s favorite savory sauces from around the city.
Plum sauce, garlic sauce, tahini sauce, even something called crack sauce — a ‘compulsively dippable cream sauce’ — were all served up in irresistible dollops.
Looking at the page made my mouth water.
It also made me think of two good friends, both named Beth. One lives for sauces and dips. She would love this article and would happily visit each and every restaurant featured to try out each one. If given the chose of condiments vs entrees, condiments would win pretty much every time.
My other friend Beth has a well-known fear of condiments. Won’t eat ‘em. Won’t try ‘em. Doesn’t use dressing of her salad, mustard on her hot dog. Doesn’t understand why people use ketchup on fries. If she had been reading “Time Out New York,” she would have made a face at the mere idea of this page’s contents, and quickly turned on.
And yet, they are both named Beth and are both my friends.
Aren’t people interesting and wonderful…just like condiments??
