The periodic table of cruet
What do you need on a table to pep up every cuisine on Earth? As a food fan I decided to work it out. There’s salt / fat / acid / heat; sweetness, sourness, and umami; notes of onion / garlic / herbs / ginger, different spice profiles from sharp to oily and textures and mouthfeels from powders to liquids. (The wildest card was zhoug, which covers fresh finishes like chimmichurri.) If you can fit it on a tray, these 18 cover all cultures and regions with a set of jars and bottles everyone will recognise.
Hard choices abounded. No Worcestershire, mint, or A1 sauce: too culturally narrow and brand-specific. While dairy – the yoghurts and cheeses you see in the Med and Middle East – are closer to foods than condiments. So of course it’s open to argument. But I’m pretty sure this trayful would keep all the world’s citizens happy.
Chris does Content 