What's so special about ketchup and mustard?

I know what you did here.. Well played,

And the server is super speedy now. Congrats.

it’s a fest in the palate. Mix of sugary and spice.

ketchup and mustard are usually a contrast to the food you are putting them on which creates a new taste to the food. It usually compliments those foods without being overbearing as long as you do the right amount. They may also add moisture to otherwise dry food—such as an overcooked hamburger. A lot of people grew up using these condiments and don’t know any other way to do it. Part of eating a good hamburger is adding some ketchup. Part of eating a good hot dog or brat is adding mustard. When I don’t have them, the experience just isn’t as grand.

@ccatron I usually avoid trying to be the grammar police, but you hit one of my pet peeves. It usually complements (goes well with) those foods. It does not tell the food “You look nice today,” which would be to compliment the food.

As to catsup and mustard, they are good, but are they special? More special than the amazing Worcestershire sauce? Chipotle peppers in adobo? Fresh salsas of all kinds? That incredible green mint sauce in Indian restaurants (I could bathe in that!) that I don’t know the name of?

I say they are not special, just part of the pantheon of sauces and perhaps overused.

I don’t eat ketchup. It has more sugar (I’m sorry, corn syrup) than ice cream.

haha, thanks Marina. I screw that one up all the time. I will try harder next time.

Thanks, @ccatron and @marina, the affect that occasional word misuse has on me has been effecting my Fluther all day.

I like @breedmitch’s suggestion: next time I burger it’ll be with lettuce, tom-ah-to, onion, mustard… and ice cream!

Mustard is the nectur of the Gods!!!

har har rob. ;)

somehow the vinegar gives it some weird flavor that we like? IDK. Ketchup is plain to me, always the same, but mustard has like thousands of different styles. mustard is in a different category than ketchup to me, except that theyre both good on hotdogs and meatloaf and hamburgers. mustard is better.

ccatron is wrong, however. I just looked it up and complements does not have anything to do with food. however, neither does compliment. What is the word?

@philliac – one definition of complement is “Something that completes, makes up a whole, or brings to perfection.” the last part in particular “brings to perfection” is the definition I had in mind. So, for me, ketchup and mustard complement certain foods.

did you think I meant “condiment”?

@ccatron, you spelled it “compliment”.

I compliment you on knowing the correct usage, and figure it was just a typo… like we’re all subject to from time to time. ;-)

@rob – right…marina corrected me earlier and philliac said that neither words were correct, so that’s why I corrected philliac.

Tomatoes are not really that sweet, but ketchup is (far too sweet to be even considered to be put on a Chicago style dog). Mustard is grown from a mustard seed plant unless I’m mistaken, and has a more savory than sweet character.

Mustard has a variable level of “hotness” although that usually refers to the strength of flavor and not Scoville unit type “hot”.

To answer the original question, ketchup and mustard pair very well in consistency, sweet/savory balance, for lack of a better term “sandwich lubricant”, they are very colorful (primary colors even) and they both tend to bring out the flavor in beef and pork.

Much as Dijonaise, and such were successful combinations of often used condiments, I think that “Ketchard” (patent pending) could be a viable condiment of the future. After all, Heinz actually sold green, and blue ketchup. Is a hybrid condiment that far off?

Both are good for hiding cooking mistakes;-)LOL. Actually love both, especially mustard. It comes in different flavors and it is great in recipes