Sauces

I am obsessed by sauces.

Or, to put it differently, I am obsessed by variety. Variety of tastes, textures and colours. Variety of experiences. Variety in all things food.

To that end I have managed to accumulate all kinds of different sauces and vinegars and oils to help me create interesting things to eat.

I have soy sauces in 5 different varieties - traditional Japanese Kikkoman, two kinds of light, dark and sweet. I have hot sauces - Frank's Red Hot, which used to be Durkee Frank's - the only kind to use when making Buffalo chicken wings a la Anchor Bar - the original and the best. My dad actually took me on a day trip to Buffalo just so we could go to the Anchor Bar. I have been obsessed with wings ever since. Though admittedly, at home I bake them as against deep frying them, but the deep fried kind are the bees knees. Of course I also have Tabasco, chili oil and Sriracha hot and sweet.


I am obsessed by vinegars, and have a lemon vinegar busy steeping away as well as white (indispensible for the wings), red & white wine, balsamic, rice, apple and salad (which contains msg and unnamed spices). I also periodically make herb vinegars and oils.

In addition to all that, I have oyster sauce, sesame oil, mirrin, various kinds of local olive oils, canola, corn, grapeseed, walnut, hazelnut and sunflower oils.

I also have Mrs. Ball's Chutney...

which is the only kind to have, sweet, spicy, sour
- perfectly balanced -

White miso, multiple types of Japanese sprinkles, Grey Poupon ('cause that's what I grew up on - not 'cause I bought into the whole advertising thing), whole grain, Coleman's and yellow mustards, coconut cream and milk, emergency green and red Thai curry pastes and biryani sauce.

The question arises - where do I store them all? The answer: anywhere I can find space. My fridge is full and so is my one and only storage cupboard.

Oh, and did I mention that I have about 20 different liquors and liquers?