Latest news with #condiments
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Asked 3 Chefs To Name the Best Hot Dog Brand, and Their Top Pick Totally Surprised Me
We might not all agree on whether a hot dog is a sandwich, and what should (but more importantly shouldn't) be used as a hot dog condiment is always a lively debate. But what we can agree on is that hot dogs are undeniably a summer staple. Alongside a wedge of juicy watermelon, an ear of sweet, buttery corn, and a soft-serve ice cream cone, a hot dog is a loud alert to our taste buds that summer has arrived. Even if we're enjoying a hot dog on the coldest day of winter, a single bite is enough to transport us back to boardwalks, ball games, and backyard cookouts. A dog dressed as you desire feels like a treat, however, if the sausage itself is meh, it can make you wish you opted for a burger instead. To help you ensure your hot dog experience is always a home run, we spoke with some seriously meat-savvy chefs to find out which brand they think is best. George Duran, celebrity chef and TV host based in New York, N.Y. Tristen Epps, winner of 'Top Chef' season 22 and the chef-owner of Epps & Flows Culinary and Buboy restaurant in Houston, Texas Dominic Iannarelli, chef-owner of Prime & Providence in West Des Moines, Iowa Perhaps you're on Team Chicago Dog, and believe that yellow mustard, relish, sport peppers, onion, tomato, and a pickle spear are top tier. Or maybe you crave Coney dogs, with their meat sauce, yellow mustard, and onions. Or perhaps you opt for the all-American combo of ketchup and mustard. Regardless of how you top things off, the chefs say it's all about that base. Here are what chefs look for in a hot dog: Classic ballpark flavor. 'When it comes to hot dogs, I'm not here for mystery meat that tastes like it was left behind by a witness protection program,' jokes George Duran. 'I want flavor that makes you feel like you're at a baseball game, even if you're just standing over your kitchen sink eating it at midnight.' If the dog is bland, overly sweet, or delivers an artificial flavor, it's a hard pass, the chefs agree. Two meats or fewer—but ideally just one. All three chefs we spoke to agree that an all-beef hot dog is best for the most classic and pronounced flavor. But if that's unavailable, seek out a sausage with no more than two meats (ideally beef with either pork, turkey, or chicken.) 'Hot dogs with three or more meats are likely to have the most amount of byproducts, which is what gives hot dogs their bad name. These tend not to have a focused flavor profile, and usually are very salty,' explains the most recent 'Top Chef' winner, Tristen Epps. Juicy texture with a nice snap. The interior should be juicy and the exterior must offer a pleasant, obvious snap. This is usually courtesy of a natural casing, Epps says, which delivers 'the quintessential texture of a good hot dog.' An appealing color. It should look more like sausage than bologna, according to Epps. 'A deep, beefy color indicates the quality and cook of the hot dog during production, whether it's smoked, poached, or boiled. The lighter the color, the less flavor it probably says,' adds Epps. Now that we've covered what makes a hot dog chef-approved, it's time to reveal the experts' pick for the best in the biz. Turns out, it's the same hot dog that Julia Child reportedly adored 'as much as a fine French meal.' According to two of our three experts, Costco's hot dogs reign supreme. 'Costco hot dogs are legendary for good reason,' Duran says. They rose to fame in the store's food court because of the substantial size and the almost too-good-to-be-true price. 'A 1/4-pound dog is still just $1.50 with a drink at Costco,' Duran raves. For reference, the typical hot dot weighs in at about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces. The all-beef counterparts Costco offers are more than double the size, at 4 ounces, which ends that debate of 'How many hot dogs counts as a meal?' With these hot dogs one will definitely do it. Besides the budget-friendly price and size, Duran digs these dogs because 'they sell the exact same product in bulk, labeled as Costco's Kirkland Beef Dinner Franks. If you can't get to the Costco food court, bring the Costco food court to you!' With balanced seasoning, juiciness, and that delightful snap, Duran says, 'Costco's Beef Dinner Franks have more flavor than a Fourth of July parade.' If you prefer a hot dog that's easier to fit in a standard-sized bun, the warehouse store has another chef-approved option. Epps tells us that Costco's Kirkland Signature All-Beef Hot Dogs are his go-to, especially when hosting parties and large gatherings. The 2-ounce dogs 'hit all of the criteria of a best hot dog at a killer price point,' according to Epps. No need to fret if you're not a card-carrying Costco member. You won't be disappointed by either of these widely-available options: Vienna Beef Beef Franks: Dominic Iannarelli prefers Chicago-style dogs. So for him, the trophy goes to Vienna Beef's beef franks. 'It checks my two most important boxes: all beef and natural casing,' Iannarelli says, adding that he loves the pleasant flavor from mustard and garlic in the mix. Boar's Head Uncured Beef Frankfurters: For a pleasantly smoky quality, 'great snap and really natural hot dog flavor,' Epps also enjoys these celery salt- and garlic-infused dogs. Your local butcher's hot dogs: For Iannarelli, the freshly-made option from your butcher shop or meat market is often your best bet of all. No matter which brand you buy, you can't score a tailgate touchdown or conquer as cookout MVP if you drop the ball on the prep. Sure, you can grill for some smoky flavor. But you'll sacrifice an evenly-crisp exterior, which ensures the best snap, the chefs say. Instead, here's how to cook hot dogs like a pro: Fill a skillet with 1/2 inch of water and add a pat of butter or two. Bring the water to a boil, then use heat-safe tongs to add your desired amount of hot dogs. Cook the hot dogs until the water evaporates and butter starts to sizzle, then allow them to sauté, turning frequently, until the surface is golden brown on all sides. Toast or warm your hot dog buns, and garnish as desired. 'Bonus points if you eat it standing up next to a cooler filled with canned soda or beer,' Duran says. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Beetroot ketchup to avocado oil mayo: how sauces have gone gourmet
The choice used to be 'red or brown?' but fridge shelves and barbecue trestle tables are heaving under the weight of condiments this summer thanks to gourmet makeovers aimed at 'adventurous' taste buds. There is a 'real buzz around condiments right now', says Jeff Webster, the managing director of Hunter & Gather, which sells sriracha hot sauce and chipotle and lime '100% avocado oil' mayonnaise. He says people are looking for something that brings 'big flavour' to their plate. Today the horizons of ketchup lovers are no longer limited to tomatoes. There are beetroot, tamarind and even beer flavour ketchups after Brewdog's recent launch of a variety inspired by its Hazy Jane IPA. If it's mayo you love the choice is equally mind-boggling, as traditional Hellmann's competes with everything from wasabi and yuzu flavours to smoked jalapeno and gochujang – Korean fermented red chilli paste. And that's before you even contemplate the options for barbecue or chilli sauce. With Britons spending close to £1bn a year on sauces and condiments, companies are shaking things up to win sales as shoppers either trade down from household names into cheaper supermarket own-label sauces, or up – treating themselves to a dollop of something posh and artisanal on their plate. Indeed almost half (49%) of consumers polled by the online grocer Ocado said they were 'more adventurous with sauces than they used to be'. Among 25- to 34-year-olds this figure rose to 72%. 'Legacy sauces like brown sauce and traditional ketchup are losing relevance with younger consumers,' Rumble Romagnoli, the founder of the hot sauce startup Chilli No 5, recently told the industry magazine the Grocer: 'These categories are crying out for a refresh.' Hot sauces exploded in popularity during lockdown when people had time on their hands and started experimenting more in the kitchen. Since then the flavour wagon has moved on to 'swicy' – sweet and spicy – flavours, such as hot honey and even 'swalcy' – a combination of sweet, salty and spicy. 'We're seeing so many new products because food has become one of the quickest ways to connect with culture,' says Guy White, the chief executive of the consultancy Catalyx. 'Social media, travel, and global communities mean once-local flavours go global almost overnight. 'Flavours don't stand still. What was once considered niche, for example piri piri or sriracha, is now an everyday staple for many families.' The next wave of sauces will be rooted in regional pride, he predicts, reeling off a list that includes gochujang's fermented depth, chimichurri's herbal kick, West African spice mixes, miso-based umami and chipotle layered with honey. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion All these new products are eating up space in the fridge, according to Ocado. Three-quarters (74%) of people keep up to seven condiments in there while 16% are hoarding 10. Dave Fendley, the sauce enthusiast behind – the 'premier site for the red or brown sauce debate' – is all for a bigger choice in the condiment aisles as 'anything to attract fresh interest is a good thing'. However, he suggests that some of these flavours are bought for 'curiosity's sake and don't always get as many repeat uses as their more established traditional peers'. 'What they have in artisanal styling and unusual ingredients is sometimes negated by their versatility,' he says. 'That is an area the more established varieties have got cornered.'
Fast Company
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
DJ Mustard just created Heinz's first new mustard in a decade
For years, Heinz has consistently innovated in the ketchup space. There's been jalapeño ketchup, chipotle ketchup, mayochup, and even pickle ketchup. Other sauces have gotten similarly modernized, with stunt products like a Taylor Swift-inspired ranch dressing and a hot-pink Barbie barbecue sauce. Notably forgotten amid this flurry of condiment exploration? Mustard. Now Heinz is rectifying that error, officially announcing the release of the condiment Heinz Mustaaaaaard, the brand's first new mustard product in 10 years. The smoky-sweet chipotle honey mustard will debut for a two-week period at Buffalo Wild Wings, followed by a limited-time nationwide release at Target, 7-Eleven, and Heinz Mustaaaaaard was initially teased back in February, when Heinz revealed it would be collaborating on the sauce with record producer DJ Mustard (so named because of his given first name, Dijon). The timing was spot-on—Mustard had just exploded in the cultural zeitgeist after a callout of his name in Kendrick Lamar's song 'tv off' inspired memes and resulted in Mustard joining the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. At the time, Heinz named Mustard as its official 'chief mustard officer.' But, according to the team at Heinz, this wasn't just a collaboration with Mustard's name attached to it: The producer met with Heinz's R&D team in person to select the final flavor, down to the specific proportions of each ingredient chosen. DJ Mustard mixes a mustard Most people are probably familiar with Mustard through his music and his recently viral collaboration with Lamar. Fewer are aware of his side hustle as a grill master. Heinz pitched a potential collaboration with Mustard more than a year before the official partnership announcement in February. During that time the team learned that Mustard already had a 'love for Heinz,' says Peter Hall, president of elevation for Heinz North America. Mustard shared that he had long used Heinz mustard as his go-to staple when grilling, and that he had a particular penchant for sweeter mustards. In a press release, the artist said Heinz mustard has always been the most important ingredient among his grilling 'secret weapons,' noting, 'I knew I wanted to make my own sauce one day, something that wouldn't be like anything else out there. Adding mustard gives you that nice browning, bark formation, and grilling, but that's just step one.' The actual creation of Mustard's mustard was a four-month-long process, starting with the music producer personally visiting Heinz headquarters in Pittsburgh to help mix up the recipe—a kind of access that Heinz has never granted to a celebrity collaborator in the past. Richard Misutka, director of R&D for Kraft Heinz Elevation Brands, worked directly with Mustard during his visit. He says the team prepped around 10 different add-on flavors that might pair well with mustard, including honey, chipotle, jalapeño, bacon, caramelized onion, and even mango. Then, to ensure that they could replicate each potential recipe, all of the various combination components were weighed before they were mixed and tasted by Mustard. 'We started with our Heinz yellow mustard, and then we started playing around with some of the flavors,' Misutka says. 'True to Mustard's reputation, he liked the honey, so instead of playing around with the yellow mustard, we pivoted to the Heinz honey mustard.' At that point, Misutka recalls, Mustard chose to add an extra shot of honey to the standard recipe. 'Then we looked at some of the other flavors to help accentuate the experience. We pushed him out of his comfort zone a little bit, because we knew he did not like spicy foods. So we're like, 'Let's just try the chipotle here and see what you think.' He absolutely loved it.' While bacon and mango were both possible contenders for Mustard's top pick, the chipotle combination ultimately won out. 'I think it has tremendous balance. I mean, you have the sweetness, you have the vinegar tartness, you have the smokiness from the chipotle, as well as the heat,' Misutka says. 'It's really a great product, and it was a tremendous experience.' Mustard summed up his estimation of the product in his own words: 'This is the one, the 'Mustard' of all mustards.' The extended deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is this Friday, June 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
The Independent
19-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
12 best hot sauces, tried and tested to spice up your life
Hot sauce is no longer just a simple heat booster. It's become a pantry staple, a gourmet condiment and, for many, a daily essential. Whether you're a casual splash-on-the-eggs kind of person or like to test the limits of your taste buds, there's never been a better time to explore what the hot sauce world has to offer. In this roundup, I've tested a variety of hot sauces, from cult favourites like Da Bomb Beyond Insanity – known for its intense heat – to more balanced and versatile classics like Cholula, sacrificing my own taste buds so you can find the best hot sauce to satisfy every mood. I've dug deep to find some more unique options too, including flavours like dill pickle and truffle. Each sauce was evaluated on spice level, taste, versatility, and packaging practicality. The best hot sauces add complexity to food without being overpowering, offering a perfect balance of heat and flavour that complements rather than masks your meal. Whether you want a mild everyday drizzle or a fiery challenge for your taste buds, this guide will help you find the perfect bottle to spice up your kitchen. How we tested To find the best hot sauces, I tracked down a mix of popular favourites and hidden gems, aiming to cover a range of heat levels and flavour profiles for every palate. I put each sauce through its paces, not just as a finishing touch, but as a key ingredient in cooking, too. From spicy noodles and stir-fries to grilled chicken and scrambled eggs, nearly every meal in recent months has been generously seasoned with one of these sauces. I focused on hot sauces that truly enhanced dishes without overwhelming them, while still delivering a satisfying kick worthy of the name. Beyond flavour and heat, I assessed the quality of ingredients, price points, and even packaging, because there's nothing worse than a slippery bottle causing a mild lunch to turn lethal. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Every product featured in IndyBest reviews has been thoroughly tried and tested, with only the very best making the final cut. I focus on quality and value for money, so you can be confident you're getting real bang for your buck. Since 2023, I've been reviewing products for The Independent, covering everything from seasonal food favourites like the best hot cross buns to viral treats like pistachio chocolates. I'm passionate about clean, high-quality ingredients and love discovering unique flavours that stand out from the crowd. Above all, I only recommend genuinely delicious products. The best hot sauces for 2025 are:
Reuters
19-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Soy sauce maker Foshan Haitian's shares gain 4.7% in Hong Kong debut
SYDNEY, June 19 (Reuters) - China's top soy sauce maker Foshan Haitian rose as much as 4.7% on Thursday on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after the company raised $1.3 billion in a listing. Foshan Haitian sold 279 million shares at HK$36.30 ($4.62) each, the top of the price range flagged to investors ahead of the book build last week. The shares climbed to as much as HK$38 early on Thursday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI), opens new tab was down 0.36%. It is the most actively traded stock by turnover on the Hong Kong exchange on Thursday. Foshan Haitian increased the number of shares on sale during the book build due to strong demand from investors. The retail tranche of the deal was oversubscribed nearly 920 times while the institutional portion was 23 times covered, according to Foshan Haitian's regulatory filings. Foshan Haitian said it plans to use the proceeds from the listing to make new products and strengthen its overseas supply chain, among other initiatives. The company said it has maintained its position as China's largest condiment producer by volume for 27 consecutive years, with a market share twice that of its nearest competitor. Its soy sauce and oyster sauce products hold the top spot in market share, according to its prospectus. ($1 = 7.8497 Hong Kong dollars)
