Discoveries at the Jungle Condiment Month: Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning from Jamaica and Bee Sting Hot Sauce from Costa Rica

The term condiment comes from the Latin condimentum, meaning “spice, seasoning, sauce” and from the Latin condere, meaning “preserve, pickle, season.” Condiments were known in Ancient Rome, Ancient India, Ancient Greece, and Ancient China. There is a myth that before food preservation techniques were widespread, pungent spices and condiments were used to make the food more palatable. The Romans made the condiments garum and liquamen by crushing the meat of various fish and fermenting it in salt, leading to a flourishing condiment industry. Apicius, a cookbook based on 4th and 5th century cuisine, contains a section based solely on condiments.

We have come a long way in terms of condiments since then. Even the original fish sauces, tahini, vinegars, and mustards are still around, we just put our own modern twists on them. This month, we are featuring condiments from all corners of the world. Some pay homage to the early days, while others are decidedly more modern. Come in and spice up your dishes with condiments from the Jungle!

Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning from Jamaica

“Jerking” is a traditional Caribbean style of barbecuing. Traditional Jerk Seasoning is really versatile and adds a Jamaican kick to chicken, lamb, pork, fish, and vegetable dishes. For the best results, marinate overnight to absorb the spicy flavor and then cook until done on your barbeque or in your oven. Walkerswood has been making caribbean spices since the 1970s.

Where you can find these: Fairfield Location: Orange 9 // Eastgate Location: Green 4

Imported from Costa Rica, Central America, this sauce is a little bit of sweet honey and papaya with a bit of habanero heat. The honey actually comes from the infamous Africanized Killer Bee. This sauce would be great on stir fry, shrimp, pork, or Chinese take-out. 

Where you can find these: Fairfield Location: Under The Firetruck (Hot Sauce) // Eastgate Location: Hot Sauce 10