lost in the saucy sauce

Okay, first of all, I'm sorry...I ghosted you all. BOO!! (Just trying to get in the spirit of fall🎃)

Quite honestly, I've been feeling lost...in the sauce...of life :D. Quarter-life crisis has truly come in with a vengeance :D. Trying to put your purpose into words and how that applies to your career, relationships, and spirituality is much fun, so joy :D

Anyways, one thing you should know about me is that I am a sauce fiend. So, I thought this would be the perfect time to insert an unofficial (official) ranking of my favorite sauces that live rent free in my head (disclaimer: this list is subject to change)!!

10. A1 Steak Sauce

Good ole' faithful: tangy, umami, and a lil sweet. She can turn a crusty, dry steak into a delicacy with just a lil pour of that bottle (beware...she's an open-mouth girlie and WILL spill her whole being onto your plate 🥴).

9. Paladin Mustard

My old roommate brought this back from her honeymoon in Portugal, and TLDR: I proceeded to put it on every edible thing in sight. It's just that good. She has this unique combo of tangy and creamy that I did not know was possible to find in a mustardTTT PERIODTTT. Ugh, I need to figure out how to get this in this US without having to sell my kidney to fly to Portugal.

8. Buffalo Sauce

If I have a chicken nugget I WILL find a way to dip that nuggie in buffalo sauce (tip: Get the McDonalds buffalo sauce with ranch, and you will just🧎🏽‍♀️). I love how wonderfully this sauce pairs with all things creamy (that's what she said). My lifelong dream has been to host a dip party and you best BELIEVE that I will ensure a buffalo chicken dip will be present 😤

7. Mizkan Yuzu Citrus Dressing

My most legit foodie friend introduced this to me, and it's just 🤌🏽. Light and tangy, with the familiar flavor of Japanese ponzu, it's the perfect salad dressing for my personal favorite recipe (that said foodie friend also introduced to me lol), avocado-shrimp-tomato udon salad. I also love to dip my shabu shabu/hot pot in it!

6. Wingstop Ranch

IYKYK. Please bathe me in Wingstop's Ranch. That is all.

5. Gochujang

Shoutout to the motherlanddd! This sauce RAISED me. She is such a core ingredient to so many of my favorite spicy, Korean dishes. I also like to simply dip freshly cut veggies into her if I want to add a lil kick to my natural source of ~fiber~. Gochujang is sweet, fiery, and has this unique smoky flavor that is actually quite versatile (try adding her to your next pasta sauce or check out Eric Kim's NYT Gochujang Cookie recipe).

4. Fly by Jing Chili Oil

Chili oil just adds that extra oomf...she's the main character's funny best friend—she low-key carries the show. I like to see chili oil as the undercurrent that brings life to a dish (deep, I know 😌). My favorite way to use this sauce is as my oil base when I fry up a delicious sunny side up egg (the SUPERIOR method to consume an egg I might add 😤).

2. Ketchup

She's beauty, she's grace, she's Miss United States. My love for ketchup may be the most American thing about me. My first core memory of realizing my love for this particular sauce was when I smothered my Chik-fil-a chicken sandwich with ketchup. I then proceeded to squeeze the life out of about 3 of those fancy ketchup packets Chik-fil-a blesses us with—making a giant pile to dip said sandwich in.

2. Sriracha

The whytes finally found our secret weapon (thank u Tiktok 😑). She's a versatile one—a lil kick that can be drizzled on a wide variety of foods: from your avocado toast to your pasta sauce, she's just that good. Fun fact, I have a tiny bottle of Sriracha that I can attach to my keychain if I ever find myself eating potatoes in the Idaho (not to be dramatic or anything). ALSO IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO BUY THIS PLS TELL ME IT'S A DROUGHT OUT HERE.

1. SAMBAL SAUCE

Meet Sriracha's hot cousin (no pun intended). Sambal's got this deeper umami flavor that I love so f***ing much (I always come back for more 🥵). I like how she's a little spicier than Sriracha but still brings a rich, deep taste. Please add her to your next rice or pho bowl.

Honorable mention: Indian Pickle

Okay, okay I know this is more in the condiment genre, but I loved eating this stuff growing up (shoutout to all the multicultural kiddos out there who survived the WHA-ITE suburbs). My go-to is the Green Mango pickle flavor because picking out the mango skin makes it more ~interesting~ (I love a food item that I have to work for 😌). Do yourself a flavor favor and have it alongside your next curry dinner (bonus points if you add it to your Mediterranean-inspired pita wraps 😗)

There you have it, besties. Now go add a lil flavor to your day and forget about all your existential problems!!!!!!!!!!