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Hoots : Is hummus a condiment Is hummus a condiment? What makes a condiment a condiment? What makes something not a condiment? What makes something a condiment vs a sauce/seasoning/spread/ingredient? - freshhoot.com

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Is hummus a condiment
Is hummus a condiment? What makes a condiment a condiment? What makes something not a condiment? What makes something a condiment vs a sauce/seasoning/spread/ingredient?


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Beside the dictionary answers, I think is quite reasonable to think of condiments as those products that

impart tastes to food as well as nutritional values but are not easily or pleasant to consume alone;
impart taste but are of negligible nutritional relevance.

Among the first examples are oil and butter, among the second ones mustard and salt.*

This way hummus is food, a spread as a confiture or honey. This is my way to see.

*Edit
Obviously salt is necessary for the organism but we normally get more than enough from food and drinks so the amount we add to taste is indeed a condiment. I am aware that seems circular reasoning but I am confident the "definitions" I gave above are quite clear.


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Interesting question. While I realize that dictionaries are descriptive, they're what we have to go by for common usage, so let's consult three:

Wikipedia: A condiment is a spice, sauce, or preparation that is added to food to impart a particular flavor, to enhance its flavor,1 or in some cultures, to complement the dish. The term originally described pickled or preserved foods, but has shifted meaning over time.
Merriam-Webster: something used to enhance the flavor of food; especially : a pungent seasoning
Cambridge: a substance, such as salt, that you add to food to improve its taste

Given that Hummus is usually treated as a food in itself, rather than as a spice or sauce to enhance another food, one could argue that it's not a condiment. However, it's not uncommon for veggie burger purveyors to top a sandwich with hummus, which would, in usage, make it a condiment. Certainly tahini sauce would be a condiment.

So, my answer: It Depends.


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