I am huge on condiments. Seriously. I don’t do dry, bland food unless I’m sick, which is hardly ever.

In my mind, food is supposed to be tasty, zesty, intriguing, and lively. Then again, this may be a cultural thing. All I know for sure is I need my spice. ;-)

Spices and condiments give food that extra oomph, which really amps up the dining experience. I laugh at most “hot” food! I have developed a fierce palate that can endure ridiculous amounts of insane heat. Your standard Tabasco sauce just doesn’t do it for me.

Thus began my online quest for awesome condiment dealers…my drugs of choice.

Penzeys Spices is a great company that has been around for a while. They have a lovely little catalog (complete with yummy recipes) that will have you salivating just like
Pavlov’s dog.

About the only spice mix I haven’t seen on the Penzeys site is Jamaican curry powder. But that’s what Walkerswood is for!

Walkerswood is THE Jamaican standard for authentic jerk seasonings, jerk marinades, coconut rundown sauce, escoveitch sauce, curry powder, etc. Walkerswood has a sterling reputation.

Hot Sauce Blog is a fun, informative site on the world of fiery hot sauces. The site’s creator, Nick Lindauer, says, “If it’s Not Here, it’s Not Hot Enough!” Nick knows hot! There are pics of Nick on his site clearly illustrating his gutsy pepper endurance. He’s a brave soul!

Hot Sauce World is where I go to order my specialty condiments. They carry EVERYTHING. You want BBQ sauces, salsas, mustards, spice rubs?
Hot Sauce World has it.

Garlic Valley Farms has an interesting product: bottled garlic juice. Yes, juice. Their theory is the flavor is not in the pulp of the garlic clove; it’s in the liquid. They have gotten great reviews all over the Internet. They even feature a roasted garlic juice product. Garlic Valley Farms has an incredible, yet simple recipe for garlic bread on their site.

If you’re craving Cajun and Creole food but don’t have access to it in your neck of the woods, Tony Chachere’s has some nice basic spice mixes and such.

Cajun Grocer is a pretty comprehensive site that carries a bit of everything Cajun, including sauces.

Do check out my Blogroll and links in the sidebar on your right, as I keep it updated regularly with interesting finds.

You never know what you might be missing!