Condiments: Flavor boosters add the taste of home to everyday meals around the world

Condiments may seem simple, but, as chef Marcus Samuelsson writes in "New American Table," "they reflect who we are more than any other food."

Not only do condiments offer flavor, they contribute color, texture and aroma to any dish. And they can speak of culture and history.

Take ketchup, that all-American dunk. It was created in Asia, with nary a tomato in sight, at least for a century or two.

Here are some of the world's favorite condiments, the ones you'll find on the dining tables of each continent, and how you can use them in your kitchen.

Dijon mustard

Made by mixing powdered mustard or mustard seeds with a liquid, often vinegar or water, and adding herbs, spices or other flavorings as desired. Assertive yet adaptable, French Dijon mustard may be stirred into sauces and vinaigrettes, used as a coating for grilled chicken and salmon or served as-is with cold cuts, sausages.

Olive oil

Whether green and peppery or golden and buttery or somewhere in between, olive oil comes in various quality grades. Extra-virgin olive oil, the first pressing from the olives, is considered the best (and is priced accordingly). Drizzle on cooked fish, chicken, mashed potatoes; use in vinaigrettes, sauces.

Pickapeppa sauce

Called "Jamaican ketchup," this brand-name sauce is made with cane vinegar, tomatoes, onions, sugar, mangoes, raisins, tamarinds, peppers and spices. It is aged one year in oak barrels for a taste described by the makers as "sweet but mellow." Used to give snap to cream cheese, Pickapeppa also can be used to season meats, vegetables, fish, poultry.

Fish sauce

As ubiquitous in Southeast Asian cooking as salt is in the West, fish sauce is stirred into curries and stir-fries, whisked into sauces and dressings or used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls and satay. Made from fermented, salted fish, the sauce is intensely briny and smells pungent. Names vary by country: nam pla in Thailand, nuoc nam in Vietnam, patis in the Philippines, shottsuru in Japan.

Hot red pepper sauce

Made with chilies, salt and vinegar, different Latin hot sauces give heat to all sorts of dishes, from chili stews to tamales. Plus gumbo, stewed greens and chicken wings.

Harissa