Don't Drown Your Food.

All of you who grew up in the 70s know what I'm talking about-- the important PSA exhorting us not to overdo it on the sour cream and ketchup. Even back then, I remember wondering that someone felt ketchup overuse was such a terrible issue that they made a whole cartoon about it. In today's world, of course, where presumably the PSAs during Saturday morning cartoons remind kids not to smoke too much crack or become prostitutes or pimps or ad executives, the late-70s worries about excess condiment use seem incredibly quaint.

But, even in retrospect, I am still not sure what, exactly, was the reason behind the message. Was it health? Or just a general preference for plain baked potatoes?

Regardless, it was, simply, totally ridiculous, in my opinion. Sure, you don't want to destroy your palate with a cup of ketchup. But if someone serves you a pile of steamed, un-buttered, un-salted broccoli, as my parents were wont to do in my childhood-- well, I think pouring a nice splash of vinaigrette over that is perfectly justified.

Not to mention that sauces are the foundation of most world cuisines. Just because 'American' food eschews herbs, spices, rouxs (how do you pluralize that, French speakers?) and all gravies save those served on Thanksgiving or with Salisbury Steak doesn't mean that enhancing the flavor of perfectly lovely ingredients is somehow against God and Nature.

So. There.