When I asked my wife if she thought meals in general and entrees in
particular ought to be condiment driven, she gave me a look of the
sort a woman gets when she realizes her mate has developed an
irrevocable cognitive impairment.

But ... suppose you were playing culinary jeopardy and the answer was,
say, sate.

What to serve with spicy peanut sauce?

In our home ketchup = meatloaf sandwiches.

My favorite lunch has become a fresh everything/whatevers on hand
bagel, covered with garlic/balsamic/oil, toasted, sliced mozzarella
placed on side, thin-sliced red onion on the other, toast some more,
season with coarse salt and dried oregano, the finish with thin-sliced
tomato.

Don't have the balsamic/garlic/oil ... don't even think about the
sandwich.

Xtra chipolte-mayo on hand = elote.

And so on.

Andy Katz