Whoseshire sauce
 

Today I had a strange encounter with the strange sort of people who leave their civilized countries to work in the Middle East. At dinner, we asked the waiter to bring us the Worcestershire sauce. The waiter dawdled over our request, talking to another diner. I walked over to get the bottle. The other diner told me he had bought the bottle of whoseshire sauce, and while I was welcome to use it, I ought to have asked him first.

People, we work in Saudi Arabia. We are all either rich or stupid. We do not need to be so possessive of condiments.

Tomorrow I shall buy a dozen bottles of Worcestershire sauce and place one on each table.

Of course I am perfectly normal. The others here are strange.

The conversation I'm imagining plays like the exchange of spy code phrases from a James Bond movie.

"Ah, here's the Worcestershire sauce."

"I brought it from home."

"No wonder the waiter was hesitating."

"Well, you're welcome to it; just ask first."

Did you check the bottle for a safety deposit box key? The other diner probably thinks you've taken out Sheik Big by now.

I thought this was going to be about the pronunciation of the word, not the possessiveness of it.

As did I.

We all know Worcestershire sauce is the world's most valuable commodity.

"I say, old chap, do you happen to have any Worcestershire sauce?"


"Sorry old bean, it's much too expensive to be splashing out for the masses. Pip pip."

Did you ever have the White Worcestershire sauce? ISTR that someone in one of the Dope's "food you can no longer find" threads said it's no longer made but, dang, that stuff is good.

One time I discovered the secret to pronouncing all those fucked up words like worcestershire and leicester. The "ce" is part of the first syllable and it's soft. So "worce" is pronounced just like "worse". Say that, then add "stershire" on the end. It all makes sense then.

I've always pronounced it "wished-ister".

Classic - reminds me of the story Douglas Adams used to tell about The Packet of Biscuits.

The white version is allegedly marketed as "Lea & Perrins for Chicken" these days. I don't know if it's the same recipe as the white Worcestershire sauce though.

Apropos of the pronunciation, (I've heard it called "War-Chester-shire Sauce" by someone who would presumably pronounce Leicester Square as "Lie-chester"), the English generally leave off the -shire bit. "Woostersauce", in other words.

(ETA: Or "Wusstersauce", depending on regional accent)

I'm a "Woostersure" man, myself.

You appropriated someone else's Worcestshire Sauce? ;)

I dunno, taking a man's sauce without asking isn't kosher. It's about being polite, not being possessive.

I say it worseteshurr.

That's all fine and dandy - but what about the brown sauce (HP) - you cannot have bacon without HP man!

Paul, there is an important detail left out of your story: where was the bottle of worcestershire sauce sitting? Had he just brought it with him and left it sitting on his table, or had he done something strange like left it at the waiter's station for the next time he visited?

Okay, I'm going to take it to the next level here. HP sauce plus ketchup - stirred together - equals Daddies' Sauce.

Drizzle that on a bacon bap and tell me that you haven't experienced some form of rapture.

HP and ketchup?????????

Any ketchup? Nah - I will assume Heinz here.

Never tried that though. I will investigate this strange (but possible fantastic) concoction.

A future thread I think.

Have you considered trying it while logged into chat to report your findings?

Chat?

Considered?

Chat? Considered? Confused? Why yes I am.

Hmm - google is no help here... Where is this chat thingie?

I guess it will remain a mystery. Anyhow - off to bed - sleep tight people, don't let the bedbugs bite.

I like the sauce. I try not to have to pronounce it whenever possible. Several weeks ago I saw how Lea & Perrins makes the stuff, and I'm trying very hard to forget I ever saw that so I can go on liking it.

It's made of PEOPLE!


They're all mad, I tell you! MAD!

Where did you see it? I'd really like to check that out. Or rather, Would you mind imparting the knowledge of the manufacture of worcestershire sauce?

I'm sure it can't be worse( worster) then how they make fish sauce. :science:

Hey ya'll... watch this!

HP Sauce and A1 sauce are exactly the same!

Ducks and runs!

It was on "How It's Made." There's a video here. I love the rationale behind the original sauce - "Ew! This is nasty! Put it in a vat in the cellar." Much later, "Look! Here's that nasty stuff. Let's taste it to see if it's still nasty." Profit!

Actually, it was on 'my' table. He came by and took it, as it the habit. A diner at my table wanted it and asked the waiter. I got up to get some tea and saw the waiter in discussion with the fellow. (As you can see the story get long and boring.)

You know you're a restaurant regular when...you store you own personal condiments at the tables. It sounds like this guy has gotten a little too damned cozy at this establishment. Are the only people who wind up in Saudi Qatarabia the ones that have no social skills at all?

Yes, except for me of course. I am perfectly OK.

And worcestershire sauce (or wooshtersauce) plus ketchup (or catsup) makes a passable barbecue (or BBQ) sauce.

SAY WHAT? BITCH!

::Shoves Random Precision, does the neck cracking thing::

:: puts Chacoguy in a half-nelson and shoves his face into the condiment table::

I SAID "PASSABLE", BITCH!, NOT GOOD! :fist:

DEAR GOD! YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE McRIB FREAKS!!!!

::Pumps shotgun shells into Random Precision's chest::

It's pronounced Wuss-ter-shear. Trust me. I am of old New England stock and that's how we say those letters. Just like Worcester, MA but with a "shear" on the end.

And, fwiw, I never had bbq sauce until I was a teen and visiting GA. Make of that what you will.

But, I've never had _{a McRib ...}

:: Dies of horrible sucking chest wound ::

OK, then bottles of the stuff x ten riyals each + passive-aggressive gold.

That was the test market name for the McRib.

The more you know... :science:

Good thing they went with the focus group on that one.