If you’re the kind of person whose fridge door is always packed even when the fridge itself is near-empty, you’ve probably seen Claire Dinhut on your FYP. Better known as Condiment Claire, the content creator built up a following on TikTok through videos of her kitchen experiments, typically set at the charming countryside mill her father’s family owns in France. Tomato Vanilla Basil Jam, Candied Jalapeño Bites—you name it, she’s tried it.
It should be no surprise then that these projects would eventually turn into a book, appropriately title, The Condiment Book: Unlocking Maximum Flavor with Minimal Effort. With the U.S. edition published on May 20, 2025, Dinhut has put all of her charm and passion for unexpected flavor pairings into a fun little volume interspersed with adorable illustrations and mouthwatering photographs.
Though she was raised in LA, much of the ethos of The Condiment Book is inspired by her time spent in France growing up. She notes at the beginning of the book that, “In France, everyone cans, preserves, and pickles, and you’ll find homemade goodies in every home.” In the U.S., on the other hand, we’re more likely to reach for the nearest bottle of Heinz and all it a day.
In this book, Dinhut insists, you can have it both ways. With her handy encyclopedia of condiments, you can find out how regional influences shape what we eat around the world, learn how to make condiments and their accompaniments, and spark creativity when it comes to brainstorming unique applications for classic dips, sauces, and jellies. In honor of Dinhut’s French heritage, we’ve compiled a guide to her favorite French condiments as they appear in this book, and how to use them.
Dijon
If you know one thing about Claire Dinhut, it’s probably that she has a serious affinity for mustard—Dijon, in particular, “will always be #1” according to her. This book has an entire chapter dedicated to mustard, where she dives into the history of Burgundy’s mustard makers, who were so famed that in the 13th century, the position of Grand Moustardier du Pape was created by the pope at the time so he would always have mustard on hand. Made with verjus and brown mustard seeds, velvety Dijon is the peak of French condiments, ideal for anything from topping white fish with tarragon and lemon, to adding an extra kick to hummus.
Mayonnaise
Speaking of Dijon, this mustard is crucial to the production of French-style mayonnaise, which is richer than its American counterparts due to its use of egg yolks instead of whole eggs. In fact, France is the birthplace of mayonnaise, which was invented in 1756 at the Port Mahón in Minorca to account for a lack of cream during a celebratory dinner. This mahonnaise offered a suitably creamy replacement, and became a national favorite. Dinhut shares her Mamie Jeanne’s recipe, ideal for whipping up some classic œufs mayo.
Vinaigrette
Did you think that we were done with Dijon? Not quite yet. Dinhut includes another recipe from her French grandmother in the vinaigrette chapter, made with wine vinegar, EVOO, garlic, shallot, and Dijon. She also goes a little bit into the history of vinegar in France, which is long and substantial, thanks to the country’s winemaking traditions. Today, there’s nothing more classically French than a light salad with a punchy mustard-laced vinaigrette—paired, of course, with a warm slice of quiche (recipe included).
Gelée du vin
The largest chapter in The Condiment Book is “Fruit in Jars,” which includes countless recipe ideas for jams, jellies, and chutneys. Among them is a section devoted to gelée du vin, or wine jelly, a hallmark of rural French cooking that is used in both sweet and savory applications, paired with duck or served up for dessert in a tarte vigneronne. Dinhut offers a number of suggestions for less traditional wine jellies, from Lillet and orange zest, to rosé and mint.
Tapenade
Tapenade, which originated in Marseille in the late-19th century, is a staple of southern France, where the olives used to make it grow in abundance. Dinhut offers two versions: a rich, intense black tapenade, and a bright, herby green tapenade. She likes to eat them with radishes or endive, but beyond a standard crudité platter they shine in anything from pissaladière to a shallot Tarte Tatin.
Crème de Marrons
Crème de marrons is always a favorite in France, particularly around the holidays. This sweet, nutty chestnut spread—most famously used as a piped topping in a Mont Blanc pastry—is often expensive to buy in the U.S., but if you have access to chestnuts, it’s super easy to make at home. Dinhut provides her own recipe, as well as one for crêpes to serve it with, which include beer as a secret ingredient.
Sel Gris
If you’re wondering why salt made this list, to quote Dinhut, “there are no condiment police out there.” She advocates for “ingredient salt” along with “condiment salt,” i.e., fancy finishing salt. While this book contains an entire chart of different salts from around the world, it’s hard to miss sel gris, which is hand-harvested in Brittany in western France, and translates to “gray salt.” Use it to top everything, from a gorgeous filet of fish, to a simple tartine.
Catherine Rickman is a writer, professional Francophile, and host of the Expat Horror Stories podcast. She is currently somewhere in Brooklyn with a fork in one hand and a pen in the other, and you can follow her adventures on Instagram @catrickman.