First off, we're not really sure how we feel about dogs in sweaters. It can be cute, but it can also look forced and awkward, especially on a miniature schnauzer. However, we're 100 percent confident about dressing your hot dogs with these bright gems from Brooklyn food artisans. Or slathering them on burgers, brats, wings, a handful of chips, or whatever food you're serving this Fourth of July. There's a lot to choose from, but we've narrowed down the selections to a few trusty jars of good stuff, in no particular order. Bring 'em to your friend's barbecue and do what you will with them—we won't judge.

Rick's Picks Handy Corn
This corn relish is tangy and sweet, with crunchy bits of corn, peppers and onions soaked in a delicate brine. There's a stroke of heat from aji dolce peppers, but nothing to turn away the spice-scared. Rick Field suggests pairing this with cheddar cheese and crackers; we think this combo altogether could work well as a hot dog topping, crushed up.


Anarchy in a Jar Hot Pepper Jelly
Made with fresh-tasting local jalapenos, this clear green jelly is warm and vibrant at the tip of your tongue. It doesn't burn as long as hot sauce or jalapenos from a jar, but finishes with a candy-like sweetness that soothes the palate. Atomic heat fans might enjoy spreading this on their PB&J.


McClure's Garlic & Dill Relish
It's not cloyingly sweet nor neon green, but it's relish, alright. McClure's relish comes in the same two varieties as its pickles: spicy, or garlic and dill. They taste much the same as their pungent pickles, only in more spreadable form. Best of all, they crunch in your mouth just the same, creating explosions of texture to mirror the firecrackers in the air.


D.P. Chutney Collective Strawberry and Coriander Ketchup
Drake Page's chutney collective churns out an impressive list of small-batch chutneys in Brooklyn, but have recently taken ketchup to new dimensions with their strawberry and coriander version. The sweet and savory sludge is thick and concentrated just like its tomatoey inspiration, but the unfamiliarity of its nuances might just make you notice it on your food more.

Saucy By Nature Smokey BBQ Sauce
So you're looking for a sauce to spread on your ribs and chicken that doesn't have artificial smoke flavor and high-fructose corn syrup? We've got you covered in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn duo known as Saucy By Nature's all-nature BBQ sauce has the classic flavor, made the old-fashioned way by slow-cooking tomatoes with molasses and spices from scratch. There's no need to be shy with it at the grill.

Tin Mustard
This whole-grain, all-natural mustard is a mustard-lover's delight. Copiously speckled with both yellow and brown mustard seeds, it's as spicy and vinegary as it ought to be. Plop some of it into a potato salad and plant it on the condiment table as an essential fixin'. The jars won't squeeze out those squiggly lines on hot dogs, but you'll invariably spill more mustard onto your bun this way, not a bad thing.

Brooklyn Brine Whiskey Barrel Sauerkraut
Last summer, Brooklyn Brine sated our taste for a real, mean sauerkraut in a jar, but also gave the classic condiment a twist of its own: the cabbage is fermented in salvaged whiskey barrels from the Finger Lakes. This imparts a slightly sweet and smokey flavor to the sauerkraut, which is also fermented with preserved lemons and garlic. Now, we're craving it all the time.

Mama O's Kimchi
Gingery, garlicky, lacto-fermented slips of cabbage can enliven just about anything. Mama O's classic kimchi recipe is intoxicatingly flavorful, with fresh scallions plenty of chili-stained juice. Use some of it to marinade your meats for kebab sticks, and pair the kimchi with a rich slider or slab of 'cue.

Mike's Hot Honey
Follow the sweetness, feel the burn. Mike Kurtz is passionate about flavors, and concocted his own fresh pepper-infused honey with a touch of vinegar while working as a pizzaiolo at Paulie G's. One light drizzle of this stuff on a pizza—or pulled pork, or just-grilled chicken wing—and your eyes might start to water as the heat disperses its fiery scent. This honey goes a long way, which is good—it's still a rare find for purchase, and it's only in Brooklyn for now.

Sweet Deliverance Spicy Green Tomato Chutney
Chutney is, after all, another word for condiment, and by that guideline you can put it on anything, and make it with whatever's ripe. Or underripe, in the case of Sweet Deliverance NY's green tomato chutney, which delivers a tart fruitiness and bold spices. The recently launched line of chutneys and jams from Brooklyn chef-caterer Kelly Geary is colorful and fun, like a good party.