A-1 steak sauce. Any bug or critter smothered in this would be edible.

Garlic....no question

Black pepper

Definitely garlic! I use it almost every day.

But onions are considered an ingredient, right? If you'd seen the Sleeper sized onions at the store just now (literally grapefruit sized)...not small! But then if you're using whole chili peppers, those are ingredients, too, right? Where's the line? I'm willing to cast habaneros, jalapeños, serranos, and even guajillos into the spice bin if I can have some of the Anaheim/Hatch/Fresno ilk as ingredient vegetables which one must use a lot of.

Actually, either way, I think it would have to be black pepper. It's just too versatile. For herbs, it's between basil and mint, but I think pepper wins. If it can be a mixed seasoning (since condiments are allowed), perhaps garlic pepper, instead.

One could make vinegar with one's abundance of ingredients. :)

This one marries most of my favorite ingredients, Pesto. End of story.

Sol

I think mine would have to be chili pepper. Probably jalapeno as a plant, so I could have both red and green and make it dry, pickled and fresh, as the food required. I could use the dry peppers crumbled as a sub for black pepper (for a touch of heat). A close second would be pico de gallo, cause I could wash it and get both onions and chilis!

It's a good thing you gave me salt, or I wouldn't even have to think about it. So, since I get salt and I get sugar, I would have to go with black pepper, I love the stuff. Garlic would get a really close second, though.

Annie

salt

Hm.... but if you use a whole head of garlic at a time, is it an ingredient or a spice/herb/condiment?

Garlic.

Ketchup for me!

Garlic, but no ginger?

Oyster sauce

John this is such a tough choice. Do you consider butter as a condiment? If so I choose that. If not then I need to choose between garlic, oregano, tarragon and cayenne pepper. I guess I would choose garlic.

Vinegar

Sheila, the original post says we get to have salt and sugar, so we're good to go on that.

I'm hoping that there is vegetation on this island and that some of it is edible and can be foraged for use in place of herbs. See, I'm cheating already, I can't help myself. (grin)

Annie

No, butter is not an herb, spice or condiment. I know that is kind of arbitrary.

I think I'd choose black pepper.

I figure I could make some sauces (ferment soy, etc), but I would need a source of heat.

Wait! There's no heat? I took "cooking tools" to include a stove, but if there isn't even a campfire, I'm swimming....

It's possible to have fire. Tom Hanks did it eventually.

I'm sorry, I meant "heat" as in flavor.

SALT. Because salt makes EVERYTHING better.

One condiment only? ...from Gilroy CA, and you know what that means :)

Oh! Duh! John, that makes perfect sense. I've had too much wrapping paper!

LOL, Cookncarpenter! So many have posted "garlic" as their seasoning of choice that when you said Gilroy... :D

put me in the garlic camp

Onion, then garlic. A meal without one or the other would be flavorless!

@ pillog, my first reaction answer to this quiz was Garlic, but then I realized I could get condiment, spice, and herb in one bottle!

If any of you have not experienced the Pepper Plant products from Gilroy, (garlic capitol of the world) you're truly missing out on some of the best hot sauces in the country! Very much different from the vinegar based thin hot sauces from Louisiana, ie.Crystals and Tobasco, etc., these are truly authentic California/Mexican, much thicker and richer with so much more flavor!