Classic Seafood Cocktail Sauce

To start with this easy cocktail sauce, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the ketchup and horseradish and mix well. It's important to make sure the horseradish is well integrated into the ketchup - this combination gives cocktail sauce its signature tang and spice.

Next, add the Worcestershire sauce. Its umami flavor lends depth to the sauce and sets the foundation for a well-rounded taste.

Squeeze in the lemon juice. I recommend using fresh lemons as bottled juice often have preservatives that can alter the taste subtly. Don't underestimate this step — the lemon juice transforms the sauce by adding freshness and acidity.

Now, add the hot sauce - I usually start with a few drops, taste, and add more if needed. This sauce should have a bit of a kick to liven up the seafood, but it shouldn’t be overwhelming.

Fine-tune your sauce with salt and black pepper, but be careful - too much can overpower the delicate flavor balance we've created.

Mix it all together well to ensure all the flavors meld together.

Finally, for the best flavor, cover and refrigerate the sauce for a couple of hours before serving; this allows the ingredients to infuse and the flavor to mature.