Brew-shet-ta or bru-ket-ta???

What the heck is the difference between all these red sauces in little jars -- bruschetta, tapenade, caponata, and ajvar?

Bruschetta (pronunciation) isn't a sauce in a jar. It's a piece of toasted or grilled bread topped with some type of condiment. The topping could be a sauce from a jar, I guess, but it usually isn't.
Tapenade is a spread made with olives.
Caponata is a spread made with eggplant.
Ajvar is a spread made from peppers.

Alright.
Here's the little bit I know about "sauces/condiments":
Bruschetta: is actually a term for toasted bread. If there is a topping to Bruschetta, it is usually a tomato base. They broil/grill the toasts with the tomato and seasonings on top (basil, usually, with garlic, herbs and whatnot)
Tapenade is a RAW (uncooked and fresh) paste that is made from capers, olives, olive oil, lemon, herbs and (sometimes) tuna.
Caponata is a COOKED, eggplant-based dish with olives, onions, tomatoes, anchovies, pine nuts, capers and vinegar.
Ajvar is a RELISH that is popular in Yugoslavia and Greece; it is made from roasted sweet peppers, eggplant, garlic, olive oil, S&P, and paprika.

First off, it sounds like you should invest in a copy of The Food Lover's Companion--I gotta tell ya...it helped me out when answering this question. It's like $15, and is found at any book retailer.
And second, if you were to see these things on the shelf, do NOT get the Bruschetta topping or the Tapenade (Bruschetta--fresh tomatoes and ingredients--should be broiled/roasted along with the bread it's to be served upon; Tapenade is to be served fresh and raw). The other two should be OK, however make sure that it's from a local purveyor because ... even thought these ingredients seem hearty, if kept over time producers like to add preservatives (and we all know what that does to food quality)!!

Usually it's a hard c in Italian, but Americans rarely say things that way. Dopes.

hello wikipedia, who knew? wrote: In Italian, bruschetta is pronounced [brusˈketta], though in English-speaking countries it is commonly pronounced /bruːˈʃɛtə/.[1] The noun "bruschetta" is from the verb in the Roman dialect "bruscare," meaning "to roast over coals."[citation needed] Following a semantic shift, some Americans now use the word "bruschetta" to refer to the topping instead of the dish. Many grocery store chains in the United States sell bottled "bruschetta," which is typically tomatoes, onion, garlic and other herbs.

feh

pitu wrote: Usually it's a hard c in Italian, but Americans rarely say things that way. Dopes.


[quote=hello wikipedia, who knew?]In Italian, bruschetta is pronounced [brusˈketta], though in English-speaking countries it is commonly pronounced /bruːˈʃɛtə/.[1] The noun "bruschetta" is from the verb in the Roman dialect "bruscare," meaning "to roast over coals."[citation needed] Following a semantic shift, some Americans now use the word "bruschetta" to refer to the topping instead of the dish. Many grocery store chains in the United States sell bottled "bruschetta," which is typically tomatoes, onion, garlic and other herbs.

feh
Feh indeed. That bears about as much resemblance to a bruschetta as a BK Croisandwich has to a croissant.

I like saying brew-sketta but my Northern Italian girlfriend says her family pronounces it brew-shetta.

And real provencale tapenade should have anchovies in it. Mmmmm!!!! without the anchovies, it's olivade. Both are incredibly easy to make.

I want all of these in my belly now!

Wait a GD second - I am not that fat and I am not a bastard!!!!

scarlett wrote: Wait a GD second - I am not that fat and I am not a bastard!!!!

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you were, although I see how it came off that way. I just think of that scene anytime someone says "in my belly."

Carnivore wrote: [quote=scarlett]Wait a GD second - I am not that fat and I am not a bastard!!!!

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you were, although I see how it came off that way. I just think of that scene anytime someone says "in my belly."

Aw! Carnie apologized! How sweet!!!! I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy this morning.