Sweet and sour is a term used to describe many dishes and sauces that contain a sweet and sour flavor combination.
The term "sweet and sour" derives in English usage as a borrowing from Chinese, in which there is a long tradition of dipping sauces made by combining sugar or honey with vinegar, soy sauce, and spices.
Related seasonings include gastrique, a French sauce technique that mixes vinegar and sugar, and aigre-doux (Fr) / agrodolce (It) / agridulce (Es) / agredulce (Fil), a related set of Western European techniques involving sour and sweet elements. In medieval European cooking, the combination of sweet and sour elements was far more common than today..