Et Cetera

Surprising history of ketchup

by Lara Smith on July 1st, 2015 at 3:56 PM
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      Ketchup occupies 97 percent of North American households.

      Yet who would imagine that it was discovered in China in the 17th century and brought to America by English settlers?

      The Chinese in Fujian province pickled fish and spices in a brine that they called ke-chiap. They took it to Malaysia in the 18th century and the Malays called it kecap.

      It obviously fascinated the English, who made it with mushrooms and sugar.

      It appeared in 1801 in the Sugar House Cookbook. The English also used it to spice it with anchovies but it wasn't until H.J. Henz, the founder of Heinz Foods, manufactured it industrially on a large scale in 1876.

      Heinz saw the potential of great success after seeing how housewives took to ketchup.

      It's said that Jane Austen used to love mushroom ketchup in her day. The earliest large-scale entry ketchup made into Canada was in 1909 in Leamington, Ontario, where the first Heinz factory was set up.

      Of course, the rest is history.

      Commonweath countries often refer to ketchup as tomato sauce while those in the U.S South call it catsup, something the English apparently frown upon.

      It's been more than 300 years of eating ketchup. Even though there are other condiments, such as tobasco and mayo, for French fries and a burger, you just have to have that ketchup.

      Healthwise, ketchup is a little high in sugar and it would be interesting to meet somebody who has made it at home.

      Comments

      4 Comments

      Surprisingly..

      Jul 1, 2015 at 4:31pm

      I was in Arkansas in 1992 in a hotel. I ordered breakfast but it didn't come with Ketchup or Catsup. I asked the waitress if she could bring some. She gave me a puzzled look and said in her best southern accent said 'Oh do y'all mean Red Sauce?'. Well Catsup is red so I said yes, and she brought me what appeared and tasted like thick spaghetti sauce. Maybe she didn't speak Canadian English I figured.

      Or maybe Arkansas is part of the 3% that don't use Heinz in every household?

      cathy

      Jul 2, 2015 at 8:52am

      Thanks for the history Lara!
      Always though ketchup had it's roots in India.

      Never made home-made yet but do have a few suggestions for the bottled ketchup-i use organic:
      Mix w/ a little Sriracha for a zing
      Sauce for that retro shrimp cocktail? Mix horse radish and ketchup
      Quick bar b q- bottle of ketchup {2 cups}, 3 Tbs brown sugar, 2 Tbs each worcestershire, brown sugar & cider vinegar, pinch red pepper flakes & some chopped garlic. Simmer in pot 15 min.

      Don't throw out that stuff at the bottom of the bottle-I've heard you can clean copper with it. Mix with equal parts Kosher salt and
      buff that copper!

      Charlie Smith

      Jul 2, 2015 at 4:49pm

      From the writer Lara: Great suggestions by Cathy.