38 replies to this topic

[Stone]

Oscar Madison called it "tomato wine."

I love it. I love it on everything. I splosh it on my burgers. I plosh it on my vindaloo. I mosh it into my ice cream. I splorge it on my morning cereal. I squeeze it over corn, under towers of steak tartare, around store-bought pastry-puffs of mushroom and crab, and into doughnuts because what's jelly anyway but a misguided attempt at fruit-ketchup. I drench it on broccoli and quench my thirst with it. I've done away with Crest in favor of Heinzing my teeth every morning. 57 varieties for 30 teeth. I've filled my jacuzzi with a delightfully sweet tomotao froth.

Some people think ketchup should be banned. That's crazy talk if you ask me.

What say we petition the government to declare Ketchup the truly American food (hamburger and frankfurter sound too tuetonic for such an honor).

[cabrales]

In the July 3, 2002 edition of the NYT ("Shameless Secrets of the Chefs", by Amanda Hesser), there is a reference to the use of ketchup at Cello and AZ in NY:

"At Cello, the pancetta-wrapped ahi tuna and foie gras . . . The base of the foamy sauce splashed across the plate is Heinz ketchup. Laurent Tourondel, the chef, squeezes it from a plastic bottle into a pan and caramelizes it. The sauce is then built by adding soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and ginger juice. It is thickened with cold butter, whisked in a little at a time. For years the trend in cooking was toward from-scratch absolutism, but now some chefs seem to be loosening up. Mr. Tourondel and Ms. [Patricia] Yeo, for example, have plenty of prep cooks to whip up some ketchup or fetch some caramel. . . . 'Ketchup,' she added, 'is a huge part of our peanut sauces. It has just the right sweetness and acidity.' . . ."

[GordonCooks]

Of course not.

You elicit a comparison between a food lover and a food snob. You may consider it’s use mundane and insipid but you are a minority in this category. What’s next ? Ban crunchy peanut butter, B-movies,

You can pass on the Ketchup but some may not.

PS - Ketchup does not make kids fat - Parents do

[cabrales]

Ketchup is helpful with most burgers and even good french fries (which I would subjectively take with a bit of fleur de sel only). Also, onion rings. To clarify my prior post, I was hoping to convey that ketchup has many uses beyond just burgers and fries.

Oh, to clarify, I use good old Heinz, in a squeeze bottle.

[Holly Moore]

Oh, to clarify, I use good old Heinz, in a squeeze bottle.

It is the squeeze bottle that should be banned. Detracts from the "whole-ketchup" experience. Like a screw cap on a bottle of wine. Takes away the ritual. Makes it too easy.

As Heinz has said, it is all in the "anticipation" - those character building moments when the food is sitting in front of you screaming to be consumed but the ketchup has yet to have left the bottle.

[SobaAddict70]

Not to mention a good rendition of homemade ketchup at Home Restaurant on Cornelia Street, in Greenwich Village.

And then, there's also banana ketchup, from the Philippines.

Shame on you...

=P

SA

[cabrales]

As Heinz has said, it is all in the "anticipation" - those character building moments when the food is sitting in front of you screaming to be consumed but the ketchup has yet to have left the bottle.

Holly -- That's precisely why I like the squeeze bottle. If there is a restaurant I would like to sample, I attempt to go sample it. The same with dishes; I dislike waiting for the ketchup pour when the item is before me. I do not necessarily anticipate visiting new restaurants because I doubt their cuisine would be to my liking. I might be curious and still go, but the anticipation of a lyrical experience is not generally there (even in France, in almost every instance). I'm open to having such an experience, and seek to capture it when available. However, there is no real "anticipation" of something extraordinary when I visit new restaurants. Perhaps, prior to going to El Bulli and some of the Spanish three-stars, I might feel that sense of anticipation?

Even though I may not anticipate anything special, it's wonderful when one identifies a restaurant that one finds special, like Blue Hill (in the context of the US). Perhaps that's the only restaurant (apart from the old Bouley) that I experienced it in the US. Note I have not eaten at Charlie Trotter's.

[rich]

No ,no, no a thousand times no. Ban Ketchup? Do we next ban fois gras? What about camembert? Do we eliminate crab? Do we abolish Cabernet Franc (sorry tommy).

No let ketchup live. If for no other reason, it's a great ingredient in BBQ sauce.

Cabby - I'm with you, nothing else but Heinz.

[cabrales]

Soba -- Could you describe banana ketchup?

[TheMan,TheMyth]

You gotta have ketchup. What else would you put on your egg noodles. Its the heart of fine Italian cooking.

The Man, The Myth
TapItorScrapIt.com

[CathyL]

No let ketchup live. If for no other reason, it's a great ingredient in BBQ sauce.

Cabby - I'm with you, nothing else but Heinz.

Yes indeed. But I've switched to Muir Glen ketchup for Q sauce - a bit less sweet and more acidic than Heinz.

For french fries etc., Heinz it is.

[Aurora]

Should we call for a ban?

Are you kidding? Shame on you two times.

A burger without ketchup? That's like my grandmother being dressed for Sunday services without an outrageous hat--it's not possible.

I do prefer my Heinz 57 in the short, restaurant glass bottle.

[bigbear]

No. I need it for the cocktail sauce for shrimp.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Thumbs up for ketchup.

[SobaAddict70]

Banana ketchup is made from pretty much the same stuff as regular tomato ketchup except that the primary ingredient is mashed ripe bananas. The version I'm familiar with also contains tomatoes, primarily for use as a coloring agent. Its sweeter and spicier than your usual tomato ketchup, not as tangy, and a little more mellow.

Try it one of these days, and let me know. Remind me to bring a bottle at the vertical tasting, whenever that is.

SA

[Ron Johnson]

Dstone,
Try mixing in 50% addition of Louisiana Hot Sauce to the ketchup. The result is quite nice for fries. Cuts the sweetness and adds a little zip of heat and earthiness. I likey.

[tommy]

Letting children pour it on anything does little more than help them develop a sweet-tooth which will make them fat down the road.

oh please. if that were the case, everyone on in the US would be fat.

[Blue Heron]

Dstone,
Try mixing in 50% addition of Louisiana Hot Sauce to the ketchup.  The result is quite nice for fries.  Cuts the sweetness and adds a little zip of heat and earthiness.  I likey.

ron, that sounds good! I'm going to try it. I think that would also taste great on hashbrowns, too.

Love ketchup on (homemade) cold meatloaf sandwiches...yum!

[tommy]

i mix thai chili sauce, which is sweet and spicy, with ketchup when i'm have something that needs a little more than ketchup.

ketchup is a great produce. although its aggressive sweetness that turns some off, it has acidity, sweetness, spiciness, and color. it can be used in cooking as well as as a condiment. i like ketchup.

[Blue Heron]

i mix thai chili sauce, which is sweet and spicy, with ketchup when i'm have something that needs a little more than ketchup.

tommy, what types of things do you serve with your sweet chili sauce/ketchup combo? (I'm looking for new ideas). I am very fond of Thai sweet chili sauce, especially with grilled or even roasted chicken.

[jaybee]

Why not ban yogurt while you're at it. It is sour, goppy, tastes bad and looks horrible spilled in your lap. Ban ketchup? Are you serious?

[tommy]

tommy,  what types of things do you serve with your sweet chili sauce/ketchup combo? (I'm looking for new ideas).       I am very fond of Thai sweet chili sauce, especially with grilled or even roasted chicken.

well, i serve it with french fries.

also, i mix ketchup, store bought bbq sauce (at little), sriracha, thai chili sauce, and lime juice for grilled pork chops. it's so easy and just adds so much to grilled pork. hell, i've served it spooned over a grilled pork loin as well.

thai chili sauce looks like this, but not as blurry. thaigrocer.com carries it for all of you people living in culturally challenged areas.

[SobaAddict70]

At least we're not proclaiming it as a vegetable. Can't remember who did that, either Reagan (during his second term) or Bush.

The horror, the horror!

SA

[Blue Heron]

At least we're not proclaiming it as a vegetable.  Can't remember who did that, either Reagan (during his second term) or Bush.

The horror, the horror!

SA

I believe ketchup has lypocene though, which I've read helps prevent prostate cancer.

thanks tommy, for the sweet chili sauce/ketchup combo ideas.

[GordonCooks]

At least we're not proclaiming it as a vegetable.  Can't remember who did that, either Reagan (during his second term) or Bush.

The horror, the horror!

SA

Horror ?

The Ketchup or Reagan-Bush... I bet I can guess your answer

[kjohn]

I read that ketchup was as good a source of lypocene as any other tomato product.

Anybody try making their own? I've had homemade ketchup - it can be very good.

[stagis]

From what I understand it, tomato ketchup is an American staple in its many-manufacturer form. But witness the rest of the world - catsup, kitchap, etc..... and they have a LOT more variety...

Personally, I use more Sri Racha then ketchup, but that's personal... And I've just discovered the joys of relish on a dog... And threw out the jars of Cain's 'Green' and Cain's 'Yellow' relishes........

[Jaymes]

Should it be banned?

Verily, is it not amusing when the food police are on the prowl?

[Suvir Saran]

Ketchup is helpful with most burgers and even good french fries (which I would subjectively take with a bit of fleur de sel only). Also, onion rings. To clarify my prior post, I was hoping to convey that ketchup has many uses beyond just burgers and fries. 

Oh, to clarify, I use good old Heinz, in a squeeze bottle.

These were meant to be my words!

I LOVE KETCHUP!

My cookbook will have at least two recipes, all Indian, and authentic that call for Ketchup.

[Suvir Saran]

I read that ketchup was as good a source of lypocene as any other tomato product.

Anybody try making their own? I've had homemade ketchup - it can be very good.

My mother made home made Ketchup. I grew up with it and make my own when I find extra time and great tomatoes.

At my restaurant Jacks Fifth, we were known for our Burgers at lunch served with some of the best French Fries in town when we were open served with home made kethcup. With some of the spices that come from my native land. But the recipe came from the chef, Herb Wilson.

Herbs ketchup made me bless spices daily. For fries and kethcup were my lunch everyday.