Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Catsup or Ketchup - Whatever!

Just a short post to let you know I'm still here. I was supposed to join the ladies, my Sweatshoppe girlies for a weekend of relaxation and scrapbooking but as they say, life happens when you're making other plans. Norm had to fly off to China for 10 days and Alexa needs her 24/7 chauffeur. I'll fill you all in later on Cleveland, China, Halloween and what's new but I've got to hustle for work.

P.S. - why would anyone name a tomato puree "Catsup"? What's that about anyway?
P.S.S. - is ketchup any better?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We missed you at the retreat. I hope we can get together soon, and not wait till March for the next retreat.

Laurie

Unknown said...

Try this link for one version of the origin of ketchup...

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/5536/ketchup.html

Anonymous said...

Ketchup History
The word ketchup is derived from the Chinese ke-tsiap, a pickled fish sauce. It made its way to Malaysia where it became kechap and ketjap in Indonesia.

Seventeenth century English sailors first discovered the delights of this Chinese condiment and brought it west. Ketchup was first mentioned in print around 1690.

The Chinese version is actually more akin to a soy or Worcestershire sauce. It gradually went through various changes, particularly with the addition of tomatoes in the 1700s. By the nineteenth century, ketchup was also known as tomato soy.

Early tomato versions were much thinner with a consistency more like a soy or Worcestershire sauce.

F. & J. Heinz Company began selling tomato ketchup in 1876. By the end of the nineteenth century, tomato ketchup was the primary type of ketchup in the United States, and the decriptor of tomato was gradually dropped.

Catsup and catchup are acceptable spellings used interchangably with ketchup, however, ketchup is the way you will find it listed in the majority of cookbooks.
homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/ketchuphistory.html