When I was a lot younger, in the UK one served up tomato sauce with one’s fish and chips. On the other side of the Atlantic something called “ketchup” (occasionally for some mysterious reason spelled: “catsup”) was applied to hotdogs. Now, in the UK, one is also liable to hear the word ketchup used rather than tomato sauce.
I don’t like tomato sauce so cannot be sure whether it is the same as ketchup or something different, but it is clear why tomato sauce is so called. Can anyone please enlighten me as to where the word ketchup came from, and the even more mysterious catsup?

dxb

would you believe that there's disagreement about this? the most likely sauce/source is said to be a Chinese word for some sort of seafood brine. catchup and catsup are NA variants.

http://www.nickyee.com/ponder/ketchup.html

what ever the sourse of the word, catsup/ketchup has been an American condiment for a very long time.. colonial cookbooks have recipts.(recipes) for it, and the basics haven't changed.. it was originally chunkier, more like a chutney, made from tomatoes, spice, vinegar and sweetner.(molasses originaly) over time, it got smoother and sweeter.. until it is the homogonized sweet, mildy spicey, tomato basic condiment we know today.

remember the whaling industry was growing up pre-revolution, and american sailers were going round the world in search of whales.. NYC had the first customs house of US government, Sag Harbor, New Bedford, Nantucket, and all the other whaling towns of New England/Long Island followed fast behind.. Whaling ships brought in whale oil and other exotics from many foriegn ports and the new goverment was quick to impose duty tax! but there was no tax on ideas.. and condiments like ketchup came in free!

to my thinking tomato sause is mild, (maybe salt, and little basil) pureed tomatoes.. reduced slightly to thicken. it is the basis of other sauses.. red (pasta sause), cocktail sause for sea food, tomato soup, etc. i almost never use it as it comes from the can, but only use it as an ingredient in something else.

Thanks, of troy, that's a fascinating piece of history you've worked in. I agree with you about the mildness of tomato sauce, that's why I don't like it I think. I always take tomato juice with Worcestershire suace to spice to spice it up. Perhaps I would prefer ketchup!

dxb

not a word post, but ...
I was astonished to see PURPLE ketchup in the grocery store the other day. What gives with that?!?

I was astonished to see PURPLE ketchup in the grocery store the other day. What gives with that?!?

Answer: Assumed consumer boredom, assumed by marketing so-called experts.

and bright, almost lime green, too!

marketing ploy.. ketchup has been losing ground to salsa as the most popular american condiment.. and its trying to boost sales.. tomatoes do come in a number of colors, but the colors are artifically created in ketchup as i recall.

there is plenty of info available on company web sites i am sure, you could LIU.

oops... forgive me for attempting to answer the question.
-joe bfstplk, chopped-liver dept.

but i didn't disagree with you tsuwm, i did say
what ever the source of the word, catsup/ketchup has been an American condiment for a very long time.. --

and had a lot more varient spelling too, in colonial days!

Hee hee![rubbing hands together-e] Of Troy and tsuwm and a food thread! We're baaaaack!

Welcome baaaaack! And in a food thread, no less!

Later today I'll be putting up an idea to end the conflict, which I think you'll find to your [ahem] taste.

Keiva, go away. You are not welcome here.

To quote Dr. Bill, "Oh, hell! How'd he get in here?" Why do I feel like I'm in the bloody "Jaws II" (just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water).

Keiva, piss off. Please and thank you.