"ketchup" news and stories

Normally, macarons are like the one above, colorful, light, and full of sweetness. But what if it wasn't?

The world has seen chocolate on chicken and bacon cookies, so why not Ketchup Macarons? It's almost natural -- tomatoes are fruit too, yet they never get the cookie love. Just replace that center above with the spice of ketchup.

David Lebovitz recently whipped up a batch of Pierre Hermé's ketchup macarons, noting the perception in Europe that Americans put ketchup on everything. I can't say I blame them for that assessment (sandwiches, eggs, fries, meat, you name it). But making it into a cookie... That's something I want to taste for myself.

And speaking of unique cookie flavors: What's the most unique cookie flavor you've ever tasted?

[via Serious Eats]

When it comes to figuring out who created various condiments, history tends to be amazingly vague. For example, although we know that mustard was developed by the ancient Romans, we have no idea about the identity of the unknown chef who first combined wine vinegar and ground mustard seeds. Similarly, history records that ketchup originally came from China, where it was a form of fish sauce; however, there is no record of the person who made this great leap forward. Similarly, the sands of time have swallowed the name of the great pioneer who first drizzled the magic ingredient on french fries.

So it goes: from relish to chutney, jelly to ice cream, history may occasionally honor a key innovator or entrepreneur, but all too often neglects the silent inventor who toils in obscurity. With that in mind, it seems particularly vital that we honor those few, rare pioneers whose names have not been lost to history. One such man was Alan S. Geisler, who died last week at the age of 78. Geisler, an MIT-trained food technologist, developed the iconic red onion sauce that is a standard condiment on New York City hot dogs. Comprised of vinegar, onion, tomato paste and other ingredients (including corn syrup), Geisler's concoction is better know as Sabrett onion sauce, for the company that markets it.

While hot dog cuisine can be fiercely regional, Sabrett sauce is a vital ingredient for New York dogs. Transplanted New Yorkers (or those who are curious about this distinctive condiment) can order it here or follow this recipe to make it at home. It is best served atop either a dirty water or freshly grilled dog, along with sauerkraut and spicy mustard. Enjoy!

Kids will be kids, right? Well, in the town of Caister-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth (about three hours from London), police have asked local grocers to help out in preventing kids from being quite so kid-like. Area residents were reporting having ketchup squirted at their cars and, while that's not a criminal act on its own, if the ketchup were to cause damage to the paint, the perpetrators would be liable.

So the police went to the grocery stores and asked them to stop selling ketchup (and eggs) to young people in bulk amounts, in order to prevent this "anti-social behavior." Apparently the action is making a difference, as without easy access to their chosen mischief media, the teens are settling back into their law-abiding behavior.

[via Foobooz]

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When I talked to my mom yesterday, she had just finished picking the last of the tomatoes off the plants in the backyard. The weather in Portland has made the seasonal shift from Summer to Fall (unlike here in Philly where it is still gorgeous and warm, with only a hint of autumnal crispness) and so it was time to get any remaining produce out of the garden and transformed into states that store well. She made a huge batch of tomato sauce which got frozen in quart sized ziploc bags.

However, she's still got mountains of tomatoes and is in the market for some additional ways to use them. I think that there might be others of you who are in the same predicament. If so, you could turn some of your bounty into a batch of tomato paste like they did over at the Apartment Farm. If you don't have a food mill, don't let that stop you from making this recipe. You can use a fine mesh sieve and a rubber spatula instead. Another option comes from Nicole at Farm to Philly, who transformed the sea of red covering her outdoor table into two pints of homemade catsup. I'm especially tempted by this recipe, as I hate the fact that most ketchup includes a (not so) healthy does of corn syrup.

I'll skip over the obvious "American Fry" jokes and get right to it. Tara Reid, probably best known to the world for both her role in the American Pie movie franchise as well as her (former) globe-trotting, hard-partying lifestyle, has announced her plans to open a fast food establishment in Los Angeles.

The new restaurant, set to open on March 31st, will be named Ketchup - and though the menu has not been released as yet, Tara herself plans to spend time in the kitchen "making sure everything is done properly."

Though it may seem like a strange move to some, the restaurant business is in her blood. Growing up in New Jersey, Tara's parents owned a bar, and she currently has shares in three other restaurants - Bella, The Shore and Geisha House.