Five years ago, Malcolm Gladwell pronounced ketchup ripe for the kind of diversity revolution that had already shattered the staid monotony of the spaghetti sauce and mustard markets. Now The Smart Set wonders why we’re still waiting for ketchup to storm the barricades. Were we too busy cooking up exotic derivatives during the boom years? Has the Great Recession, or government regulation, stifled vital condiment innovation? Maybe it’s something immutable in ketchup itself. All those natural mellowing agents, perhaps. [%comments]
The Ketchup Revolution, Postponed
TAGS: food
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If you wanted some improvement in ketchup, you would use salsa. Ketchup is like mustard; some variety, but not much. Heinz did market colored ketchup in green, purple, pink, orange, teal, and even blue (no mustard colors here!)….too weird. If tomato ketchup changed much, perhaps it would be called something else?
Eric (#!) – Ketchup can be made out of other fruits. I think that’s the revolution we’re talking about here. Perhaps I’m wrong. I do know that there are banana and apple ketchups available in the Philippines.
Personally, I think ketchup is disgustingly sweet. Any context in which most people would use ketchup would find me much more likely to use a vinegar-based hot sauce or just plain malt vinegar (and perhaps some Old Bay as well).
I think the likely variations on Ketchup are already well represented by the various salsas (chunky style) BBQ sauces (spicy and or sweet versions) and steak sauces (A1, Hines 57, and so on).
a change in ketchup i would not relish
on perfection do not embellish
it is what it is supposed to be
to some food, just good red company
I would guess that there is little call for any deviation from the most traditional of All-American condiments.
Salsa has long been more popular than ketchup in the US market, and there is no lack of diversity there.
Agreed that “If tomato ketchup changed much, perhaps it would be called something else.” It’s like mayonnaise – it if changes too much, it becomes Miracle Whip. Places that try to offer “really expensive ketchups… all the fanciest ‘Dijon’ ketchups,” so to speak, are simply begging to be featured in a Miller Lite ad.
I’ve moved away from ketchup almost completely. It’s just for dressing fries or onion rings.
For everything else that I would consider putting ketchup on (and a few things more to boot) I use sriracha chili sauce with the rooster on the bottle.
Spicy, garlicky, pure delicious.
I have tried a curry flavored ketchup that was very good.
If people really want flavor variety in this area, they have plenty of choice already in barbecue sauce, steak sauce, salad dressing, mustard, salsa, chili, and so on. Ketchup isn’t really used on lunch meat sandwiches where the competition is more focused. Instead, it is used on burgers, fries, and other foods where competition is already much more diverse.