Thanksgiving Dinner - Hunts Catsup

Ketchup or catsup? My first instinct when writing the word is to use catsup, and I can't really tell you why. Both words mean the same thing, a spicy/sweet sauce made from ripe tomatoes, so what's the difference? Well, when you get right down to it, there really aren't any.

Both ketchup and catsup trace their origin to the mangling of a Chinese term for fish sauce: ke-tsiap. As the condiment migrated through southeast Asia it's name was localized and when 17th century English sailors took to the sauce, the name was further anglicized to compensate for sounds that simply didn't work for the Anglo palate. In the 1800's you could point to the fact that British English speakers were more likely to use the "ketchup" spelling while American English speakers most commonly used "catsup".

Those of you who are fans of Mad Men may have seen the episode featuring a fake sales pitch to Heinz promoting changing the spelling to ketchup in order to differentiate the product in the eyes of US consumers. While that meeting was fictional, according to a Slate interview:

"Henry John Heinz first brought his product to market as “Heinz Tomato Catsup,” but changed the spelling early on to distinguish it from competitors. Del Monte did not switch spellings until 1988, after it became clear that ketchup was the spelling of choice for American consumers. Hunt’s switched the name of their product from catsup to ketchup significantly earlier."

So, at least according to the sources I can find, if you say "ketchup" is right you've got corporate America behind you. If you choose "catsup", well you're an old school rebel and here's to you!

Fun with Food - Piles by Hunts (1949)

To be honest, I'm surprised the "greatest generation" was able to win World War II. I've seen hundreds of food ads from the 1940's and 50's and, having witnessed the crimes against comestibles committed during those eras, I wouldn't have thought they'd have the energy. I mean, look what they were eating? I mean look at this. Hunt's would like us to believe it's "oven croquettes", but I'm telling you it looks more like a steaming plate of hemorrhoids with tomato sauce. I mean food shouldn't be pyramidal. It just shouldn't.

Foods of the 500 - Hunt's Catsup Sacrilege

Pouring over old food ads can be a dicey proposition. You're going to see things that just aren't right, things that you can't un-see. Mostly it's the usual suspects - margarine that need dye packets to turn yellow, canned meat products, Velveeta cheese - but from time to time you come across something so wrong, so terrible, that it makes you question whether you wan't to keep trawling through the ad bins.

That's how I felt when I came across...this. A t-bone steak that actually looks edible is a rarity in a 50's era magazine ad. The rest of the plate is more common, the baked potato looks like an open sore and the green beans like lawn clippings, but the steak actually appears to be meat. And then the catsup...what kind of monster puts catsup on a steak?

Hunt for the best? I'm hunting for the jerk who thinks the proper sauce for a well grilled steak is catsup. There has to be a 12 step program for people like that.

Hunt's Tomato Sauce and Murder...

Judging from the picture, I think those daggers found their mark.

Even though Easter is behind us, I thought one more lamb-inspired ad might be in order. I'm not exactly sure about the creole origin of this recipe. Ladling Hunt's Tomato sauce over chops hardly seems to speak of the Caribbean or Louisiana, but this ad did air in 1948, a somewhat less worldly time.

I also thought that the copy didn't really go with the artwork. I mean staring daggers isn't exactly "pouting". Looks like Aunt Mary is contemplating her role in a Mrs. Marple murder, not trolling for compliments on her cooking. My mind completes the vignette with a detective standing over the body of Uncle John, "Strychnine," he says, pushing his rumpled hat back off his forehead. "What is it with dames and poison?"