Title: How ketchup, an invention of imperial China, eventually became a polarizing American staple | Salon.com
Headings: How ketchup, an invention of imperial China, eventually became a polarizing American staple
How ketchup, an invention of imperial China, eventually became a polarizing American staple
Ketchup makers are trying push past the condiment's basic reputation with new flavors like "Kranch" and "Mayochup"
What is ketchup?
How ketchup, an invention of imperial China, eventually became a polarizing American staple
How should I use ketchup at home?
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Recipe: Salon's Special Sauce
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Brand recommendations, plus how to make it at home
Ashlie D. Stevens

Content: on macaroni and cheese, as a "dip" for Cheez-Its or smeared on croissants. A recent post shows a kid's breakfast plate that's more ketchup than scrambled eggs. Most comments are a variation on the joke, "This one's broken. Toss the whole kid, and make a new one." Like many condiments, ketchup is polarizing — check out Saucy's column on ranch for another feature on a divisive dip — but if you look beyond the bottle, there's a lot to be learned about the food science behind what makes something cravable or palatable, as well as the static nature of certain condiments like ketchup. Advertisement: A little history first: While tomato ketchup is deeply ingrained enough in American cuisine that it's present in 97% of American refrigerators, its roots trace back to imperial China, where sailors popularized a fermented paste made from fish and soy beans called "ge-thcup" or "koe-cheup," because it was easy to store on long voyages. As their trade routes widened, so did the knowledge of the sauce, until it finally landed in Britain in the 18th century by way of British traders who were posted up in the Philippines, where banana ketchup is still a staple. ( Keep an eye out for our deep dive into that soon.)