Title: The Surprisingly Ancient History of Ketchup - HISTORY
Headings: The Surprisingly Ancient History of Ketchup
The Surprisingly Ancient History of Ketchup
Ketchup's ancient history
The golden age of ketchup
Tomato ketchup is invented
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Tomato ketchup is invented
Finally, in 1812, the first recipe for tomato-based ketchup debuted. James Mease, a Philadelphia scientist, is credited with developing the recipe. He wrote that the choicest ketchup came from “love apples,” as tomatoes were then called. ( Some believed tomatoes had aphrodisiac powers.) Before vinegar became a standard ingredient, preservation of tomato-based sauces was an issue, as the fruits would quickly decompose. A relatively new company called Heinz introduced its famous formulation in 1876, which contained tomatoes, distilled vinegar, brown sugar, salt and various spices. They also pioneered the use of glass bottles, so customers could see what they were buying. Did you know? Heinz is famous for its '57 varieties,' but by the time the company started using the number they already had more than 60 products. The number is in fact made up from Heinz’s and his wife’s favorite numbers…5 and 7.