My dear friend Julia's father tells a story about ketchup (catsup) and how it's made. It goes like this: "When making catsup, you have to put all of the tomatoes, spices and other ingredients into a large pot to simmer. Then you add several cats to the pot--yes, cats. When the cats float to the top, you say, 'CATS-UP!' That's how you can tell when the catsup is ready."Neither Julia nor her father is an animal-hater (so PETA, stand down). But I thought the story would be a good segue into a new series of recipes I'll be presenting here on Mama-ghetti: recipes that use ketchup.
You might be surprised to hear this, but many contemporary Japanese recipes incorporate ketchup as a main ingredient. Ketchup is also a great shortcut in other recipes that require a tart, sweet, tomato-ey kick.
And if you haven't already figured this out . . . I'm a huge fan of ketchup. It could possibly be my favorite condiment. So if you're a ketchup-lover like me, but you think that ketchup's only good for dipping your french fries, I'll prove you wrong--just stay tuned.
Thank you to Julia and her dad for the funny story and to "A Cat a Day" for the photo!
2 comments:
President Reagan tried to make ketchup a vegetable. Or was it Bush Sr? I can't remember? Maybe Reagan tried to make jelly beans a fruit.
I saw an episode of Bizarre Foods and the host went to Japan. They have a restaurant dedicated to mayonnaise. Even mayo-shakes. Ewwwww.
Jasmine, I enjoyed your blog on cats-up and mama-ghetti very much. It's great to see your name too! after all this time.
I am assuming you finished schooll and now live in Japan where you are...what? Doing some kind of work. Tell me more.
I should have waved last week when I flew back from SE Asia. We stopped in Narita on the way back and forth. I went to Malaysia to be with my son and dot-in-law and 18 month old granddot. Then my son and I went to Bali as he loves it there and wanted to share it with me. What a great trip that was.
Let me know how you are doing. much luv, ms.w
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