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From Miracle Cure to Tasty Delight THE UNBELIEVABLE HISTORY OF KETCHUP
During this time, tomatoes were still relatively new in American cuisine, and many people were skeptical about their edibility and safety. In fact, some believed tomatoes were poisonous, but Dr. Bennett aimed to market them as a safe and healthy miracle ingredient. His tomato preparation was a precursor to modern ketchup. The Transition to the Table Over time, the medicinal claims surrounding tomato- based ketchup faded, and people began enjoying its taste. A tomato-based ketchup started to appear in cookbooks as an ingredient in recipes and was commonly paired with eggs, meat, and fish. By the late 19th century, ketchup had become a staple in American households, and companies like Heinz began mass-producing it. Today, it’s tough to imagine ketchup as anything other than a delicious topping for our favorite foods, and while tomatoes do contain antioxidants and vitamin C, we know ketchup won’t cure a sickness. However, its transformation from fish sauce to tomato medicine to a beloved topping is a remarkable twist in culinary history!
Ketchup, the popular tasty and tangy condiment found on tables and in refrigerators worldwide, has a surprising and somewhat peculiar history. In the 1830s, it was not just a topping for hamburgers and hot dogs; it was actually sold as medicine — yes, medicine! A Unique Origin Ketchup’s roots can be traced back to Asia, where it was called ke-tsiap (Xiamen), a sauce made from fermented fish sauce. It made its way to Europe in the 17th century, but it looked and tasted different from the ketchup we know today, as it included ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, and oysters — no tomatoes. The Medicinal Claim and Tomato Connection In the 1830s, an Ohio physician named Dr. John Cook Bennett began marketing a tomato-based concoction as a medicinal elixir. Dr. Bennett claimed his tomato extract had incredible healing properties and promoted it as a cure for a wide range of ailments, including diarrhea, indigestion, jaundice, and rheumatism.
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