ketchup

We're seeing a new food trend heat up the condiment aisle: spicy ketchups. In less than a month, three ketchup companies have sent over their spiced varieties: Sir Kensington's Spiced Ketchup ($7), Solutions Condiments Hot Tomato Ketchup ($5), and Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended With Real Jalapeño ($5). We put them to the test in a taste-off to determine the best spicy ketchup. Did the spiciest win? Or did the most ketchup-tasting one win in a landslide? See the results.

A while back, we tried Heinz's balsamic ketchup and were not that impressed, but we wondered how the new, limited-edition Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended With Real Jalapeño ($5) would fare. It's available for early purchase via Heinz's Facebook page until Dec. 7 and will be released in stores early next year. Should you dip your fries into this spicy condiment or stick to the original? Find out what our taste-testers thought.

• France starts rationing ketchup in schools — Eater
• Could Yelp be contributing to the demise of chain restaurants? — Washington Post Wonkblog
• Taco Bell "locos" taco features a Doritos shell — Delish
• Jets vs. Patriots? How about bagels vs. clam chowder? — Food Republic
• Foodie postcard: picking Tabasco peppers on Avery Island — Saveur
• Our love-hate relationship with candy corn — Kitchen Daily
• 25 recipes everyone wants to know how to cook — The Daily Meal

Source: Flickr User meandmybadself

Last year, Heinz unveiled a newly redesigned packet that allowed condiment lovers to choose between squeezing or dipping when it came to enjoying ketchup. Now, Heinz's dual-function ketchup packet has partnered with Chick-fil-A to celebrate with Free FryDay.

From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time today, ask for Heinz's new Dip & Squeeze packet, and you'll receive a free medium order of Chick-fil-A waffle fries (one per customer).

The two brands are encouraging fans to follow both Heinz Ketchup and Chick-fil-A on Facebook for more prizes. I rarely turn down anything that's free, but this does seem like a timely promotion, especially after all the heat Chick-fil-A's been getting for taking a conservative stance on certain social issues. Will you partake in it?

Source

• Ketchup: Why even some of the most local chefs prefer Heinz to homemade. — Chow
• On a budget? You can still afford organic. — Huffington Post Food
• The second season of Shaq VS will feature Rachael Ray and Joey Chestnut. — Eater
• Classic recipes to make now and freeze for later. — The Epi-Log
• Everything you need to know about making your own sushi. — Serious Eats
• Pronounce these pastas like an Italian pro. — SFoodie
• A first look at Stephanie Izard's The Girl & the Goat. — Grub Street CHI
• Gwyneth Paltrow cooks up a storm. — Vogue
• Unraveling the history (and mystery) of Chinese brown sauce. — Atlantic Food

Source: Flickr User meandmybadself

I recently started tracking my food online at LiveStrong and have been surprised by the amount of sugar I consume daily. We all know that sugar appears under many aliases on food labels, but the sweet substance can be found in many foods you just wouldn't suspect, like whole wheat bread, crackers, and tomato products. If tomatoes are picked too early, they need to be sweetened to create the palate-pleasing balance of sugar and acid. This means your ketchup has about four grams of added sugar per tablespoon. While my personal downfall, Brown Cow maple yogurt, offers calcium and protein, flavored varieties of yogurt really pack in the sugar. For instance, six ounces of plain Cabot Greek yogurt contains six grams of sugar naturally, but once you add some strawberry flavoring, the sugar count jumps to 24 grams.

I will be sticking to plain yogurt and adding some fresh strawberries now that they are coming into season. Then again, you can always mix your plain yogurt with a little flavored to cut your sugar intake down but still satisfy your taste buds.