ketchup

If a woman couldn't possibly open a bottle of ketchup without asking for a man's help back in 1953, then why didn't they just eliminate the middle (wo)man and empower the man to open the bottle and — gasp! — serve his damn self? It was only logical, darling.

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Ketchup is ketchup right? Tomatoes, sugar some spices. It's a condiment, not a gourmet sauce, right? Wrong! Maybe it's just because the British seemed more refined than the rest of us, but the Daily Mail is reporting that they're about to receive a gourmet Heinz ketchup.

The new "premium" ketchup has taken the chefs at Heinz over a year to perfect and it will cost three times as much as regular ketchup. According to Heinz it is meant to appeal to folks "who want a more sophisticated table sauce to match their palate."

There's no news on whether or not the US leg of Heinz is planning on releasing a similar product, but if they did, would you buy it?

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In an ideal world, I would have tons of free time to make lots of homemade condiments which I would give to my friends as gifts. First up on the to-make-list: barbeque sauce and ketchup. — For the Love of Food

With so much talk about organic foods, we all know that they are healthier for us and better for the planet, but our budget doesn't always agree. Organic foods can be absurdly expensive, so which foods are most important to get organic?

Pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, whose new book Raising Baby Green, discusses ways to raise children in an environmentally-friendly way. Here are the five foods he recommends that can have the biggest impact on your diet:

• Milk: Conventional milk usually comes from cows that are treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics. They are most likely fed grain that includes pesticides, and all that goes into the milk you drink. Choosing organic milk decreases the amount of chemicals you consume.
• Potatoes: This popular staple in our diet accounts for 30% of overall vegetable consumption. Commercially grown taters are some of the most pesticide-contaminated veggies. A 2006 USDA test found that 81% of potatoes still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled. Yuck.

Want to see the rest? Then read more

I'm a huge fan of enhancing my meals with a little somethin' somethin'. A slice of cheese here, a pat of butter there, a smear of peanut butter on that. It's just a little bit, so it can't really affect my diet, right?

Well, if you're trying to lose weight, cutting calories is the way to do it. If you're always adding and sprinkling and smearing extras onto your food, well all those little things could start to add up. I'm not saying you need to ditch the little pleasures of life, like a dollop of mayo, but here's a breakdown so you can add them up for yourself. It's just good to be conscious of what they're worth, instead of just pretending that they don't mean much.


Want to see the random list of common tiny tastes? Then read more

People do the weirdest things in the hunt for the "world's record." This time the fine citizens of Collinsville, Illinois have partnered with the H.J. Heinz Co. in order to create the world's largest ketchup packet. The packet, which will contain 130 gallons of ketchup, is being submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records and is 8-feet tall, 4-feet wide and weighs over 1,500 pounds (680 kg).

If you don't believe me, here's a video of the event.

Source: Spluch

Are your food choices giving you more salt than you bargained for? The RDI of salt is no more than 2,300 mg of sodium (6 grams, one teaspoon) a day. A diet high in sodium can lead to high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease. One simple way to reduce your sodium intake is by watching out for ordinary foods with extraordinary sodium counts.

• Condiments: Margarine, butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, pasta sauces, soy sauces and dressings.
• Processed foods: Crackers, chips, pickles, canned vegetables and soup and lunch meats.
• Meats: Red meats and meats like bacon and ham tend to be higher in sodium.
• Fast foods: A lot of items from fast food restaurants are loaded with shocking amounts of sodium.

Fit's Tip: Fresh is always best for getting lower sodium.

Did you guys know that Tara Reid is a restauranteur? She has shares in three restaurants - Bella, Geisha House and The Shore, and now she's planning on opening up her own "fast-food" joint (I put fast-food in quotes, because I'm pretty sure it's a sit-down restaurant with a "fast-food" themed menu - meaning high-end ). The restaurant, which is called Ketchup, is set to open up in Los Angeles on March 31st 21st (looks like the blogosphere was wrong on this one). Will you see Tara there?

"You probably won't see me behind the cash register. But I'll definitely be in the kitchen making sure everything is done right."

Now if you think this sounds like another way for Tara to let us all know that she's transforming into a responsible adult, you might want to know that the restaurant business is actually in her blood. While Tara was growing up, her parents owned a bar in New Jersey.

Also, according to Eater LA the last open-call for staff hiring was last Wednesday. Leaving just two weeks one week or less for staff training...

If anyone goes to the opening, or anytime after, let us know how it is! Also, let us know if Tara really is there. Do you guys think she will be?

Source: Slashfood
Ketchup Image: Eater LA