# Catsup or Ketchup **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915 "2011-01-08T20:50:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/21 "2011-01-10T12:12:10Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > In the UK they use “tomato sauce” as well and it means exactly the same think as ketchup. People like me will happily refer to Heinz Tomato Ketchup as “tomato sauce”. I have done ever since I was a wee kid. I question this assertion. The Tomato Sauce in NZ and OZ looks like ketchup and is used like ketchup. To Americans, it tastes awful. In fact, even the stuff they sell as ketchup tastes different, although it is an improvement over the Tomato Sauce. I suspect the UK Tomato Sauce is similar to the NZ and OZ Tomato Sauce. Next time I go to NZ, I will bring my own bottle of ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![ecseas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ecseas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecseas)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/22 "2011-01-10T12:59:25Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > In the UK they use “tomato sauce” as well and it means exactly the same think as ketchup. People like me will happily refer to Heinz Tomato Ketchup as “tomato sauce”. I have done ever since I was a wee kid. Heinz, big red is tomato sauce. it’s different to their ketchup ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/23 "2011-01-10T16:09:33Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > That sounds like crushed tomatoes (or “crushed tomatoes with XYZ”). Thicken it up, and it’s “tomato paste”. American tomato sauce is somewhere between crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Crushed tomatoes are are also sold canned, and really are just that - pulverized tomatoes, possibly strained to remove seeds (but I could be wrong about that). Tomato paste is like crushed tomatoes, only VERY thick. Used to add concentrated flavor to dishes, without a lot of liquid. Tomato sauce is a very smooth, somewhat thickened product typically with some seasonings, but not a lot; it’s much runnier than paste but thicker than plain crushed tomatoes. Think of melted ice cream, texture-wise. [Hunt’s Tomato Sauce](http://www.hunts.com/product_detail.jsp?product=sauce) ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/24 "2011-01-10T16:13:22Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > In Oz they call it [tomato sauce](http://www.simplyoz.com/products/australian_foods/vegemite __groceries__ beverages/sauces/fountains_tomato_sauce). And pour it on [pie floaters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie_floater). ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/25 "2011-01-10T16:15:24Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > I question this assertion. The Tomato Sauce in NZ and OZ looks like ketchup and is used like ketchup. To Americans, it tastes awful. In fact, even the stuff they sell as ketchup tastes different, although it is an improvement over the Tomato Sauce. I suspect the UK Tomato Sauce is similar to the NZ and OZ Tomato Sauce. > > Next time I go to NZ, I will bring my own bottle of ketchup. You are questioning that I, as a kid (and probably still do), referred to Heinz Tomato Ketchup as “tomato sauce”? Seriously? Do you know something I don’t? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/26 "2011-01-10T16:17:04Z")
> [@ecseas](#): > > Heinz, big red is tomato sauce. it’s different to their ketchup I have no idea what “big red” is. I am referring to the stuff that says “Tomato Ketchup” on the bottle and is made by Heinz. This stuff: [http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Condiments/Heinz\_Tomato\_Ketchup\_342g.html](http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Condiments/Heinz_Tomato_Ketchup_342g.html) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/27 "2011-01-10T16:22:08Z")
So where did the “Catsup” spelling come from? The root seems to be pronounced like “ketchup” and is even anglicized that way, not only in **janeslogin** ’s cite, but in every one I’ve seen. Cecil says that he gathers that the Chinese word is pronounced more like “catsup”, but that’s not at all evident from what’s written there. Certainly I’ve only heard the word pronounced “ketchup”. 19th century recipe books I’ve looked at all have the “ketchup” pronunciation, even when the ingredients were walnuts. The only place I’ve ever seen “catsup” is on some product labels. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/28 "2011-01-10T16:30:47Z")
Oh and by the way, Wikipedia (yeah, yeah) has this to say: > **[Ketchup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchup)** > > Ketchup or catsup\[note 1\] is a table condiment with a sweet and sour flavor. "Ketchup" now typically refers to tomato ketchup, although early recipes for different varieties contained mushrooms, oysters, mussels, egg whites, grapes, or walnuts, among other ingredients. > Tomato ketchup is made from tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar, with seasonings and spices. The spices and flavors vary but commonly include onions, allspice, coriander, cloves, cumin, garlic, mustard and sometimes include celery,... > [@](#): > > Ketchup (or Catsup) (American English) or tomato sauce (Commonwealth English) is a sweet-and-sour condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, and an assortment of vegetable seasonings and spices such as onions, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, and celery.[1] > > … > > etchup is the dominant term in (American English); tomato sauce is not a synonym for ketchup in American English. Commonwealth English largely favors the term tomato sauce instead of ketchup; for example, in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Other terms include tomato ketchup, and red sauce. “Red Sauce” is commonly said in areas of the United Kingdom, as is “Brown Sauce” which refers to a variety of HP-alikes (Daddies Sauce was popular in my house and was referred to as “brown sauce”). ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/29 "2011-01-10T16:42:46Z")
I say/spell/think ‘ketchup’ but I’m glad that ‘catsup’ is still knocking around. I always think of Monty Burns shopping without Smithers. “Ketchup, catsup, ketchup, catsup.” ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/30 "2011-01-10T18:36:01Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > American tomato sauce is somewhere between crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Crushed tomatoes are are also sold canned, and really are just that - pulverized tomatoes, possibly strained to remove seeds (but I could be wrong about that). Tomato paste is like crushed tomatoes, only VERY thick. Used to add concentrated flavor to dishes, without a lot of liquid. Tomato sauce is a very smooth, somewhat thickened product typically with some seasonings, but not a lot; it’s much runnier than paste but thicker than plain crushed tomatoes. Think of melted ice cream, texture-wise. > > [Hunt’s Tomato Sauce](http://www.hunts.com/product_detail.jsp?product=sauce) What you call tomato sauce, we (Brits) would call passata. What you call tomato paste, we call tomato purée. What you call crushed tomatoes (in a can), we would call chopped tomatoes. Tomato sauce = ketchup in the UK. And what you call tomato, we call tomato. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915/31 "2011-01-10T19:14:15Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > What you call tomato sauce, we (Brits) would call passata. What you call tomato paste, we call tomato purée. What you call crushed tomatoes (in a can), we would call chopped tomatoes. Tomato sauce = ketchup in the UK. > > And what you call tomato, we call tomato. 😃 eh??? Ahhhh!!! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catsup-or-ketchup/566915.md?page=1)