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October 2007
Last Updated August 2010

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Condiments

A Fresh Look At Ketchup

Page 5: Tomato Ketchup Reviews ~ A & B

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Ketchup Reviews

Here, the Davids take on the Goliaths. The reader is cautioned that the ketchups listed below represent only a percentage of those available to consumers. No spicy-hot ketchups were purposely tried, simply because the author of this piece is an utter spice wimp.

Of the 41 tomato ketchups tried, favorites included:

• Appledore Cove Sweet Country Ketchup
• Catsup à la Tomate
• Happy Girl Kitchen Company Certified Organic
  Heirloom Tomato Country Ketchup
• June Taylor Tomato Ketchup (organic ingredients)
• Montebello Chipotle Ketchup & Curry Ketchup
• Muir Glen Organic Tomato Ketchup (also certified kosher)
• Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup & Spiced Ketchup
• Tracklements Tomato & Pepper Ketchup
• Wholemato Agave Ketchup

Of the 10 non-tomato ketchups, we particularly liked:

• Barry Farm Cranberry Catsup
• Barry Farm Plum Catsup
• Chef Allen’s Mango Ketchup
• Geo. Watkins Mushroom Catsup

You can read more about these and the other contenders below. All ketchups were tasted by themselves, from a spoon. No more than four ketchups were tasted at one sitting, with at least three minutes allowed to elapse between samples for palate-cleansing. If a ketchup bottle provided a “use by” or “best by” date, that information is noted; bottles without this information are listed as “No date code.” Where such information was provided, per-serving calories and sugar and sodium contents are listed. Tomato-free ketchups are listed in a separate category. Within each category, ketchups are listed in alphabetical order.  (*) indicates a favorite, (†) indicates a kosher product, (‡) indicates an organic product.

Tomato-Based Ketchups A & B

• *Appledore Cove Sweet Country Ketchup (photo at right). Aroma: tomatoes and sweet spices (cinnamon and clove). Taste: definite but not excessive sweetness, followed by a good tomato flavor, then by spices. Slightly chunky texture. A favorite. Per one tablespoon serving: 20 calories, 4g sugars, 70mg sodium. First ingredient: tomatoes. Sweetener: cane sugar. No date code.
• ‡Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup. Aroma: vinegar and cooked tomatoes. Taste: cooked tomatoes, sweet sharp, salty, with some vinegar aftertaste. Per one tablespoon serving: 20 calories, 2g sugars, 150mg sodium. First ingredient: water (organic tomato paste is second). Sweetener: organic sugar. Date coded.
• Barry Farm Tomato Catsup. Aroma: bell peppers and tomatoes. Taste: tomatoes, a little salt and a little sweetness, some vinegar aftertaste. Slightly chunky texture, much thicker consistency than most. Per one ounce serving: 20 calories, sugars not listed, 114mg sodium. First ingredient: tomatoes. Sweetener: honey. No date code.
• Brooks Rich & Tangy Ketchup.  Aroma: less than most, but some vinegar with a little tomato. Taste: sweet, salty, tomato, with some vinegar aftertaste. Per one tablespoon serving: 20 calories, 5g sugars, 160mg sodium. First ingredient: tomato concentrate (tomato paste and water). Sweetener: high fructose corn syrup. No decipherable date code.
• Burpee Gourmet Ketchup (Basil). Aroma: tomato and basil. Taste: tastes like a pasta sauce, with no vinegar or spice notes, but good tomato and basil flavors. Thicker consistency than most. Chunky texture, with visible bits of basil. Per one tablespoon serving: 10 calories, 2g sugars, 50mg sodium. First ingredient: tomato paste. Sweetener: Vermont maple syrup, sugar. Date coded.
• Burpee Gourmet Ketchup (Dill). Aroma: tomatoes and dill. Taste: strong sweetness of tomatoes with a good note of dill. The dill is visible in this ketchup, which is of a slightly chunky texture. Per one tablespoon serving: 10 calories, 2g sugars, 50mg sodium. First ingredient: tomato paste. Sweetener: Vermont maple syrup, sugar. Date coded.
• Burpee Gourmet Ketchup (Onion). Aroma: tomato paste. Taste: tomato paste and onion. Thicker consistency than most. Again, this seems more like a pasta sauce. Slightly chunky texture, with some larger pieces of onion. Per one tablespoon serving, 10 calories, 2g sugar, 50mg sodium. First ingredient: tomato paste. Sweetener: Vermont maple syrup, sugar. Date coded.
• Burpee Gourmet Ketchup (Tomato). Aroma: red peppers and tomatoes. Taste: tomato paste. Thicker consistency than most. This seems like slightly thinned tomato paste.  Per one tablespoon serving: 10 calories, 2g sugars, 50mg sodium. First ingredient: tomato paste. Sweetener: Vermont maple syrup, sugar. Date coded.

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