Ketchup Surprise!

Netherlands
June 30, 2009 2:52pm CST
As yes ketchup! What can you say about ketchup? Well the most obvious to me is that many people absolutely drowned their fries with that tomato concentrate, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, corn syrup and various spices concoction called Ketchup. But did you know that the lowly bottle of half eaten ketchup that is setting in the back of your refrigerator is known to be good when used on other things also? Yes! it is True! You Can use ketchup on something else besides your fries! For instance, we've probably all heard that to get out the skunk odor, that you get when you are unfortunate enough to get skunked, tomato juice works wonders, but did you know that you can also use tomato ketchup in a pinch just in case you are out of tomato juice? Ketchup is also good for getting cars and car parts shiny because it cuts the tarnish build up. One hint, it does not actually remove dirt so you will still have to use a little soap and water to clean the item After you cut the tarnish with ketchup! And since tomato ketchup is good for cutting tarnish it is also good to use on your copper bottomed pots and pans and copper knick knacks to dissolve the tarnish before you polish them! Actually it is the acid in the ketchup that does all of the cutting and dissolving! And for my last little ketchup surprise for the day... Do you have a problem with your newly highlighted hair turning green because you jumped into that swimming pool that is full of chlorine? Well use some tomato ketchup to restore the original highlighted color by putting full strength ketchup in your hair, soak it well, leave it set for about 20 minutes and rinse out...your original highlighted hair color should be restored to the color you paid for!! And that concludes our lesson for the day on Ketchup Surprise!!How about you? Do you have any unusual uses for ketchup? It doesn't have to be a household tip maybe a recipe, let me know if these tips helped you in any way or Anything At All that you can share here about Ketchup...just as long as you share with all of us!
2 people like this
3 responses
Canellita
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
1 Jul 09
You're kidding! I know about vinegar and copper so I guess that is why ketchup works in that capacity but I would never have dreamed it could be used for all those other things. Vinegar is great for cleaning but I think I would stick to straight vinegar and try to avoid using the ketchup. Here's a question, why do some call it Catsup?
1 person likes this
greeneyedlady
@greeneyedlady (1439)
• Netherlands
1 Jul 09
I have to agree with you Canellita in that I think I would rather stick with plain vinegar than ketchup/catsup as I think one would spend more time cleaning up the mess that ketchup/catsup leaves behind than what it is worth!! As for your question about why some call it catsup! I have in fact looked it up for you just so I could try to answer you! There doesn't seem to be one definitive answer! Ketchup/catsup seems to date back to the 1700's or possibly earlier. The different answers are: Ketchup possibly has its origins from Indonesia and was imported into England from there. In Indonesia they have a thick sweet soy sauce that resembles our ketchup/catsup and the name of that soy sauce is called Kecap. Or: Catsup is actually an Old English term for ketchup. Or: Catsup is actually a trade name and many people have adopted the word and sometimes use it in exchange for ketchup!! I don't know about you, but from all of these explanations, I get the feeling that everyone is just as dumb as I am as to why some call it ketchup and others catsup and I am no closer to knowing the answer now than I was when I first started!! But I do know THIS! It is agreeded that there really is no difference and both are acceptable!! Thanks for your response and thank you very much for testing my brain and making me work a little harder to learn something new! I always try to learn something new every day!
1 person likes this
Canellita
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
2 Jul 09
How interesting! I had no idea that ketchup could possibly have its roots in Indonesia. Now I am extremely curious as to how it travelled west. I vagule remember reading something or other in the past, though I couldn't say what or when. The internet is such a fascinating "place." You can learn so much just sitting at your computer surfing around even at 3:00 AM!
1 person likes this
Canellita
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
2 Jul 09
That should have been vaguely, lol.
1 person likes this
James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
2 Jul 09
Good to know! This now means that whenever someone asks me what single thing I'd want with me if I was stranded on a desert island, I can say ketchup! I'm not quite sure how I'd end up dying my hair, getting sprayed by a skunk or clean a car while stranded on an island, but still! By the way, we call it "Tomato Sauce" where I come from.
1 person likes this
James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
2 Jul 09
That's it! lol. The other one I know is "A rolling sausage gathers no ketchup", but I rarely hear this one used anymore.
1 person likes this
James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
2 Jul 09
Hmmmmm, well there's the standard tinned tomato's which you can get whole or diced, there's canned tomato puree and there's canned or bottled pasta sauce! If I was to send someone to the store to buy me the smooth tomato sauce, I'd ask them to get me pasta sauce (Neopolitana etc).
1 person likes this
greeneyedlady
@greeneyedlady (1439)
• Netherlands
2 Jul 09
Hi James! Wow it is old home week over here today isn't it? I am happy to see you show up too on this Very Important discussion...we Really Needed Your Input!! I am like you I'm not quite sure about being able to use ketchup for all of these uses on a desert island But!!! Stranger things have happened I can assure you!!! So they call it "Tomato Sauce" where you hail from huh? Well where I came from "Tomato Sauce" comes in a can and you add it to spaghetti sauce or chili etc. it is a totally different thing from ketchup!! So now my question to you is... What do they call My "Tomato Sauce" where You Come From??? Thank you very much for responding and I can't wait to hear what "Tomato Sauce" is!!
1 person likes this
saw2207
@saw2207 (1359)
• United States
6 Jul 09
hi greeneyedlady... omg Ketchup . when I was pregnant . everything had to have ketchup on it. . drown fries. . .I drowned potato chips, pickles, frankfurters and my all time favorite.. was and i hate to admit it cause I still love it today. . pasta with butter and ketchup . .
1 person likes this
greeneyedlady
@greeneyedlady (1439)
• Netherlands
9 Jul 09
Hi Saw! You really are one Ketchup Lady aren't you?? I have to admit I have never tried pasta with butter and ketchup. To tell you the truth I am not as big of a ketchup fan as you are, but I do Love tomatoes oddly enough!! I will give pasta with butter and ketchup a try one of these days...I like to try new things that people suggest! Thanks for your response and enjoy your baby of course!!!