As I was doing my chores this morning and thinking about the forum and how so many of us had become so much like cactus (have you ever tried to hug a cactus???) and also looking forward to my favorite radio show PHC, it occurred to me that all we really needed was just a little more catsup in our lives. Anyone have a favorite catsup recipe they would like to share???

This is our old family favorite.

1 peck tomatoes 2 med. Onions 2 Hot peppers 2 cups cider vinegar 1 teas. Cinnamon scant 1 teas. Cloves 3 cloves garlic 1 Tablespoon paprika 1 cup white sugar 2 ½ teas. salt

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 11, 2001

Answers

My Mom used to buy "Brooks Tangy Catsup" when we were kids. It probably was the cheapest at the store but I loved it. Didn't see it for a long, long time and ran across it recently. Still good, and it is cheap!

Yes, w/ a little more catsup....life doesn't look so bad. Saturday night, 1800 hours EST. Tune in to The Prarie Home Companion and enjoy. John

-- john in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.

Glad to see you back John.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 12, 2001.

Horray for catsup and PHC!!! Happy listening!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 14, 2001.

Diane, I don't have the recipe any more, but years ago my son chose to make colonial era foods for a school history project. We got some books out of the library and found a recipe for grape catsup. It turned out fairly thick and sweet and spicy, like a steak sauce. I had never thought that 'catsup' could refer to a kind of condiment, of which tomato is the most popular. The grape stuff was not bad, but I'll stick to the tomato kind.

-- Nina in E TX (nchick4997@aol.com), January 15, 2001.

My mother makes catsup when she has a good tomato year. Her secret is to cook it in the oven. That way you don't have to stir and worry about it scorching or sticking. Just maintain a low temp (less than 300, she cooks on a wood stove, so it's hard to tell the actual temp) and let it cook with occasional stirrings and (of course) taste testing until you get the product you want. Seal in jars and process for canning as for tomatos. She also uses the oven method for apple butter.

-- Maggie's Farm (elemon@peacehealth.org), January 15, 2001.

Its the Powdermilk Biscuits that always get to me!

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), January 17, 2001.

Where can I buy Brooks Tangy ketchup? I can't find it in any stores in my area? Have it gone out of production? Help me!

Lynn

-- lynn Fisher (blfisher@buckeyesteel.com), April 17, 2001.

Do a search on Google for Brooks Tangy Ketchup.

Here's just one source.

http://www.agrilinkfoods.com/corp/service/catalog/brooks.html

Bill

-- Bill Martin (bmartin@island-styles.com), August 15, 2001.