November 20, 2014

Adventures in vintage advertising: Heinz Ketchup


Like most of us, there are certain brands that I have always been especially fond of. Often they stir up a sense of nostalgia and bring many a childhood memory rushing to the surface. Case in point - and the subject of today's edition of Adventures in vintage advertising - Heinz Ketchup.

As a youngster, this was my very favourite store bought condiment to slather on anything from grilled cheese sandwiches to - much to my paternal grandma's horror – roast Christmas turkey. Though I still love pan fried sandwiches dipped gingerly into ketchup, I don't usually dunk the contents of my Christmas dinner into it any longer. Fun as that it may be, my have tastes evolved, as most people’s do as they age.

Still to this day, and in spite of the many different serious chronic illnesses (and food allergies) that I have to eat around/for, I can still enjoy a little bit of ketchup whenever I please, which is more than I can say for most store bought condiments and sauces.

Heinz ketch is iconic. Whether in the traditional glass bottle (you know the one - it either held onto its contents for dear life, despite thumping vigorously on the bottle, or quickly released half of its contents in one quick plop when turned upside) or the modern plastic squeeze bottles, it's safe to say that just about everyone, at least in the Western World, is familiar with this classic, zingy tomato based condiment.




{Looks like someone was predicting Costco sized bottles of Heinz ketchup before their was such thing as Warehouse grocery stores! I joke, of course, but this ad is an interesting bit of foreshadowing in regards to how big many packages, tins and bottles of food would quickly grow in the decades that followed it.}



Before we look at the lengthy and illustrious life of Heinz's classic offering however, it's worth briefly delving into the history of ketchup itself.

These days most people think of ketchup as being made primarily from tomatoes (and less commonly, mushrooms, bananas, walnuts, or beets, the latter being a great alternative for those who may not be able to eat, or don't like the taste of, tomatoes), but one very likely origin story says that this condiment - which is also known as catsup - started life centuries ago in China as a sauce made from pickled fish and various spices that was called kôe-chiap or kê-chiap.

A popular condiment, it's usage spread throughout Asia, including to Malaysia, where it found favour with the British explorers and colonists who were there at the time. The Indonesian-Malay word for this popular sauce was kecap, from which the anglicized ketchup would evolve.

Various types of ketchup have appeared in the years since those early pickled fish sauce versions, with mushroom ketchup being especially popular during the 1700s. One of (if not "the") first known written recipes for tomato ketchup appeared in 1801, later appearing in an American cookbook by Sandy Anderson called Sugar House Book. In fact, the bulk of early tomato ketchup recipes were American, with earlier forms of the sauce having come across the Atlantic with British colonists.

Though Heinz was not the first company or individual to sell prepared ketchup, they did get their foot in the door very early on,  launching their tasty offering in 1876. It has remained in production ever since and to this day Heinz holds the majority of the market share in most countries when it comes to commercially produced ketchup. The Heinz recipe would get some ongoing tweaking in its early days, becoming closer to the thick, subtly sweet form that we know today in the early years of the twentieth century.

By the mid-1930s, Heinz had even developed its own strains of tomatoes, engineered to grow varieties of tomatoes that were especially well suited to making ketchup. Three decades later, in 1968, Heinz would became the first company to start selling their ketchup in small, individual sized fast food style foil packets.

Another decade and a half later (and just a year before I was born), in 1983 Heinz brought the first plastic squeeze bottle for their product (earlier generic picnic style plastic squeeze bottles that one could decant store bought ketchup in glass jars into had been available since at least the 1950s) to the market and though some, especially restaurant owners, are still keen on glass jars, it didn't take long for plastic squeeze bottles to dominate in the arena of ketchup bottle popularity.




{A B&W photograph showing examples of some of the earliest styles of Heinz ketchup bottles.}


Right from the very beginning in 1876, Heinz packaged their ketchup in clear glass (later plastic) bottles to indicate the purity and quality of their product. This might not seem like a huge selling point today, but back during the Victorian era and early twentieth century, adulteration and inferior (sometimes even dangerous) quality premade foods were serious problem for consumers everywhere. By opting for a clear bottle, Heinz was stating matter-of-factly that they had nothing to hide and that they stood behind the quality of their products.

While Heinz is by no means the only ketchup manufacturer in the world (Hunts, another longstanding producer, is another popular brand, especially in America), they are definitely the most famous and beloved in many countries. Though I've known - and still know - some folks who say they prefer other brands (in some cases including in-house store brands like Safeway or Western Family), for me Heinz is, and has always been, my first choice when it comes to tomato ketchup and because I adore it so much, I wanted to shine the spotlight on it here today.

As Heinz was a very popular brand from the later decades of the 19th century onward, they were prolific marketers, advertising frequently in various publications, on billboards, through in store displays and elsewhere. This resulted in no shortage of ads, some more memorable than others of course, that we're still fortunate to have with us to this day. In the celebration of the scrumptious tradition of Heinz ketchup's place at the dinner (and breakfast, lunch and midnight snack) table, I've rounded up a selection of 18 different vintage Heinz ketchup ads from the 1900s to early 1960s that are sure to stir feelings of nostalgia and tap into your love of old school adverting alike.




{Phew, good to know! :D Jokes aside, the use of very dangerous chemicals and preservatives was a genuine problem in the early decades of manufactured food production and Heinz led the way on the ketchup front by doing away with it in the early 1900s. This informative ad dates from 1909.}




{Though it started out slightly different shaped, by the 1910s, Heinz's ketchup bottle had established such a classic shape that it could pass for a modern offering on today's grocery store shelves.}




{From very early on, Heinz adds have been vibrant and colourful, foreshadowing perhaps the fun, cheerful foods that ketchup would be/is so often partnered with.}




{Like many food brands, Heinz has long history of including recipes in its adds, such as this hearty 1920s dish of Carolina Meat Pie.}




{Whether this early 1930s Heinz ad was just trying to be cute, appeal to mothers, or really knew their audience, the brand's delicious red sauce has been a big hit with kids from the get-go.}




{If all it takes to achieve to achieve that goal is a bottle of ketchup, you may have the easiest marriage ever! :D}




{"Every woman's magic wand!" proclaimed this 1930s Heinz ketchup ad of its star player's ability to add pep and flavour to any dish a woman could cook up for her family.}




{The notion that a bottle of Heinz ketchup made for a happy, contented hubby was a common theme amongst the company's many ads throughout the 1930s.}




{As the 20th century rolled onward, Heinz's popularity continues to soar and spread even further afield, as this 1935 ad illustrates by pointing out that their ketchup has already become a firm favourite in 110 countries.}




{Heinz rang in the 1938 New Year by proclaiming Season's Best and the best seasonings to one all!}




{A year later in 1939, Heinz called on memories of the past, back when families had to make ketchup at home by hand, and a charming illustration to help sell their already best selling tomato condiment.}




{Heinz was by no means alone in the mid-twentieth century by attempting to appeal to female customers by assuring them of their husband's happiness if they purchased the product in question, but it was a particularly common theme for the brand who continued to do it into the 1940s, as with this cute Valentine's Day ad, and beyond.}




{Sliced white bread gets the royal treatment from Heinz in this 1940s ketchup ad featuring recipes for five delicious new ways to serve chopped mint (hint, hint, they all involve ketchup! :D).}




{That's quite the claim indeed (though, really, who's arguing - their ketchup is marvelous and certainly highly valued by countless customers), but it's one that Heinz had no qualms with making back in 1950. One can't help but wonder what company might be so bold as to say the same today?}




{Certainly part of the appeal of Heinz ketchup has long been the fact that it was a food that you could find almost anywhere you went, not just in your own kitchen, but when dinning on the go as well. I firmly believe this has been an important part of the brand's longevity and stronghold on their market.}




{Holy mid-century cooking, Batman!!! :D The award winning recipes in this 1957 ad for Heinz ketchup might not be for everyone (then or now), but they do certainly sing with the quirky culinary spirit of the era.}




{Though some ketchup fans may argue differently, this statement has always rung true for me. I love Heinz's taste and how, to my taste buds, it has the perfect balance of sweet and savoury.}




{Like countless brands in many fields during the 1950s and 60s, Heinz cashed in on the popularity of the day for the exciting space race (and airline travel) that was underway when they wrote the copy for this 1950s advert.}




{You and Heinz put 2.5 pounds of tomatoes on the table to enjoy at every meal boasted this vividly red ketchup dating to, or right around, the early 1960s. I wonder what the weight in today’s hefty 1.5 liter plastic bottles would be?}




{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}



♥ ♥ ♥



Okay, at the risk of sounding terribly cliché, I really am in the mood for ketchup now! Here is Canada, one of the key foods that we use this robust tomato condiment on is Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese, as well as mac and cheese in general, be it store bought or homemade. Like most countries we also use it on French fries, onion rings, hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken nuggets/fingers, plus oodles of other dishes.

There's no shortage to the ways one can ultize ketchup, whether as a dipping sauce, condiment or ingredient in a dish itself (such as bbq ribs or pasta sauce). Here in my home and native land of Canada, we also have a long standing tradition of making a ketchup cake - which, much like tomato soup cakes, I promise you, you can't taste the ketchup in once it's baked.

Tomato ketchup is, and has long been, a fun, classic, readily available, generally inexpensive condiment. It's uses are endless and its sweet, subtle vinegar-y, pleasantly spiced tomato flavour has continued to appeal to generation after generation for many decades now (and in the case of Heinz's offering in particular, for 139 years), just as I suspect it always will.

So while I may no longer bat my little eyelashes and politely ask (re: beg) my grandma to have ketchup with my Thanksgiving dinner, I still adore and use it often. And on that note, I'm thinking that I'll whip up a turkey meatloaf tonight, with ketchup used as both an ingredient and topping (along with sharp cheddar cheese). Hey, one's tastes might evolve as they grow up, but that doesn't mean they have to change entirely! :D

45 comments:

  1. And one mustn't forget that wonderful Canadian offering of ketchup chips! (We don't have them in the U.S.) I think they are pretty tasty!

    It's funny, because Heinz is one of those things that I'm a brand snob about (generally, I'm not so picky about generics, but I have a few, including Cheerios and Luvs). When I lived in Russia, the ketchup there is just abominable, if you are used to the American version. It is thin and runny, tastes funny, and generally unpleasant. Heinz is available there now, but it costs a mint, so I usually tried to make my bottle last as long as possible!

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    1. Ketchup chips are awesome!!! It's interesting how they, like certain other Canadian foods (such as Coffee Crisp chocolate bars), aren't readily available in the US (and often elsewhere internationally). My number one memory of ketchup chips will always be of eating them, along with hot dogs, at the beach as a little girl. Without fail, sand would always get into the bag, leaving me with memories of tasting both in my mouth at the same time summer after summer. :)

      How interesting to learn that Heinz ketchup costs an arm and a leg in Russia. It was quite affordable when I lived in Ireland (2004 - 2006), which is my only experience living abroad to date to compare things to there. Would it be possible to have someone back home ship you some for a lower price than what you'd pay in Russia? (When in Ireland, a couple of relatives very kindly sent me foods that I couldn't find anywhere there at time in good, old-fashioned care packages.)

      Big hugs & many thanks for your lovely comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  2. This post wass fabulous, I absolutely love ketchup, and learned several new things about it! And the add pictures were so fun! :-)
    Tmarie

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  3. Oh my! Ketchup on Mac N Cheese? I'm a purist I guess - never even liked it on eggs like many folks seem to! The 50s recipes were interesting and certainly we used a lot of ketchup in that decade into the mid 60s. It was the add a this and that for a fast, convenient dinner and the big age of casseroles (many featuring Campbell's soup). I had to talk my mom into changing from Hunts catchup in the later 40s - she got on a Hunts kick during the war because it was easier to come by then Heinz was and she got used to the more mild taste it had. A fav of mine growing up in the 40s was a chocolate or cherry/chocolate Coke with a big plate of fries and LOTS of Heinz catchup! That was the go to teen snack food back then.

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    1. Ketchup on mac and cheese seems to be such a love it or loath it (boarding on feeling it's sacrilegious to the dish) thing for most people. Growing up in my house, everyone liked it that way and I still do, but I can certainly appreciate the purist approach more as an adult.

      Oooohh, that sounds like such a great meal! It's wonderful to hear about some of your favourite foods growing up. Thank you very much for your lovely comment.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. I've never really thought about 'why tomatoes?' but hearing there was such a thing as mushroom ketchup, I am now! And personally, being a mushroom fanatic I would love to try that one! I just knew in amongst all these ads there would be the good old 'make your husband happy' type! I love all of the recipe ones... Can't say I'm surprised to see them coming from the company that put baked beans on pizzas! CC x

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    1. I haven't had mushroom ketchup myself yet, but as a fellow mushroom fan, it certainly appeals to me as well. I can't help but think how lovely a drizzle of it would be over creamy mushroom or truffle risotto.

      Beans on pizza you say? That's a new one to me. I might just have to give that a spin one day if I'm in the mood to really load up on carbs! :D

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  5. benzoate in food! wow.
    great collection of ads - i think they show so much of the common life at a time!
    heinz ketchup was great big mystery thing behind the iron curtain. of cause we made our own - in factories and at home, but we thought nothing could be so good like heinz. the power of advertising :-)
    and now? personally i haven´t had ketchup since AGES. love homemade tomato sauce for pasta, potatoes and veggies, if i grill some sausages i take mustard, but most of the meat (actually a rare treat) i use is very good stuff from very happy animals - so the taste is wonderful, even salt is sometimes to much.
    xxxxxxxx

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    1. It really is a frightening thought indeed - and one that makes me wonder, for all the advances in food science and nutrition since then, what in another century, will people be looking back from from this era and being blown away that we included in some of our foods?

      Though it's universally loved, I suspect (but don't have stats to back that idea up) that ketchup's strongest demographics are in Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland and Australia, with a fondness for it elsewhere. I too consume wayyyy less ketchup now than I did as a kid and teenager, often going a couple of weeks or more between servings. I love it still big time (so hence this post :D), but I don't feel the need to slather it on just about everything the way I did as a youngster.

      You're very fortunate to have access to such high quality meat. Oh, for the days of yore when nearly all meat, assuming it was bought fresh and properly slaughtered, was so tasty, healthy and able to have lived well while it was still alive.

      ♥ Jessica

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  6. Banana ketchup? The flavor of ketchup revolves to much around tomatoes in my mind that I can't even imagine what that would taste like, although I'm sure it would be good (or at least interesting) if I actually tried it.
    I was really amused by the 30s ad with the wife and husband on the phone. "Darling, I made your favorite dinner! With KETCHUP!" "Gee, dear, I really hate your cooking, but maybe if I put enough ketchup on it I'll actually be able to eat it! Cheers to not going to bed hungry again."
    The apples baked in ketchup is so weird I might actually have to try it.
    Awesome post! Ketchup is so ubiquitous that I hardly ever think about it, or about how it might have been used once upon a time. These ads were really interesting and charming, and definitely put a new spin on how I think about the condiment.

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    1. Chuckle, chuckle :D Precisely! Could imagine, then or now, if the world actually operated the way that it's portrayed in so many vintage ads? We'd also be incredibly terrified of bad breath and BO, feed our significant others nothing but store bought food (that we served them at precisely six o'clock every night), and would be constantly in a hallucinogenic dream state while sporting our Maidenform bras. :D

      Thank you very much for your fabulous, smile inducing comment, dear gal!

      ♥ Jessica

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  7. haha! i'm right there with you, Jessica. i used to dunk everything i ate, from green beans to sandwiches, potato chips and yes, even christmas and thanksgiving turkey into ketchup. that has changed a bit, but i am sort of known in my family for being a ketchup lover :D
    what a neat post! loving all the ketchup adds. the picture with the different shapes of bottles is quite neat, as well. they're just so pretty! but i do share the similar frustrations with glass bottles holding onto their contents or just plopping. i loved that description!

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    1. I'm really glad that you mentioned potato chips. I was six years old when I first had that combo at a friend's house (my folks never did it) and I was utterly smitten. To this day, if I really want to treat myself to salty dish with little nutritional value, that's one of the first choices I'll reach for. :)

      Big hugs & many thanks for your great comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  8. Count me in for a bottle of mushroom ketchup if they ever decide to market that.

    I love old magazine ads so I was happy to see these.

    The only thing I put ketchup on is grilled cheese sandwiches. I haven't had one in decades, but I'd also put it on fried egg sandwiches when I was a kid.

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    1. I haven't tried mushroom ketchup myself, but it sounds fairly appealing. I can't help but picture it tasting a bit like a really mushroomy Worcestershire sauce. The Watkins brand, whose products I generally really like and use a few of often, makes a version of mushroom ketchup that is available on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0051C0KGQ?ie=UTF8&tag=chronically-20). It's fairly pricey, but I suspect that it's a very concentrated flavour and that a little bit goes a lonnnngggg way!

      ♥ Jessica

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  9. Great post, Jessica. Product advertising is such an interesting reflection of culture. It's a good window into history. Ketchup is one of those things that everyone likes.

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  10. I loveeeeed this post! I actually shared it with my hubby. I am a fan of Ketchup and he loves old ads and all that jazz. Thank you for this! xox

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    1. That's so cool, dear Daffny. I love knowing that you shared this post with your DH. I'm the first to admit that the bulk of my posts are geared towards predominately female related topics, so it's not everyday I hear that and it warms my heart to know that this fun look at Heinz ketchup was able to strike a chord with both of you.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. I love love love a good vintage add! One of my favorite brands is Heinz and its one of the few brands that I am brand loyal too. I love their chili sauce and always use it in my meat loaf. Im not at the point, and never was, where I dunk everythiung in it but when I have a ketchup food, like fries I need tons of it. Thanks for this fun pist

    retro rover

    PS-I wore a suit a few weeks ago and wanted to send you the link to the post, because it was seeing you in suits that got me into them and I really love mine so I wanted to show you:
    http://retrorover-vintagedogs.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-1930s-suit-dress-inspired-by-mummy.html

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  12. Love Love LOVE this article..oh my goodness that was so interesting Jessica! I never knew about most of the facts you stated, so thank you. I also love the ads, very interesting to see the progression thru out the years of how advertising changed but like you said the bottles never did. Very cool. Heniz is my favorite, hands down nothing can touch it. Now I'm craving french fries with ketchup :)

    Thanks for the wonderful comment on my blog Jessica :) Have a super day!

    Liz

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Liz. I adored writing it! They might not be quite as common a feature as some of my other reoccurring posts (such as Vintage Link Love and Flickr Favourites), but the Adventures in Vintage Advertising series has long been one of my very favourite to write, in no small part because the engaging, fascinating research that is always involved with each need edition. This look at Heinz ketchup was no exception and I adored learning more about this tasty condiment in the process myself, too.

      You're very welcome! I adored your fabulous vintage prom post. A swishy tulle and/or lace confectionery hued prom dress is one of my all-time top vintage wish list fantasy items, as mentioned in my comment, I really do dream of attending a prom one day. It's never to late to make up for what I missed in high school, right? :)

      Big hugs & happy Friday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  13. Do you have other Heinz products in Canada? I remember being really shocked that the only Heinz product in America was ketchup. We have a whole raft from sauces to soups to tinned pasta and beans in the U.K.

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    1. Great question! Yes, ma'am, though perhaps not quite as many as in the UK and Ireland (I lived in the latter for a couple of years, so I speak from experience), we do indeed have lots of different Heinz products here in Canada. Off the top of my head, some that you'd find on shelves in British Columbia (at least) include tinned soups and gravies, tomato juice, pork and beans (and similar tinned beans, such as beans in tomato sauce), lots of different types of baby food, vinegar, tinned pasta in tomato sauce, and cocktail sauce for seafood.

      I'm getting hungry just talking about them! :D

      Big hugs & happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  14. fun old ads!
    wow, this is a true good question ?? i suppose, meanwhile there is just heinz ketchup and no other item in the store ... if you go fancy, you might find some other sauces but nothing else.

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  15. Dear Jessica,
    It really takes a GREAT MIND to write such a complete, deep and interesting post about a daily food item. As my folks like saying over here, I give you "hats off". :)
    As a girl who likes her tomatoes in all forms, I don't buy ketchup much. But, it simply because we make our own version of it, and you know the thing with home-made food: nothing is better than what can be found in mom's larder. :D We cook our tomatoes, and prepare paste. We also prepare tomato juice, and tomato puree. So, when time comes to serve deep fried dish - we have our sauce pretty much ready.

    Amazing post.
    You nailed it, Jess.

    Marija

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  16. Those ads made ketchup sound so yummy I may just pour a wine glass full and drink up!

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  17. I love this brand. It taste so nice- I don;t eat as as much any more since going paleo- but on cheat meals it has to be heinz. The bottles over the years changes a lot but always funky! Great post Jessica!
    http://inkandlacedesigns.blogspot.com.au/

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  18. That is really interestinggg!!! Growing up in Indonesia I always thought it was funny how our kecap tastes completely different to ketchup - I thought we got it wrong and adopted the wrong word! Never thought that it was actually the other way around!! :) :) :)

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    1. That's really interesting for sure, dear Nora. It's so much fun to trace etymology of words and discover fascinating histories like this.

      Thank you very much for your great comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. I am teased in my family for my love of Heinz tomato sauce. I think it's because, like you, I enjoyed it as a child. I don't think there is a competitor in the UK market - the own brands are quite vinegary in comparison. I don't really like to eat chips without tomato sauce, ditto veggie burgers and egg dishes. I find adverts from the past fascinating generally, there is such a lot of social commentary there, especially about women's roles. So I adored looking through these. Thank you, they must have taken ages to collate.

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    1. French fries/chips with ketchup is a must for me! I've never been a fan of them with mayo, as Tony is, though I can see the appeal there all the same. If you haven't tried plain potato chips/crisps with ketchup yet, I highly recommend it for a delightful treat that marries the saltiness of the crisps with the tangy, subtly sweet kick of ketchup superbly.

      You're very sweet, thank you! It take take some time indeed, but as with just about all the posts I pen and spend time doing research for, I enjoyed the process a great deal (the student/scholar in me will always adore writing "essay" type posts like).

      Tons of gentle hugs & happy wishes for this week,
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. Ahh ketchup. Before we moved to our present home we loved 15 mins. from the town of Leamington, which was once the home of the Heinz factory. Every fall you would see massive amounts of tomatoes being harvested and trucked to Leamington to become ketchup. You could drive down the street by Heinz and watch the tomatoes travelling up huge conveyer belts and the whole town would smell of ketchup for weeks while they bottled up all that goodness.
    Heinz is also where my mom worked as teenager after immigrating from The Ukraine.

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  21. Love ketchup. Especially with grilled cheese sandwiches. I really enjoyed looking through these ads!

    Lisa.

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    1. It will forever be a must in my books when it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, too. My tummy starts rumbling at the mere thought! :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  22. It made me smile to see how many ads show marriages being held together by a bottle of ketchup. I am a ketchup fan but not as much as my uncle who has it on pretty much everything, including lasagne and roast dinners. Interesting to read all about ketchup's history.

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    1. Isn't it though! :) Wow, now I'm a big ketchup fan, but I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever topped or dipped lasagna (or any tomato based pasta dish) into ketchup. It's not an unappealing thought, just more like gilding the lily in terms of the tomato flavour in one dish. That said, I do frequently dip pizza into it, but there isn't usually the same degree of tomato-ness to pizza as there is to lasagna.

      Thank you for your lovely comment, dear gal. I hope that things are well on your end as we head into the holiday season.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. What a charming collection of vintage Heinz ads. I loved them all, but you already know that I am a fan of vintage ads, from my ALT for Damerne magazine scans, where I always bring a lot of them. Back then ads were much more stylish and fun. I also admire your text, dear. You must have researched a lot. Do send a link to Heinz, and you might get a box of ketchup for free. ;) When son was little he would eat almost everything if he could drown it in Heinz, so we also bought the big bottle when it was discounted. And I've just received my VSS gift today, a beautiful homemade apron, which I will dedicate a blog post to later. Wishing you a lovely weekend. :)

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    1. I agree immensely. Sure, there are still some great ads out there, but few even come even remotely close to capturing my attention the way that those from decades past do.

      I had a nice little back and forth with Heinz on Twitter about my post, which was really fun. It's always a blast when huge companies interact with you like that.

      Yay!!! That's awesome to know! You're the first person who has reported to me that they've received their VSS gift. I can hardly wait to see your post about it. So exciting!

      Tons of hugs & happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. Before I found out I was a Celiac, I was a staunch Hunts person. And when it comes to my Grandma's spaghetti sauce, still nothing compares to Hunts tomato sauce. However, a lot of Hunts wasn't guaranteed to be g-free when I started eating g-free and Heinz was. Now I love it and I could easily buy their ketchup in stock every week. LOL!

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    1. I can't speak personally for Hunt's products in the States, but here in Canada I've never had a problem with their plain tomato sauce, which is what I use as the base for a ton of my tomato dishes. It's really one of the best brands out there, so I hope it always remains GF!

      We have a great family spaghetti sauce recipe that comes by way of my maternal grandpa's family (who were German, not Italian, but they sure excelled at pasta dishes!).

      ♥ Jessica

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  25. I have a 1960's recipe that calls for a bottle of ketchup. Do you have any idea what the size of Heinz ketchup was at that time? I tried to enlarge the ad pictures, but can't read a volume.
    Thanks for your help and an interesting blog!

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    1. Thank you very much for your question and lovely comment about my blog. Does the recipe specify what size of Heinz ketchup bottle it called for? By that I mean, does it say "Family Size" (or another of their size names)? I've heard before that the Family Size, which was the common Heinz glass bottle size for home use in the 50s was 20 ounces/556 grams, so that could potentially be what your recipe calls for (though that does sound like quite a bit for one recipe, unless perhaps it was something like chili or sloppy joes).

      For a visual of the size of a mid-century bottle in action, this video is handy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mn_0shSblA

      Hope those two points help you a little. Good luck and happy cooking!

      ♥ Jessica

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    2. I searched this page for the same reason, to learn the size of a 1960s ketchup bottle. The last ad above says it takes 2 1/4 lbs of tomatoes to make 12 oz of ketchup, so we're going with 1 /12 cups in our sloppy joes.

      When I have a left-over pork chop on hand, I like to make my own sweet BBQ sauce for it, using 1:1 ketchup and molasses as a starting point. I add spices, cinnamon, orange extract, etc. to suit.

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  26. Oh, my...I never heard of Ketchup Cake. Looks yummy!!! :) I would love to make this for my husband being he is a fan of Red Velvet Cake. I don't consume much Ketchup now because I cut down on sugar. When I do, it has to be Heinz. I think my mother bought Hunts a long time ago but it wasn't the same.

    Dee

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    1. It really is! So is tomato soup cake (perhaps even more so, as it keeps the cake marvelously moist). I'd highly recommend giving both a spin.

      Up here in Canada, and thus I would fully imagine in the States, too (I'm not sure where you live), Heinz sells a reduced sugar version (http://www.heinzketchup.com/Products/Heinz%20Reduced%20Sugar%20Ketchup%2013oz) of their classic ketchup. Perhaps that could help put ketchup back on the menu more often for you. :)

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment on this older post. I sincerely appreciate that you read those from years past, in addition to my newer content.

      Have a fabulous Friday & terrific weekend,
      ♥ Jessica

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