Tomato Catsup from “The Practical Cook Book” (1915) Instructions: Ingredients: 1 peck of tomatoes 1 tbsp. cloves 6 tbsp. salt 2 tbsp. cinnamon 3 tbsp. pepper 2 tbsp. allspice 1½ pts vinegar 1. Wash and cut tomatoes into small pieces. 2. Cook 25 minutes, strain, add spices and vinegar and boil to one-half quantity. 3. Pour into sterilized bottles and seal.
Gillespie Life, Taste
July 23, 2025
Tomato ketchup is an American table staple
Deanna asked me to consider some recipes for ketchups she marked in the First Texas Cook Book (1883). It appears making ketchup was quite popular, but surprisingly not all were made with tomatoes or even with red ones — some with cucumbers (Yuk!), others with hot or green peppers.
