It is one of the world's most commonly used condiments.

Even though it's most associated with the United States, it has a pedigree that is extremely ancient and global.

I am of course talking about ketchup.

Learn more about this common condiment and it's extremely ancient and

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Before I start, I should note that what you call ketchup should really be called

tomato ketchup. I mention this because modern ketchup has become so associated with

tomato-based products that most people assume that is what ketchup is. This is important

because the story of ketchup starts in Southeast Asia with fish sauce. Fish sauce

goes way back in Asia. The origin of it isn't totally known, but there are theories

that it might have come from Chinese soy sauces or that it may have actually come from the Mediterranean,

where the ancient Romans were known to make a fish sauce very similar to what is made in places like Vietnam

today. If true, it could make it one of the few innovations which went from west

to east in the ancient world. That debate, however, is literally a whole other kettle

of fish,

and isn't really relevant to the subject at hand.

Ketchup.

...