As a child, I loved ketchup and didn't really care what brand. Most all of them tasted the same whether it was Heinz, Hunts or some off-brand. Whatever was on sale didn't matter much to me.
That is, until I married my husband, and he would eat nothing but Heinz. So that's how it's been for the past couple of decades. And really, that's been fine. There hasn't been much else from which to choose anyway.
Assorted mustard and ketchup bottles are displayed.
Anne BralyNow, though, that's all changed. The condiment battle has begun. First, Heinz started marching into French's mustard territory. So how did French's respond? By making ketchup. But French's didn't stop there. The company expanded its mustard line to include several new flavors. So which is best? Who's won the war?
No better way to decide than to put them side by side on my counter and start tasting. So I went to the store and came home with an armload of condiments to put to the test.
* French's Ketchup: Far too spicy for my palate, and I'm not talking heat. I'm talking actual spices. I got the distinct taste of cinnamon, making the ketchup almost sweet and overpowering the tomato flavor. Also, the ketchup was not as thick as Heinz. So the winner? Heinz.
* French's Spicy Mustard: Wow! I couldn't believe it, but there was quite a kick to this mustard. Generally, when a label says "spicy," it's pretty mild. Some companies believe that Americans can't take the heat, but many of us can. And French's put the heat to its spicy mustard. It's perfect for giving a kick to your dogs or burgers when you take them off the grill this Labor Day weekend.
* French's Sweet Mustard: I'm not much for sweet condiments, but I do add a little brown sugar and mustard to my baked beans. And this mustard is good in beans. You might also want it in potato salad or on a dog or burger if you like pickle relish. It will add that little bit of sweetness you like but not the texture. I'd stick with the relish.
* French's BBQ Mustard: I'm not a fan of super-sweet barbecue sauce, either, and that's exactly what this is. It's French's newest in its mustard line. It does have a nice spicy kick to it, but it's offset with too much sugar.
* French's Sooo Creamy and Light Mild Mustard blend: I'm just surprised it's taken this long for a company to combine mustard and mayonnaise, which this does. It's two jars in one, and really good on anything you'd put mustard and mayonnaise on. And it's excellent in potato salad if you like just a hint of mustard flavor. That's all it's got. It tastes mostly like mayo.
* Heinz mustard: OK, turnabout is fair play, so I'm not surprised Heinz got in the mustard business. But I couldn't tell a bit of difference between Heinz and French's. Nothing made it stand out. Except the price: An 8-ounce bottle of Heinz mustard is $1.99 at Bi-Lo, while the same size of French's is $1.53. The math speaks for itself.
So Heinz wins the ketchup wars, and French's wins the mustard battle, in my opinion. We're back to where we started, only now I have a pantry full of condiments. It may take a couple of years to finish off all the mustards, but now I know I won't have to buy any for a while. And I hope this may help you save some money - and space in your refrigerator.
Slaw sample
Cole slaw is one of those very personal foods, and Labor Day sees tables piled with many cole slaw variations. Everyone has their favorite, and few are willing to make the change to a new recipe. Most of us in the South prefer cole slaw with few ingredients, opting for the simplest mixture of mayonnaise and sugar with perhaps a splash of vinegar and sprinkling of salt.
But as you'll find in this recipe, slaw is a versatile dish and can be elegant enough to serve at a dinner party rather than relegating it to a cookout as a side to barbecue. But if you're looking for something a little different to serve this Labor Day, this slaw should do the trick.
Thai Cole Slaw
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups shredded napa cabbage (Chinese)
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup red bell pepper, strips
1 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons chopped dry roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped of fresh mint
Combine lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, water, peanut butter, chile paste and garlic in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended.
Add cabbages, bell pepper and carrot, and toss gently to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour. Stir in the peanuts, cilantro and mint just before serving.
Drink wine, support St. Jude
St. John's Meeting Place Lounge continues its summer wine-tasting series Thursday evening with wines from DeBarge Vineyards, Chattanooga's first and only urban winery, opened by Chattanooga physician Raymond DeBarge and his family in the Southside location in 2012.
The event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., supports St. Jude Children's Research Center and will pair St. John's Chef Rebecca Barron's hors d'ouevres with DeBarge Vineyard's wines. Any member of the community who is passionate about good food and wine is invited to attend. Tickets are $30 per person, and reservations are required. Call 423-266-4400.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.