Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup

Enjoyed the Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup, the secret of many a Victorian cook, this tastes halfway between Worcestershire Sauce and soy sauce with subtle undertones of mushroom.

Lifestyle – Features

• The original ketchups were carefully brewed condiments, but are now all but superseded by convenient modern equivalents like Bisto.
• Originally, mushrooms were packed – caps, stalks and all – into earthenware jars, salted and placed on the back of the stove until they flowed with dark liquid.
• Next, the jars were set in the oven and boiled, the sauce strained through muslin, and finally spiced with the likes of black pepper, nutmeg and mace.
• George Watkins, established in 1830, is the most common brand around, although disappointingly, despite the “ye olde” label design and claim to having been “prepared from an original recipe”, is made with mushroom powder.
• But it’s still got to be better than Bisto if you want to highlight the flavour of beef and game.
• This particular condiment is also great for pepping up the gravy of a steak and kidney pudding.
• Straight from the bottle, Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup is delicious on grilled chops, kidneys, liver or steak.

Lifestyle – Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup

Ingredients – Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup

• Water, Salt, Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein, Mushroom Powder (2.5%) (Mushroom Concentrate, Maize Maltodextrin), Acetic Acid, Roasted Barley Malt Extract, Spices.

Manufacturers – Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup

AB World Foods Ltd,
Kiriana House,
Kiribati Way,
Leigh,
Lancashire.
WN7 5RS
England.

Overall Rating
Aroma
Expectant
Taste
Halfway between Worcestershire Sauce and soy sauce with subtle undertones of mushroom.
Texture
Thin, as ketchups were in the 19th century.
Appearance
Dark, looks the part.

Overall
Tasted pleasant, but disappointingly is made with mushroom powder and other cheap ingredients, and not to an old recipe.