I first noticed this G E O Watkins Mushroom Ketchup some years ago in Sainsbury's. It was actually the label that caught my eye, thinking it rather curious looking it seemed out of place on a modern supermarket shelf and perhaps would have been more at home in a Victorian chemist's.
So ... Read review
Advantages: Versatile, adds rich deep colour and flavour Disadvantages: None apart from the inclusion of Gluten & it's made in a factory using nut ingredients
I first noticed this G E O Watkins Mushroom Ketchup some years ago in Sainsbury's. It was actually the label that caught my eye, thinking it rather curious looking it seemed out of place on a modern supermarket shelf and perhaps would have been more at home in a Victorian chemist's.
So what is this Mushroom Ketchup? Well if you are expecting it to be similar to tomato ketchup, then you couldn't be more wrong. It is more like ... ...kind.
This whole sauce/ketchup description can at times be rather confusing, so much so I decided to check out the dictionary definitions for both and discovered the following:-
SAUCE- a liquid added to food to enhance flavour.
KETCHUP- a thick sauce usually made of tomatoes.
Using these definitions I wouldn't actually describe the well known HP brown more
I first noticed this G E O Watkins Mushroom Ketchup some years ago in Sainsbury's. It was actually the label that caught my eye, thinking it rather curious looking it seemed out of place on a modern supermarket shelf and perhaps would have been more at home in a Victorian chemist's.
So what is this Mushroom Ketchup? Well if you are expecting it to be similar to tomato ketchup, then you couldn't be more wrong. It is more like a sauce and not the HP type, but the Worcestershire kind.This whole sauce/ketchup description can at times be rather confusing, so much so I decided to check out the dictionary definitions for both and discovered the following:-
SAUCE- a liquid added to food to enhance flavour.
KETCHUP- a thick sauce usually made of tomatoes.
Using these definitions I wouldn't actually describe the well known HP brown Sauce a liquid, as its texture is more like ketchup, same as I wouldn't describe the mushroom one as ketchup, but more of a sauce.
During further research I found that the company G E O Watkins was established in the 1830's and made this mushroom ketchup from an original recipe, still used today and is in fact very much like the ketchups that were around in the 1800's, although not necessarily as we would perceive a ketchup to be nowadays.
This was the secret ingredient Victorian cooks used to add flavour, depth and colour to their steak and kidney pies, puddings, roasts, soups, sauces and casseroles.
I am now thankfully able to purchase this from Tesco, the 170ml glass bottle cost me £1.09 just a couple of weeks ago, and as you don't need to use it in great amounts each time this bottle will last a while. If you are unable to find this in the supermarket or a local Deli, then there is no need to lose out as it can be purchased on line from www.bakersandlarners.co.uk for £1.89. A little more expensive than the supermarket, but I am sure you will find those extra pennies spent are more than worth it.
This Mushroom ketchup is a dark brown liquid, similar looking to Worcestershire Sauce and Henderson's Relish but that is where the similarity ends not in its uses, but in its flavour.
Its uses are plentiful; simply by adding just 2 tablespoons to the fillings of meat pies will not only add rich colour, but also a wonderful spicy mushroom flavour. Using it as a marinade for meat and poultry, then basting with it will leave you with juices to make a rich, dark, mushroom tasting gravy, or my favourite a good splash in cream of mushroom soup, giving it an excellent richness (not just homemade either, try it in the tinned varieties too).
You can if you so wish, simply add it directly to your cooked pies, chops or steaks, just take care as the glass bottle does not contain a plastic stopper to regulate the flow and with it being a liquid, it tends to leave the bottle rather fast.
Smelling this ketchup reminds me of the aroma produced from the liquor when soaking dried mushrooms, the taste is also very similar. The ingredients list, in my opinion holds no nasties, just water, salt, hydrolysed vegetable protein, mushroom powder (mushroom concentrate, maize maltodextrin). Acetic acid, roasted barley extract and spices.
There is nothing on the label that indicates this ketchup is or is not suitable for vegetarians. It does however contain Gluten (barley) and is also made in a factory that uses nut ingredients, so this will no doubt be a problem for some.
Using this in your cooking will not leave Much room for improvement, .........If any.
Advantages: Adds a mysterious flavour to your food. Disadvantages: Made in a factory that uses nut ingredients.
I discovered this Anchovy Sauce from GeoWatkins the same time as the MushroomKetchup in Sainsburys although this is slightly more expensive at £1.35 for a 170ml (6fl oz) bottle. It is also now available from Tesco.
Its texture is thicker than say Worcestershire sauce, but thinner than tomato ketchup. It is, in my opinion the colour of milky coffee and as you would expect it smells rather fishy, just like the aroma released when opening a tin of anchovies. Although it does not add a fishy taste to food when used instead, it adds a flavour that is hard to pinpoint. So you may well have had this before, perhaps in a restaurant dish and not realised it (unless of course you are vegetarian).
I decided to buy this purely to add to my homemade fish pies, but have since discovered it is a useful addition to a number of other recipes ...
