April Fool's Day

I tried really hard to think of an April Fool's joke to play with this blog, but I came up empty.

So, instead I will talk about ketchup. Ketchup is a marvelous invention. It can go on hamburgers, sandwiches, with french fries, on eggs (I don't agree with this one!), in recipes and so much more. Kids sometimes use it as a dip for chicken nuggets or fish sticks (once again, I don't agree with these uses). A lot of people put ketchup on their hot dogs, especially kids. Hot dog purists will tell you that ketchup should not be put on a hot dog. I have mixed opinions on this one. Sometimes I put ketchup on a hot dog, and sometimes I don't.

I'm sure there are many more foods that people put ketchup on. Maybe some of you can fill me in. Europeans don't really use ketchup as much as Americans. In fact, for french fries they prefer mayo. I was apalled at this and grossed out, until I tried it and found that it actually tastes pretty good. So french fries have become like hot dogs to me. Sometimes I use ketchup and sometimes I don't...sometimes I use mayo!

Italy has ketchup, although it tastes a bit different. Not because of cultural reasons, but because of production reasons...like generic ketchup tastes different than Heinz. Heinz is hard to find in Italy.

After a few months of trying different ketchups, I finally found one that I like. McDonalds ketchup. No, I don't head to our local McD's and steal a bunch of ketchup packets. You can't! They keep them behind the counter and charge you .20 cent euro per packet. Thats about .26 cents in American currency...for a ketchup packet! I would go broke, or at least have to cut out some gelatos if I were to go the ketchup packet route.

Thankfully, McDonald's sells bottles of their ketchup in all the local supermercatos. It is 'only' 3 euro per bottle, about average for ketchup in Italy. Not bad. Now I can enjoy my fries, if choose to use ketchup, and my hamburgers and my occasional hot dog...if I choose to use ketchup.

Italy is a better place with McDonald's ketchup.


I recently found a bottle of Heinz ketchup and will save it for a special occasion. In the meantime, McD's ketchup makes me happy.