Re Ketjap pizza

[Michel Ryckx]

A very recent cookbook in my language, solely dedicated to Ketchup and
aptly called 'Ketchup', written by a professional cook, traces it back to
Roman times and he gives a Roman recipe based on vinegar and (I couldn't
believe it myself) anchovies.  As you know, the Romans did not know
tomatoes.  The author argues that the main ingredients for ketchup are
sugar and vinegar.  This combination makes it easy to keep the sauce fresh
for a longer time.

The bottom quote is to be found on p. 79:

 " "Strike her upon the Bottom," whispers Els, "and perhaps she will
behave." "

And there's p. 71:
(Mason:)
"[. . .] Arh, arh!  What shall you do for <i>Ketjap?</i>
"They must sell it  somewhere in Londen. . .?"
"At ten times the price."

Both pizza and ketchup alike seem all-too-American to me, old fashioned
European --in things culinarian.  Though the sauce has become more popular
over here during the last years, I cannot remember it was to be found in my
parents' house (or mine, for that matter) when I was younger --and I'm not
yet 40.  Pizzas became known here after WWII; the thing was not introduced
by Italian immigrants but by American soldiers.

I think the ketjap-pizza story is hinting at the future of both surveyors:
America.

The taste, on the other hand of that pizza must have been horrible, I'm
pretty certain: a bit too much blue cheese and it will be ruined; the sugar
in the Ketjap, when heated, will easily caramelize; the anchovy too salted
(at the time those little fishes were ususally very, very salt in order to
keep them consumable longer) but it most certainly was better than eating
haggis, I guess.

The 'Circularity' (235.16) of the pizza, which makes dividing it in
'pointed things' possible, is definitely American: even now, a pizza in
Italy is very often baked in a rectangle, in order to use the oven as
efficient as possible.  (Wasting energy is a very bad American habit).

And I'm writing this from "Flanders, [. . .] a sinners' paradise to some,
--to others a form of Pennance" (M&D, 231.11-13) where one makes a sauce
yourself, when you need it.

Michel.