Farmhouse Ketchup

Farmhouse Ketchup by Easton Reed with Cinnamon and Clove

Farmhouse Ketchup by Easton Reed is the classic tomato ketchup in the range. Chunky tomatoes and tomato paste make up almost half of the jar, pickled peppers add sweetness, and cinnamon and clove provide the traditional ketchup seasoning.

Farmhouse Ketchup is the classic tomato ketchup from Easton Reed in Augsburg, bottled in a 280-milliliter jar. "Farmhouse" implies a simple, robustly seasoned style. Chunky tomatoes are the primary ingredient at 30 percent, followed by cane sugar, tomato paste, water, and pickled peppers.

Chunky tomato with peppers underneath

The ketchup is dark red and significantly thicker than what you are used to from a squeeze bottle; it comes out of the jar in dollops rather than a stream. You can tell that whole tomato pieces were in the pot rather than just thickened paste from a canister.

The initial note is tomato, bold and with the acidity of fresh fruit, not that of a concentrate. The pickled peppers then introduce a mild, almost fruity sweetness, while the dried onion rings provide a savory foundation. The cane sugar works in the background and does not push itself to the fore.

Finally, cinnamon and clove appear, just enough that you sense them rather than name them. Fruity, spicy, warm—it builds in this order, and the pinch of chili powder remains far below the threshold of heat.

For fries, burgers, and fried potatoes

This is the ketchup for everything you would usually reach for the big bottle for, just with significantly more seasoning in the jar. Fries and potato wedges are the obvious starting point, and because it is so thick, it stays on the fries.

It works well on burgers and hot dogs alongside mustard and crispy onions; with fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and meatballs, it replaces the sauce entirely. Even stirred into a Bolognese or chili, it adds a depth that plain tomato paste cannot provide, and for a quick grill marinade, it suffices as a base with a little oil and vinegar.

For something fruitier, try the Banana Ketchup; for something more refined, the Truffle Ketchup. The entire selection can be found under Ketchup.

Clove and cinnamon belong in old-fashioned ketchup

The fact that a ketchup contains cloves and cinnamon might be surprising today, but it was the norm for a long time and has been intentionally kept that way here.

Early 19th-century American recipes were closer to a chutney than to what is found in plastic bottles today. Alongside tomato, vinegar, and sugar, they featured clove, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger, as these spices provided both preservation and character. Back then, ketchup was a condiment, not a side dish for children's plates.

Only industrial bottling reduced the recipe down to tomato, sugar, and vinegar. At Easton Reed, the old spices are back at the end of the ingredient list, along with dried garlic and dried peppers, which give the whole thing a light roasted note. The range was developed by Ryan's Specialties in Augsburg; take a look at the Easton Reed assortment.