On Tue, 18 May 2004 14:23:08 +0100, Lazarus Cooke
> wrote:

>I saw a bottle of this in Tesco's the leading Brit supermarket chain,
>yesterday. Made by Geo. Watkins, according to an old recipe.
>
>I didn't buy it, as the ingredients were mostly just vinegar etc, and
>1% mushroom powder, but I feel that I chickened out, and for the honor
>of this group I should get some next time and taste it on behalf of us
>all.
>
>Lazarus

1% mushroom powder by weight probably represents some 25% by volume of
the sauce, remembering by how much dried mushrooms swell in water.

Yes, buy it and let us know what it tastes like.

BTW, Mrs Beeton's receipe for mushroom ketchup doesn't contain any
vinegar:

MUSHROOM KETCHUP.

472. INGREDIENTS.—To each peck of mushrooms 1/2 lb. of salt; to each
quart of mushroom-liquor 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1/2 oz. of allspice, 1/2
oz. of ginger, 2 blades of pounded mace.

Mode.—Choose full-grown mushroom-flaps, and take care they are
perfectly fresh-gathered when the weather is tolerably dry; for, if
they are picked during very heavy rain, the ketchup from which they
are made is liable to get musty, and will not keep long. Put a layer
of them in a deep pan, sprinkle salt over them, and then another layer
of mushrooms, and so on alternately. Let them remain for a few hours,
when break them up with the hand; put them in a nice cool place for 3
days, occasionally stirring and mashing them well, to extract from
them as much juice as possible. Now measure the quantity of liquor
without straining, and to each quart allow the above proportion of
spices, &c. Put all into a stone jar, cover it up very closely, put it
in a saucepan of boiling water, set it over the fire, and let it boil
for 3 hours. Have ready a nice clean stewpan; turn into it the
contents of the jar, and let the whole simmer very gently for 1/2
hour; pour it into a jug, where it should stand in a cool place till
the next day; then pour it off into another jug, and strain it into
very dry clean bottles, and do not squeeze the mushrooms. To each pint
of ketchup add a few drops of brandy. Be careful not to shake the
contents, but leave all the sediment behind in the jug; cork well, and
either seal or rosin the cork, so as perfectly to exclude the air.
When a very clear bright ketchup is wanted, the liquor must be
strained through a very fine hair-sieve, or flannel bag, after it has
been very gently poured off; if the operation is not successful, it
must be repeated until you have quite a clear liquor. It should be
examined occasionally, and if it is spoiling, should be reboiled with
a few peppercorns.