Ketchup itself has a considerably longer and stranger history than most people realize. The word traces back to a fermented fish sauce from southeastern Asia — historians believe it entered English usage via trade routes from southern China and Vietnam, and early British ketchup recipes from the 1700s bear little resemblance to the tomato-based condiment that became standard. Tomatoes were not added to ketchup recipes until the early 1800s, and even then, early tomato ketchup had a thin, vinegary consistency far removed from the thick, smooth product Heinz eventually perfected.
Henry John Heinz began selling bottled horseradish in 1869 and added ketchup to the Heinz product line in 1876. The company's innovation was in consistency and preservation — Heinz ketchup used a higher concentration of tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar than competitors, which produced a product that was both more flavorful and more shelf-stable. The iconic glass bottle with its narrow neck and distinctive shape became a retail standard in the late 19th century and remained essentially unchanged for over a hundred years. Heinz introduced plastic squeeze bottles in 1983, which largely eliminated the stuck-ketchup problem for home consumers — but glass bottles persisted in restaurants and diners, where they are still preferred for their aesthetic, their durability, and the argument, made by some condiment purists, that glass better preserves the flavor of the ketchup inside.
Other Ketchup Tricks That Actually Work
The 57 trick is specific to glass bottles. For plastic squeeze bottles that have become sluggish — particularly when nearly empty — the most effective approach is to store them upside down so gravity does the work of keeping ketchup near the opening. Many newer Heinz plastic bottles are designed with the cap at the bottom for exactly this reason. For glass bottles when the 57 trick alone is not quite enough, combining it with the 45-degree angle is essential — the angle is not optional. Holding the bottle fully upside down defeats the mechanism by sending the ketchup away from the neck; the 45-degree position keeps it pooled near the narrow point where the tap does its work. A brief swirl of the bottle before tipping it can also help, loosening ketchup that has thickened near the glass walls.
If you find yourself at a diner table with a glass Heinz bottle anytime soon, the process takes about three seconds: tilt to 45 degrees, find the 57 on the neck, tap firmly once with the heel of your hand. Your fries will still be hot. The people across the table will look impressed. And you will finally have gotten something useful out of a number that was invented, over a century ago, simply because it sounded good.
