Mushroom Catsup

A catsup in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was a source of piquancy for many dishes, a far more diverse seasoning than what passes under that name today. The word comes from an oriental term for the brine of pickled fish or shellfish; the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “almost any salty extract of fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, or mushrooms.” The ubiquitous tomato sauce we know is not a fair representative of this large family of condiments.

Southern c