The Sauce Shop: Berty’s Stuffing Ketchup – Review
THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER'S OWN.
Reviewed By Colin Hewitt
The Sauce Shop has been providing us with the delights of seasonal ketchup for a few years now. For 2020, hot on the heels of the love-it or loathe-it Brussels Sprouts Ketchup (which is still available, together with a Spiced Cranberry variety) comes Berty’s Stuffing Ketchup!
When I was kindly sent a sample bottle of Berty’s Stuffing Ketchup to review, I must admit I experienced feelings of trepidation. The oddly coloured speckled liquid (strangely reminiscent of liquidised kiwi fruit) was the winning entry in a competition organised by The Sauce Shop of Nottingham. The flavour was suggested by a seven-year-old schoolboy from Derby; what could possibly go wrong?
At face value, I feared that it might taste uncannily like something emitted from Rudolf’s undercarriage; maybe it would only appeal to the delicate palates of seven-year-old Derbyshire schoolboys. I was, however, more than pleasantly surprised, and stand very much corrected. It was lovely; the young lad obviously possesses Blumenthal-like levels of vision and imagination.
Yes, it actually tastes good, and I could immediately identify the flavour of traditional sage and onion stuffing; but there was something else – texture. Some breadcrumbs have been added to the blend to give it a stuffing-like composition. It’s very thick, not overpowered by vinegar, and unlike quite a few kinds of ketchup, not overly sweet.
This will be lovely with leftover cold-cuts of turkey or ham on Boxing Day (or for a late-night Xmas Day top-up). It was delicious with cheese and crackers, so it would make a great addition to a cheeseboard. For something completely different it could be added as a relish to Xmas themed gourmet burgers or hot-dogs.
Being vegan friendly, it’s a highly versatile addition to any buffet table. Due to the breadcrumbs, this product contains wheat. If you have any food allergies, please check on the bottle or with ‘The Sauce Shop’ for its full contents.
If ‘The Sauce Company’ continues this wonderful tradition of offering seasonal flavoured ketchup, I’ll be disappointed if (in a few years) I’m unable to re-create an entire Christmas Dinner purely in sauce form. There would undoubtedly be less washing up. Come along, let’s have a Xmas Pudding flavoured one for 2021!
An unashamed seasonal novelty, but unlike many others, you won’t be wasting your money, in fact, I hope this will be made available throughout the year.
As well as buying some for your own Xmas store cupboard, why not make it an unorthodox stocking filler? It would certainly be a talking point among your friends.
In addition to the seasonal condiments, it’s worth checking out The Sauce Shop’s Website. You’ll find a vast array of ketchup, cook-in sauces, rubs & seasonings, mayonnaises, together with gift sets and collections. You’ll find some excellent treats for yourself and great gift ideas for any foodie friends.
P.S. If Santa happens to be reading this review, the Cherry Bourbon BBQ Sauce and the Maple Habanero Drizzle have caught my eye – and I’ve been relatively good this year – honest!
Rating: An unexpected but well deserved 5/5
RRP: £2.99
Berty’s Stuffing Ketchup can be bought here:
And the full range of Sauce Shop products can be viewed and purchased here: