THE STORY OF CURRY KETCHUP – By Robert Killeen

Curry Ketchup, as a food item, has the odd quality of being widely used but hardly known. It forms an essential part of one of Germany’s most popular dishes – that of Currywurst. The main issue, the primary problem, is that Curry Ketchup is overshadowed by Currywurst’s popularity. The sausage gets all the credit! Yet Curry Ketchup is the “Geheime Sosse”, or ‘secret sauce’ that makes currywurst a German cultural icon. From its humble origins this sauce has risen to become an international star.

Curry Ketchup was born of a post-war Europe, in a shattered Berlin. Its inventor, Herta Heuwer, came to pre-World War Two Berlin as a seamstress. After the war, she joined thousands of ladies as a “Truemmerfrau”, or “Rubble-woman”, picking up the pieces of destroyed homes and factories, clearing the way for new construction. Additionally, she set up a snack stand, called an “Imbiss”, where she would feed the construction crews (or anybody) hot sausages and French fries. Times were hard, shortages common and Frau Heuwer constantly sought ways to improve her lot.

In September of 1949, by her intellect and acumen, this Berliner Frau developed a food icon and the business to sell it. She searched, she explored, for something new. Like a spice scientist she surveyed the condiments, the elements in her pantry. Every chemical was assayed, from Coriander to Cardamom. She experimented, searching for some combination, some permutation, that would enhance the flavor of her sausages and entice more customers. Then she remembered the curry powder and Worcestershire sauce given to her by some British soldiers occupying her sector of Berlin. She took these two substances, combined them with a tomato paste base, and made ‘Curry Ketchup’. When poured over her chopped fried sausages and served with either French fries or a bread roll, the resultant product was the classic dish “Currywurst”. While the public hailed the sausages it was the sauce that really created the meal.

Frau Heuwer patented her sauce in 1951 under the trademark “Chillup” [Chili-Ketchup]. By then her business had expanded to serve 1500 currywursts daily or 10,000 a week. Today it is estimated that 800 million currywursts are consumed yearly in Germany alone, 70 million just in Berlin. Many food corporations tried in vain to purchase her recipe but the frau wouldn’t sell. After her husband died in the 1980’s she reportedly destroyed all of her laboratory notes. When Herta Heuwer died in 1999, at the age of 86, she literally took the secret to her grave.

It is impressive to see how this lone German woman, by her skill and hard work, made an international taste sensation. Many companies have made their own versions of her sauce commercially including Knorr, Hela, Meica, Kraft and Heinz. The internet contains personalized versions of the sauce from chefs (see references). A Hungarian derivative, using Paprika, is available under the name Zigneunerwurst. There is a Latin version utilizing Cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and Cayenne pepper. Frau Heuwer used Bratwurst but other countries have used their own fare such as Kielbasa in Poland and Italian spicy sausage. Halal (Islamic) recipes are available using beef sausages instead of pork. There are vegan recipes available too, online, for those so inclined.

Though memorabilia, museums and monuments have been made to honor Frau Heuwer and her Curry Ketchup, her true inspiration was her imagination, improvisation and good-taste. From the detritus of war came her marvelous meal.

References; www.daringgourmet.com, (October 8, 2018) Kimberly Killebrew This recipe is a combination of onions, curry powder, garlic, paprika, cloves and cinnamon, amongst other spices, in a tomato paste base with either pickle juice or vegetable broth.

www.mybestgermanrecipes.com, This site has 2 Curry Ketchup recipes; one uses pickle liquid while the other utilizes Coke !!

Robert Killeen MD Palm Harbor Fl

https://todayssenioramerica.org/the-story-of-curry-ketchup-by-robert-killeen-p382-153.htm