Not Ketchup

One of my food blogging friends has come up with a great new line of sauces, but let me be the first to tell you, it's Not Ketchup. Sure the original Cherry Chipotle might look a little like ketchup with its deep ruby hues and thick, silky consistency, but one taste to the tongue and you'll be saying, wow, this is so much better than ketchup. I could get into the semantics of the product not actually containing any tomatoes so legally it can't be called ketchup, but why bother when there's a forest full of other more interesting and succulent fruits like cherries, blueberries and dates ready for their time in the sun, or in the jar, and in your kitchen.

So who's in the line-up? Let's start with the quarterback - Cherry Chipotle. Step aside Heinz. I've graduated. Why would I use you when I can have the sweetness of cherries mixed with the smokiness of chipotle peppers. What have I used it on? Besides my spoon and finger, it's a no brainer burger bestie and french fry, sweet potato crisp, and potato product friend.

The Cherry Chipotle breathed new life into my grilled chicken, which in turn became the star player in my lunchtime green salad.

On a bed of caramelized onions with chicken or meatballs, it brought me into dinner with a zesty, but sophisticated flavor. Not Ketchup is proving that it's not hard to make a really good meal, really quickly. The hard work has been done. You just need to tilt and pour.

Then there's the Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup. Yes, I raised an eyebrow as well at the combination, but dang, you are NOT going to have a problem with all the combinations you can create with this sweet, but spicy sauce. The white pepper stabilizes the flavor of the fruit, while also providing a punch that elevates this sauce to a truly versatile cooking player. I started with it at breakfast in my yogurt and threw in some fresh blueberries as well. It was an easy, delicious, satisfying morning staple.

It also works in smoothies with some banana and chia seeds for an all encompassing healthy way to start the day.

Yesterday I had a spontaneous visitor tell me she was in the neighborhood and asked if she could stop by for a drink. Not wanting to serve some wine without a nosh, I surveyed the kitchen and noted the 15 minutes I had and came up with a plan. I took some goat cheese, rolled it into balls, swirled it through the Blueberry White Pepper and finished it in some chopped almonds. Voila, it was like I planned her visit for days. Uh, but note to friends, this is not an invitation for dozens of spontaneous visits expecting gourmet treats when you arrive :)

That brings me to Smoky Date, which you can hope to have when serving this unique sauce that is rounding out the current trio, though more flavors are also in the works. As if the taste on these products isn't enough to get you to the store, just wait, there's more. They're all gluten free and you're only going to find natural sweeteners here. Yeah, so it's all good, inside and out.

Los Angeles friends, you can now find Cherry Chipotle and Blueberry White Pepper at Bob's Market and Wine Expo, both in Santa Monica, with future expansion currently in the works. Non-Angelenos and Angelenos who hate driving in traffic can also purchase any and all flavors right here on the Not Ketchup website.

Would love to hear what everyone else comes up with using these versatile sauces.  It's Not Ketchup. It's an awesome sauce that you can use to dip differently.