ketchup

[victor steinbok]

There are two separate entries in the OED--ketchup and catchup/catsup.
The latter shows up in 1699 (so far), but the former is dated 1711
(and some writers investigating history of the condiment have listed
it as "the origin" of the term).

A few clicks reveal that GB has three copies of a book that pushes the
date back by a decade.

http://goo.gl/e1jYz
Mysteries of Opium Revealed. By John Jones. London: 1701
p. 350
> The Vehicle in Vomiting should be small in Quantity, pleasant, comfortable, and warming, lest you should by either Quantity or Quality give any offence to the Stomach; pleasing it answers the same Intent with the Opiate it self, and has often good Effect without Opium ; for, indeed, every Pleaser is proportionably an Opiate, and Opium is only such in an intense and permanent manner ; therefore the Vehicle must be agreeable, as Wine, Hippocras, or Wine burnt with Spices, Rosemary, &c. or the best Cordials, or Wine with some Ketchup, Caviare, or Anchovis, or a little old Cheese dissolved in it upon the Fire, according as the Person likes one or the other ; which last (tho' not used in common Practice) are of very great Benefit, where they are pleasing and well liked of.

p. 358
> As to Diet, it must be Nourishing, Warming, Comforting, and Titillating, with realishing and high Sauces, Oisters, Anchovy, Caviare, Cockles, Ketchup, Mango's, Garlick, Onions, Leeks, Bear Garlick, Rocket, Sives, Shelot, Ginger, Aromaticks, Roots of Satyrion, Feaverfew, Goats-beard, Silver-weed, Skirrets, Parsnips, and Artichoaks.


Although not useful in antedating, the next appearance may be useful
in culinary history--and, perhaps, etymology, as there is still a
dispute as to where the name originated.

http://goo.gl/qH3dM
Philosophical Transactions. April, May, June 1706
p. 2266
> ... Soia from which Ketchup is made ...


Andrew F Smith (Pure Ketchup, 1996), had relied on the OED
identification and had claimed that 1711 was "the second reference to
ketchup". In fact, it's merely the second oldest mentioned in the
OED--so far. Now there are two more. Smith also contends that the
first recipe for ketchup comes from 1727 E. Smith's Compleat
Housewife. This too can now be updated, as there is at least one
earlier publication that gives recipes for ketchup.

http://goo.gl/zPnOH
The accomplished housekeeper, and universal cook. By T. Williams
(cook.). London: 1717
To prepare pickles of all sorts. p. 223
> To make Walnut Ketchup ...
> To make Mushroom Ketchup ...


I found no direct antedating for "catchup". But note that the Swift
citations under "catchup" and under "botargo" have different
bibliographic information, even though the same sentence is extracted
and cited in both.

VS-)

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