Cold Catsup

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

1. Horseradish + mustardtop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,832 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

2. Mustard + celerytop 2% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together4,169 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

3. Tomato + celerytop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,377 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

4. Pepper + clovetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

5. Pepper + celerytop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together16,012 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Tomatoes

Form the bulk of the ketchup and supply its main body and fruity base.

Cider vinegar

Adds acidity that gives the ketchup its tang and helps keep it stable.

Sugar

Adds sweetness that rounds out the sharpness of the vinegar and spices.

Mustard seed

Contributes a sharp, pungent bite and a seedy texture.

Horseradish

Adds a sharp, pungent heat that gives the sauce its bite.

Red peppers

Add sweet, mild body and flavour to the sauce.

Swap the mace

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, horseradish, mustard, pepper, celery, onion, clove):

1. Thymefits better
2. Capersfits better
3. Tarragonfits better
4. Macethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, horseradish, mustard, pepper, celery, onion, clove. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.