You Want Fries With That?

I read in the Leader-Post this weekend that Laureen Teskey, Stephen Harper's wife, ate ketchup sandwiches as a girl. This is not something that I would care to eat, but I think it's fascinating to hear about other people's food preferences. I once asked everyone I could think of to let me know if they had heard of (or eaten) food or food combinations that might be considered unusual. Ketchup showed up in a variety of ways. Others told me about ketchup sandwiches, so I know it's not just Laureen Teskey who eats them. I've also heard about peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches. Another person told me about someone who loves ketchup on toast—but not just any old way. The toast has to be burnt black, with the butter added after the toast is so cold that the butter won't melt at all, but will just sit there. Then a thick layer of ketchup is added and left to dry out enough that a light crust forms on the ketchup. Only then is it ready for eating. Another person loves to have a breakfast of eggs sunny side up, hash browns, and bacon or sausage or ham. First he puts mustard on his eggs; then he covers them with peanut butter. After that he puts ketchup all over everything. I'm guessing there are lots more ketchup and something combinations out there. Maybe someday someone who loves ketchup will gather the ideas together and we'll see The Ketchup Cookbook.