The black label on the Limited Edition Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended With Balsamic Vinegar makes it look like I should only break it out during classy functions, like any event with the word “gala” in its name. It looks fancier than fancy ketchup.
Heck, it looks so classy that I’m surprised it wasn’t wearing a black bow tie around its neck like a Chippendales dancer. However, because it looks so sophisticated, I’m not sure what to use it with. But I do know it has to be something upscale or something that’s Trump-gaudy.
Perhaps, I could put it on top of a burger made with ground Kobe beef imported from the HyÅgo Prefecture in Japan. Or I could use it as a dipping sauce for French fries made with La Bonnotte potatoes, the most expensive potatoes in the world. Or, if I’m going Trump-gaudy, maybe I could pour it over a meatloaf shaped like a violin.
But I don’t have the hundreds of dollars needed to buy a pound of La Bonnotte potatoes or Kobe beef, nor do I have a violin-shaped baking pan.
So I was forced to try the Limited Edition Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended With Balsamic Vinegar with a food that doesn’t seem worthy of the fanciest of fancy ketchups — French fries made with boring Russet potatoes that weren’t harvested from an island off the coast of France and cost over $300 a pound.
The classy ketchup’s color is noticeably darker than regular ketchup, thanks to the balsamic vinegar. The deep red color makes it a wonderful fake blood alternative for you amateur filmmakers, backyard wrestlers, and people who want to fake their death because they owe their bookie money they can’t repay or because they want to collect their life insurance and move to an island country.
Because it contains balsamic vinegar, I expected the limited edition ketchup to be a bit more aromatic, but it smelled like regular ketchup.
There’s a flavor difference between regular ketchup and the Limited Edition Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended With Balsamic Vinegar, but it’s not a significant difference. The vinegar flavor is slightly stronger than with regular ketchup, giving the condiment a pleasant tanginess. There’s also a slight fruity sweetness, which is different than the sweetness from regular ketchup. But, again, it’s not a significant difference and I think if someone were to replace regular ketchup with this classy ketchup, I think most people won’t notice the switcheroo.
The Limited Edition Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended With Balsamic Vinegar is available until March. However, Heinz has said if it becomes popular enough, it could become a regular ketchup variety. Even though the difference in flavor between it and regular ketchup isn’t considerable, I prefer its flavor. So I hope it does become a permanent variety and come in large, no mess squeezable bottles so I can use it to write my name on any future violin-shaped meatloaf I may make.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 Tbsp – 25 calories, 0 grams of fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)
Item: Limited Edition Heinz Tomato Kethcup Blended With Balsamic Vinegar
Price: $2.99
Size: 14 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Black label makes it look fancy. Slightly better than regular ketchup. Slight fruitiness. Kobe beef. Makes a wonderful fake blood alternative.
Cons: Not a significant difference in flavor compared with regular ketchup. Contains high fructose corn syrup. Limited edition, for now.