Dr. James Mease, the American who invented ketchup, was a passionate patriot who loved apples.

All summer long, Americans can proudly paint patriotic cookouts with the color of ketchup.

For 200 years, the all-American flavor of the tomato-based condiment has been a national obsession.

Dr. James Mease, a Philadelphia native and a scientist, author, horticulturalist, civic activist, Pennsylvania polymath, and wartime military surgeon, is a really smart guy.

He referred to tomatoes as "love apples," which he truly adored.

Mease cooked the first batch of what today we call ketchup in 1812.

According to Anthony DiGiovanni of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Dr. Mease was undoubtedly a significant figure in Philadelphia during his lifetime.

DiGiovanni stated that he was involved in various activities and wrote extensively on a wide range of subjects, including medical treatments, urban agriculture in Philadelphia, winemaking, and marine navigation and ocean currents.

Mease was a patriot and champion of the confident new nation.

He honored the country he cherished and devoted himself to by presenting its most beloved condiment.

New nation, new flavor

John and Esther (Miller) Mease gave birth to James Mease in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 11, 1771.

"He wrote prolifically about … medical cures, pattern farming in Philadelphia, vineyards, as well as navigation and ocean currents."

During the American Revolution, his father was a notable businessman and patriot who served as a member of the Philadelphia Troop of Light Horse, a cavalry unit.

In 1775, the Philadelphia Troop of Light Horse accompanied Gen. George Washington as he journeyed north to assume command of the New England militiamen besieging the British in Boston.

In 1792, Dr. Mease was born as the younger Mease, who studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

He became a military surgeon in the War of 1812, following in his father's footsteps and serving the nation in a similar capacity as America's second war of independence.

His intellectual interests went far beyond just the human body.

Historian Henry Simpson stated in "The Lives of Eminent Philadelphians, Now Deceased," published in 1859, that Dr. Mease was not very actively involved in his profession.

Mease played a significant role in creating major intellectual works and reference books. He was particularly passionate about horticulture and agriculture, focusing on increasing food production for a growing population.

According to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, "he was a prominent member of The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture."

He "was a prominent member of The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture."

During that time, Americans were accustomed to using a condiment similar to ketchup, which Mease referred to as "catsup."

In the 1700s, the sauce introduced by the world's first ketchup brand had a unique flavor that was exotic and foreign to both Europe and the American colonies.

"Smithsonian Magazine reported in 2018 that "China was likely the original source of the condiment with something that sounded like ‘ke-chiap,’" and it likely originated as a fish-based sauce."

Other versions were made with anchovies, mushrooms, walnuts and wine.

Rewritten sentence: The sauce crossed language barriers, resulting in variations such as kecap and ketchup.

"Katchup" was a condiment in need of an identity.

Mease knew just the fruit for the job.

Love apples and brandy

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania notes that Mease was a manager of the "Company for the Improvement of the Vine" and developed vinegar as one of his intellectual and civic interests.

The position either reflected or inspired his interest in a popular vine-growing fruit.

Love apples.

In the centuries following Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492, the phrase "love apples" was widely used. However, it is rarely used today.

"China … was likely the original source of the condiment with something that sounded like ‘ke-chiap.'"

The introduction of apples to the Western Hemisphere through the "Columbian Exchange" brought about a significant change in global cuisine.

The Americas experienced a sudden influx of foods into the Old World, including tomatoes. These foods were perceived by Europeans to have aphrodisiac qualities.

The French dubbed tomatoes "apples of love."

The Italian word for tomato, "pomodoro," is the same Romance-language root that is known to almost every American who has purchased tomato sauce from a supermarket shelf.

In 1804, Mease first mentioned love apples, as stated in the 1996 book "Pure Ketchup: A History of America's National Condiment, with Recipes" by Andrew F. Smith.

Smith, as Mease noted, asserted that love apples were an excellent ketchup.

The doctor published the first-known recipe for tomato ketchup in 1812.

"In "Archives of Useful Knowledge, Vol. 2," Mease advised thinly slicing the apples and adding a pinch of salt to each layer."

He instructed, "Cover them and let them rest for 24 hours; then beat them gently and simmer them for half an hour in a bell-metal kettle; add mace and allspice. Once chilled, add two small shallots and half a gill of brandy to each bottle, cork them tightly, and store them in a cool place."

Mease's ketchup had a long shelf life and added bright flavor to bland foods, making it a versatile condiment that could pair with almost anything.

It exploded as a national phenomenon after the Civil War.

In the following decades, ketchup became increasingly popular as a simple homemade sauce.

The Civil War led to its explosion as a national phenomenon. The man whose name is found in almost every American home today is responsible for it.

In 1876, Henry John Heinz made ketchup sweeter, and in 1882, he patented his famous Heinz bottle.

To differentiate his product from the typical catsups of the 19th century, he opted to spell his product "ketchup."

Ketchup was here to stay.

In 1892, the New York Tribune reported that tomato ketchup was a staple on every table across the country, according to an NPR online article.

‘Intelligent, dedicated and thoughtful’

On May 14, 1846, Dr. James Mease passed away at the age of 74 and was laid to rest in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia.

"In "The Lives of Eminent Philadelphians," Simpson wrote that he led a long and active life, which brought credit to himself and benefit to his fellow citizens."

He is celebrated by intellectual institutions such as the American Philosophical Society and the Athenaeum of Philadelphia for his vast intellect, and he is an icon in the world of numismatics.

The extensive writings of Mease are stored at Duke University in North Carolina and UCLA on the West Coast.

According to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, these papers collectively depict a person who is notably intelligent, committed, and contemplative.

Americans' consumption of ketchup has remained a significant part of their diet for over 200 years, with an average of 11 pounds consumed annually, according to industry data.

Ketchup is a condiment that enhances the flavor of hamburgers, hot dogs, potatoes, and pizza, and has become a staple in American cuisine, similar to how the French refer to it as a "mother sauce."

Ketchup serves as the foundation for numerous other condiments, including shrimp cocktail, barbecue, sweet & sour, and Utah fry sauce.

So, too, does thousand island dressing.

In 2018, Smithsonian Magazine reported that ketchup, although commonly associated with American households (97% of households have a bottle on hand), is also popular globally and used in many unexpected ways.

In Lebanon and Poland, pizza is topped with ketchup, while in Japan, it is paired with pasta. In Germany, ketchup is mixed with curry powder to accent streetcart wurst.

A brilliant child, born to a veteran of the American Revolution and a wartime veteran himself, devoted his life to improving the nation and created more than just a condiment.

He transformed Western Hemisphere's love apples into a global representative of the United States.

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