The seven deadly food sins of...ketchup!

Olivier and I were having a discussion a couple of weeks ago, which ended up in a family debate with the kids entering their heated opinions as well. After a while we decided we'd best let the topic lie for a bit. Then Mom and Dad came over and we started all over again-- everyone had their own point of view. So, what was the topic that had everyone so riled up? Well, we started off talkLori ing about the seven deadly Gysel sins because it & was a question in a game of Gerry Cranium. Then Kentner that conversation led into "I wonder if there are seven deadly food sins?" That's where things got heated. My personal idea of what the seven deadly food sins might be, primarily revolved around ketchup and the use thereof. However, Dave, ever the defender, pointed out that perhaps they weren't really sins, but just opinions and therefore the wording should be changed. Okay, fair enough. But strong opinions they are! Please note that these are my opinions only-- my family does not agree, Gerry does not agree, neither does Dave and probably not the newspaper either. I'm really out on a limb here: 1. Ketchup should never be applied to meat costing more than $2.99 per pound. 2. Ketchup should never be applied to poultry. The exception to this rule is homemade chicken or turkey potpie, which absolutely cries out for ketchup. 3. All recipes containing ketchup and fish in the same recipe should be abolished. 4. Ketchup should be lavishly applied to hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, beef stew, French fries, the aforementioned chicken potpie, eggs and that should be that. 5. When dining out at a friend's house, you are only allowed to use ketchup if it is already on the table. You are not allowed to ask for it. Even Miss Manners would agree to that one. 6. Ketchup should be stored in the cupboard, not the fridge. Cold ketchup is unnatural! Please note that at work, for food safety reasons, I ask my staff to store it in the fridge-- I just don't eat it. 7. The top of the ketchup bottle/squeeze top should be wiped on a regular basis-- the person who leaves ketchup drips that have oozed all over the top of the bottle and then formed a hard, crusty layer for the next user is a committer of one of the other seven deadly sins-- sloth. That having been said, I must run and pack our food for our family camping trip-- in goes the ketchup! Have fun and keep cooking! (Lori and Gerry can be reached at whatscookin@independentfreepress.com)