What Makes Ketchup (Catsup) Fancy?

Have you heard the commercial that we are playing on WRRV, the one that asks 'what makes ketchup fancy?' Of course, this little question got me to thinking, what does make it fancy? Do I want my ketchup to be fancy and while I am at it, what is the deal with ketchup being spelled catsup? Does anyone else think about these things?

According to Brandeating.com, if you are eating a ketchup that is "Fancy" it meets certain standards set out by the USDA. Here is what they said about the 'fancy' designation and its meaning:

"Fancy" or US Grade A is a USDA grade for tomato ketchup, which deals with the specific weight of the ketchup. That is, in order to qualify as fancy, ketchup must have a minimum of 33% tomato solids in the sauce, as well as meeting other criteria regarding color, consistency, and absence of defects.

Now on to catsup. What the heck is that? Can you still buy a bottle of catsup? After looking at multiple websites, here is what I found. Catsup pretty much came to the US in the 1800's, at that time it was made of a many different types of ingredients and eventually evolved into something close to what we would recognize as tomato ketchup. The biggest difference now is that the recipe may include ingredients such as clove and cinnamon along with being a bit spicier than what many people across the United States reach for to use as a condiment for their french fries.

Have you ever tried catsup? What do you think?