HP Sauce

HP Sauce is a popular condiment in the United Kingdom and Canada. It is a brown sauce originally produced by HP Foods in the United Kingdom, now produced by the H. J. Heinz Company in the Netherlands. It is named after the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom and is a staple in many British households.

Etymology

The name "HP Sauce" is derived from the Houses of Parliament, the iconic building in London, United Kingdom. The sauce was reportedly used in the Houses of Parliament restaurant, leading to its name.

History

HP Sauce was first created in 1899 by Frederick Gibson Garton, a grocer from Nottingham. He registered the name H.P. Sauce in 1903 after hearing that a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had begun serving it. In 1903, Garton sold the recipe and brand to Edwin Samson Moore for the sum of £150 and the settlement of some unpaid bills. Moore, the founder of the Midlands Vinegar Company (the forerunner of HP Foods) subsequently launched HP Sauce as a national brand.

Ingredients

The exact recipe for HP Sauce is a closely guarded secret, but the ingredients on the label include tomato, malt vinegar, molasses, glucose-fructose syrup, spirit vinegar, sugar, dates, cornflour, rye flour, salt, spices, and tamarind.

Varieties

There are several varieties of HP Sauce, including HP Fruity, HP BBQ, and HP Reduced Sugar & Salt. Each variety has a slightly different taste and consistency, but all are based on the original HP Sauce recipe.

In popular culture

HP Sauce has been referenced in various aspects of British popular culture, such as television and music. It is often used as a metaphor for something that is quintessentially British.

See also

• List of condiments
• List of sauces

HP Sauce

• 
  Bacon sandwich with HP sauce
• HP Sauce sign at McDonald's
  HP Sauce sign at McDonald's
• The HP Sauce factory
  The HP Sauce factory
• HP Fruity sauce
  HP Fruity sauce