I can give him a pass on the mustard, but ordering beef medium is a sin.

You're taking lessons?

When I'm in a strange city without Gailor I have to pay someone to hit with me. But I can always use a lesson anyway. EL

Oh, and "moseyed" and "middlin'" in the space of 24 hours.

I'm fixin' to feel right at home.

He ordered his burger medium well. Awful. Ray's Hell Burger is amazing, they grind their meat right in front of you, what a waste of quality beef. Imagine the uproar it would have caused if either of them would have ordered fois gras as a topping. I'm not as offended by the dijon mustard order as others, but I am bothered by the fact that Biden pronounces it "cat-sup."

I used to go to a steak house in Scottsdale where they would bring you an old cowboy boot on a plate if you ordered your steak well done. They also cut off your tie if you wore one and nailed it to the rafters.

There is a place in Norfolk VA called Grate Steaks and you cook your own steak if you like.

I don't know if you can send a steak back if you accidentally overcook it though.

I feel that anyone who says catsup instead of ketchup is just trying for attention. Has anyone ever met anyone who naturally refers to it as catsup?

Sir Robert, "catsup" is the proper spelling and pronunciation. It is an English invention inspired by a wretched Malaysian condiment and perfected for the glory of the Empire. Tip of hat, waggle of the buttocks.

RoCK, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the catsup/ketchup thing isn't a regional variation. Or maybe even just a matter of what brand the speaker grew up with.

I think they say "catsup" over on Unleashed. Two cats are walking down the street and one says to the other, "Cat...'sup?"

I have met people who said "catsup." I suspect it might be regional.

I'm not sure if there's any actual difference, and I'm much to lazy to try and figure it out... but there is definitely such a thing as Catsup. I used to make fun of my dad for always referring to it as Catsup until the day brought actual bottle of the stuff home. Can't say that I've ever eaten it (knowingly) as Heinz doesn't make Catsup so far as I know.

I found this info:

Heinz Ketchup, Del Monte Catsup, and Hunts, who could not decide on a spelling and bottled under the names Hunts Catsup (east of the Mississippi), Hunts Ketchup (west of the Mississippi), and Hunts Tomato Cornchops (in Iowa only). In the 1980's ketchup was declared a vegetable by the government for school lunch menus. Suddenly Del Monte's Catsup, because of its spelling, was not on the approved list. Shortly afterward Del Monte changed the product's name to Del Monte Ketchup.

Can anyone verify the Iowa thing?

I went to school with someone who pronounced it catsup. She also said, Bo-LOG-na. I alsways assume that catsup is just an adolescent affectation.

I remember seeing Hunts catsup at a friend's house when I was young and feling sorry for him.

Cornchops? You made that up TM. Any Ioweenies here?

I am embarrassed to say that I have been in Iowa four times in the last two years (including last week!) and haven't had a chance to wander a supermarket (a favored pastime and a good way to size up community demographics!). So I got nothing on Cornchops. (But I did have great Kalbi at a strip mall in Gretna, Nebraska.)

I'm with Lord Marmalade about ketchup/catsup being the English version of an Eastern condiment, though the way I heard it the original was ketjap manis from Indonesia and the original vegetable base might be tomato or it might be banana or whatever else you could steep in vinegar and mash. I've seen several things by that name at the Korean grocery stores in Catonsville.