The results of this week’s Heller Poll are in and gravy – gloopy, gloppy gravy – has defeated ketchup as Michigan’s favorite pasty topping, based on more than 150 votes.
As a Yooper and a ketchup fan, I’m deeply offended and surprised. But the stomach wants what it wants, I suppose.
The survey results were thus: Thirty nine percent favored gravy, 34 percent favored ketchup (the pasty condiment of choice for God, Yoopers and anyone with a functioning cerebral cortex), and 27 percent inexplicably went with plain.
Personally, I’m baffled why anyone would eat a pasty plain but one reader insisted he does because “the miners ate them without gravy and without silverware, that’s why they are shaped that way. Just pick ’em up and enjoy!”
Yeah, well, miners also died of black lung and being crushed by falling rocks, too. You gonna emulate that, too?
OK, maybe I’m taking this too personally.
But then food is one of the most personal subjects there is. Particularly pasties, for some reason. People get emotional about them, especially where I come from. You have no idea. That’s why I’m probably not going to take another reader up on her suggestion for a follow-up poll on whether pasties should include rutabaga or not.
No way, Jose (or should I say Eino & Toivo). I don’t need a knife fight on my conscience.
You can view the poll results here and still vote if you like. But the gravy damage is done, I’m afraid.
whaaat??? no one said “Sriracha!” It’s sorta like ketchup, just way more sparkle…good for those cold Michigan winter nights…or cold Michigan caves…
Tim, even though I’m a ketchup fan, I have to say my next best would be Sriracha. I love that stuff.
Some trolls got in on this action, I’m sure of it. No way does gravy belong on a pasty! I’m shocked and dismayed! (that I don’t have a pasty to feed my face with right now at this moment)
I smell troll, too. Damn them!!
I’m a troll and it’s true, I like gravy. I also voted. 🙂
I always ate them plain. I made some this year and my son in law asked for ketchup for them. I never heard of ketchup on a pasty. He said that’s the way he always ate them when his mom made them. Learn something new everyday. I love them plain myself.
Ketchup’s main advantage is it makes the crust at the edges palatable.
My wife’s a Finn. She whole-heartedly agrees with your righteous opinion re ketchup. I’m a gravy man myself. Worse than that, I prefer chicken pasties. We both agree on the necessity of rutabaga. No rutabaga and it’s not pastie. This discussion has my mouth weathering.
Mouth wsterinh got you/ know- what
I’m sure you meant Eino, not Oino. As a Finlander myself, I’ve never heard the name Oino. I’ll let this faux pas slide this time. But if it happens again, I’ll have to get the Finnish Mafia to remove every ketchup container you have. Even the ones you hid.
Whoa, no Finnish Mafia, please. They’d nice me to death. (I always heard Oino jokes growing up but I switched it to Eino in your honor. And out of fear.)
I know I’m out in left field here but if I don’t have gravy (my preference), I eat ’em with MUSTARD.
Dave, Dave, Dave. Tell me it’s at least yellow mustard.
Yes, all-american yellow sunshine mustard.
OK, well, that’s at least acceptable. (I love yellow mustard.)
MUST be made with rutabaga!!
Agree, otherwise it’s just a meat pie
I’m with you Andrew Heller–My inlaws were born and raised in Ishpeming. Mother in-law still does. You have to have ketchup
Right on SHaron!
With gravy, EVERYONE wins!
Ketchup is for fries, some burgers and all hot dogs.
Are you sure you’re from around here? Let’s see some ID, boy.
Maybe it’s an escanaba thing but everyone i know uses ketchup