The Origins of Ah-So Sauce: A Chinese Style Barbecue Sauce

"I'll tell you one thing. Boston has the best Chinese food in the country. I've traveled all over. I know that for a fact."

--Harvey Edlin

If you grew up in New England, you might be familiar with Ah-So Sauce, a sweet, red "Chinese Style" sauce, commonly used for pork, chicken and spareribs. It's not an authentic Chinese sauce, but was very popular, especially due to its ease of use. It's still available at grocery stores, and is now available across the country.

The origins of this sauce are in New England, in Newton, Massachusetts. Harvey Edlin, of Newton (and formerly of New Haven, Connecticut), commonly receives the credit for creating this sauce, but did he actually invent it? Let's explore the history of Ah-So sauce, delve into the facts, and determine who actually created it. 

Harvey S. Eldin was born in the last half of 1916 or the first half of 1917, in New Haven, Connecticut. He would eventually attend Yale University, where he seemed to excel in both his studies and athletics.  

The Hartford Courant (CT), December 12, 1933, reported that Harvey S. Eldin, of New Haven, received an Honorable Mention (one of only three people to receive such) for the Samuel Henry Galpin Latin prize. The prize was awarded to the "freshmen who pass the best entrance examinations in the subjects." The Waterbury Democrat (CT), September 21, 1935, noted that Harvey, of the Yale class of 1937, was on the Honor List. 

Sports achievement! The Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), May 25, 1936, detailed the 624 athletes who were to be entrants in the 60th Annual I.C. 4-A Championships. Harvey Edlin, of Yale, was listed as a participant in the 100-metre dash. The Springfield Daily Republican (MA), March 14, 1937, reported that the opening competition in the 4-A Track and Field Championships was held in New York. In the 60 yard dash trials, Harvey placed in 4th in the first heat, although only 1st and 2nd place entered the semi-finals. 

The Boston Globe (MA), June 22, 1937, stated that 600 people graduated from Yale University, and Harvey Edlin received a Bachelor of Arts degree.

With the advent of World War II, Harvey entered the military, and would also get married. The Boston Herald (MA), April 4, 1943, noted an announcement by Mr. and Mrs. Myer Ginsburg of Newton, that their daughter, Evelyn Ginsburg, was now engaged to Harvey Edlin of New Haven. It was also mentioned that Harvey was currently stationed at an army base at Camp Haan, California.  

The Boston Globe (MA), September 26, 1943, then announced the marriage of Evelyn Gloria Ginsburg to Lieutenant Harvey Edlin of New Haven. The Carlsbad Current-Argus (NM), February 8, 1944, later stated that Lt. Harvey Edlin was currently stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas. 

The 1937 Seven-Year Book (June 1944) was published for the Yale Class of 1937, and provided updates on the graduates. It began that Harvey lived at 33 Edgewood Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut, and had been married on September 12, 1943. Soon after his graduation from Yale, he began to work for the Jordan Marsh Company until he joined the Army in 1943. "In April he was a Private in the Coast Artillery, stationed at Camp Haan, Calif., and on September 9, 1943, he received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps upon completing a course at the Anti-Aircraft School at Camp Davis, N.C. At present he is assigned to the A.A.A.T.A.C. at Fort Bliss, Texas."

Driving problems! Harvey apparently accumulated a variety of driving offenses over the course of at least six years. The Evening Gazette (MA), September 8, 1948, noted that Harvey had been fined $20 for speeding. The Republican (MA), July 2, 1954, mentioned that Harvey Edlin, age 37, of 507 Norton Parkway, New Haven, was charged with failing to keep right with view obstructed. He pled nolo and was fined $10. There were apparently additional driving offenses which led to his license being suspended. The Republican (MA), October 30, 1954, reported that Harvey was charged with operating in Massachusetts after his right to operate had been previously suspended. The matter was continued although later newspapers didn't mention the result. 

The Boston Sunday Herald (MA), May 2, 1954, briefly noted that Harvey bought a home, a frame colonial type, at 251 Dorset Street, Waban (one of the villages of Newton). He would reside at this address for the rest of his life. 

A good samaritan. The Republican (MA), August 24, 1956, reported that a 50 year old woman, in an apparent suicide attempt, fell 35 feet from a 2nd story window at a hotel. Before she fell, two guests, including Harvey, saw her on the ledge. They summoned employees to the scene and assisted them in trying to help the woman, who survived the fall. 

After the war, what was Harvey doing for work? The Portland Press Herald (ME), January 6, 1957, published an advertisement for an “Exclusive Franchise Available” for Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It involved the sale of "Very profitable equipment sold to Supermarkets, Restaurants, Syndicate stores, etc." Interested parties were asked to write to Harvey Edlin, Box 1, Waban, Mass. What was the nature of this equipment?  

The answer appeared in the Hartford Courant (CT), January 5, 1960, which had a large ad noting the various contractors who assisted in the construction of a new supermarket, including “Barbecue by Harvey Edlin Sales Co.” Harvey sold barbecue equipment to supermarkets, covering the New England region. 

The Greenville News (SC), November 25, 1962, reported that the division sales managers for Barbecue King had gathered in Greenville, South Carolina, for a meeting to discuss their marketing program for 1963. Harvey attended, representing all of New England, and apparently had worked for the company for at least five years. 

As an aside, Barbecue King, Inc. was founded by Robert G. Wilson, of Greenville, South Carolina, in the early 1950s. They were maybe best known for a chicken roasting machine that spread throughout supermarkets across the U.S. 

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First mention of Ah So sauce! The first printed reference to Ah So sauce was in the Springfield Daily News (MA), May 27, 1963. There was an ad for the Popular Super Markets, which mentioned, “Try Our AH-SO Chinese Barbecue Sauce” and it cost 69 cents a jar.  

When was Ah So barbecue sauce actually invented? And what was the connection of Harvey Edlin, a seller of barbecue equipment and supplies?

The Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office, January 7, 1964, noted that on May 9, 1963, the Harvey Edlin Sales Corporation filed for a trademark for the above Ah-So, "For Sauces for Meat and Sea foods." The first use of the term was stated to be on March 20, 1963, so we now have a definitive date when Ah So sauce was first made available. 

We then need to jump ahead ten years for answers to these questions, to an article, titled "Another Hub banner: top chop suey capital," in the Boston Globe, June 29, 1973. The subject of much of this article was Harvey, pictured above, who was now considered a "Chinese food authority." The article began noting, “Greater Boston has become the chop suey capital of the United States. There are probably more Chinese restaurants per capita hereabouts than there are in any other major metropolitan area in the nation." 

Then, Harvey added, "To be exact, there are 108 Chinese restaurants locally, said Harvey Edlin of Newton. "They're all over the place. You can't miss them." It was mentioned that St. Louis, with a similar population to Boston, only had 33 Chinese restaurants. While San Francisco and New York City had more Chinese restaurants than Boston, about 145 each, they both also had about seven times as many Chinese as Boston. Plus, “Edlin said that Chinese food is not popular in all corners of New England.” He mentioned that there was a city in Connecticut (though he didn't name it) with a population of a couple hundred thousand which only had a single Chinese restaurant. 

The article lauded Edlin as the creator of "the famous Ah So barbecue sauce." The article continued, "Edlin also revealed that it was local supermarket customers who inspired him to develop his popular Ah So sauce." He noted, "About 15 years ago, I was selling barbecue machines to the local supermarkets. The idea was to get the customers to buy the food barbecued in the machines. We used to put hickory sauce on the spareribs. The people who bought the spareribs started complaining. They said they wanted their spareribs coated with the red sauce they had at Chinese restaurants." So, this would have been around 1958. 

To please those customers, Edlin desired to create something similar to the Chinese barbecue sauce for his spareribs, and he consulted his neighbor, Herb Schuster, a food scientist. Edlin stated, "I told him what I had in mind, and he got to work on the project. Eventually, Herb came up with the sauce I wanted." So, Schuster, based on Edlin's desires, was actually the person who developed the formula for the Ah So sauce. The sauce was a "smash hit" so Edlin established a food company, producing it for supermarkets. Edlin also added, "I decided to call it Ah So. That's an an old Japanese expression, but it sounds Chinese so I decided to use it."

The term "ah so" is a shortened version of the Japanese "ă sō desu ka?", which means  "oh, is that so?" From 1959 and for many years afterwards, the term "ah so" was used by many different people, in numerous contexts, especially in ads for Chinese food. It seems likely that Harvey was aware of its use, and decided to adopt it for the barbecue sauce, especially as people were seeking spareribs that tasted like those at Chinese restaurants. 

Harvey started scouting out other possible markets for his new sauce, and every time he visited a new city, he checked out their Chinese restaurants. "Thus it was that Edlin became an expert on Chinese restaurants." So, he became an alleged expert simply by visiting many different restaurants. No details are provided as to how many Chinese restaurants he visited, or even which cities he visited. 

The article continued, "The expert said that for years he has been trying to find out why chicken chow mein, chop suey, egg foo yong and other Chinese taste treats are so popular in Greater Boston." It was then said, "I've yet to come up with a logical explanation for the popularity of Chinese food here, he said. In other parts of the nation, people ignore it. Here in Boston, we go crazy over it." Finally, he stated, "I'll tell you one thing. Boston has the best Chinese food in the country. I've traveled all over. I know that for a fact."

While running his own company, selling the Ah So sauce, Harvey continued to work for Barbecue King, Inc. The Greenville News (SC), December 17, 1964, reported that Barbecue King, Inc. had provided awards to its top salesmen. Harvey, their New England distributor, had one of the highest number of sales over quotas during the past year, receiving 75,000 King Korn trading stamps as his award.  

More information on the creation of Ah So sauce. The Boston Traveler, August 16, 1965, was actually the first article to mention the creation of Ah So sauce. The article was primarily about Herb Schuster, a 40ish MIT Grad, who operated a unique business at 54 Clayton Street in Dorchester. He and his highly skilled assistants "decide what you'll be eating six months or six years hence, and how it will be presented and packaged." In addition, “They do feasibility surveys, almost exclusively on foods, for a wide variety of big food distributors and packagers.” 

His company was about 10 years old, and was formed after Schuster received his doctorate at Tech, where he then taught for 3 years. He also had put in a two-year stint with Stickney & Poor in Charlestown, then going out on his own. He "doesn't want any more business," as he has all he can handle right now.  Some of their previous work has included: a research project on the proper makeup of cole slaw, a survey to improve a coffee dispenser’s timing and grind control, and the creation of salt-free bread. 

It was finally mentioned that, “…at the suggestion of a neighbor, Harry Edlin, of Newton, who sells barbecue machines, Herb and his staff perfected a Chinese barbecue sauce.” So, we again see that it was Schuster and his team who actually created Ah So sauce, based on the want of Harvey for a sauce for his spareribs which would mimic that found at Chinese restaurants.  

During the first half of the 1960s, references to the Ah-So sauce were few. The Tampa Tribune (FL), November 21, 1965, ran an ad that briefly mentioned, “Ah-So, special sauce for Chinese style cooking.”   This ad shows though that the Ah-So sauce had already spread out of New England, and at least as far south as Florida.

The Birmingham News (AL), June 21, 1967, had an ad which mentioned, “Make Chinese Style Barbecue Pork and Spareribs in your own kitchen with Ah-So Chinese Sauce,” which cost 69 cents a bottle. More evidence of the spread of the sauce in the south. 

The Daily Item (MA), August 2, 1967, published an ad for an 11 ounce jar of “Ah So Sparerib Sauce.” 

The Connecticut Post (CT), September 26, 1967, had a gourmet shop ad, mentioning the Ah-So Sauce, and how to apply it on spareribs or roast pork. 

The Republican (MA), July 11, 1968, ran an ad for Ah-So sauce, now in stock, although no price  was given.

The Sun-Journal (ME), September 5, 1968,  had this ad for an 11 ounce jar of “Ah So Chinese Sauce” costing 59 cents, the cheapest price so far. 

Help wanted! Boston Globe (MA), December 29, 1968, had a help wanted ad seeking a driver-salesman for Edlin Foods, Waban, MA. The Hartford Courant (CT), March 28, 1971, later ran a similar ad for a  driver-salesman.

The Patriot Ledger (MA), March 8, 1972, ran an ad for an 11 ounce jar of “Ah So Chinese Barbecue Sauce” for 59 cents.  

The Rock Island Argus (IL), August 10, 1972, printed the above ad for Ah So Sauce. More ads were published in other parts of the country. The Fort Lauderdale News (FL), June 27, 1973, had an ad for Ah So Chinese Style Barbecue sauce, an 11 ounce jar for 79 cents. The Evening Express (ME), April 10, 1978, ran a similar ad. 

The Burlington Free Press (VT), February 12, 1979, printed an ad for Ah So Duck Sauce, the first time an ad for this product was found. It came in a 10 ounce jar for 79 cents. The Journal Tribune (ME), February 12, 1979, had a similar ad for Ah So Duck Sauce. The Sun Journal (ME), March 18, 1980, had an ad for Ah So B-B-Q Sauce, an 11 ounce jar for 83 cents, as well as Ah So Chinese Duck Sauce, a 10 ounce jar for 83 cents. 

The Hartford Courant (CT), May 22, 1985, published this ad, showing the iconic Ah-So jar. 

The Boston Globe, May 21, 1986, had this ad, calking it "The Original Chinese Barbecue Sauce."

Unfortunately, the Boston Globe, May 21 and 22, 1980, reported on the death of Harvey Edlin, age 63, who died suddenly on May 19 in the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The cause of death was never provided. The obituary stated that he had resided at 251 Dorset Street, Waban, and left behind a wife, Evelyn, four sons (Gary H., Robert P., Richard M. and David B.), and two grandchildren (Scott and Lisa). In 1956, he founded the Harvey Edlin Sales Co., which specialized in the distribution of supermarket equipment. He was also the president of Edlin Foods, manufacturers of barbecue sauce and other food products. The Boston Herald American, May 22, 1980, added that he graduated from Yale in 1937 and during World War 2, he served in the army in the Pacific. Besides his Waban home, he had another home in New Seabury on Cape Cod. 

In November 1995, Allied Old English, Inc., in Port Reading, New Jersey, purchased the product line of Edlin Sales, including the Ah-So sauces. They now produce the original Ah-So Sauce, Ah-So Duck Sauce, Ah-So Sweet & Sour Sauce, and Ah-So Dipping Sauce. The Original and the Dipping Sauce are also now available in plastic squeeze bottles. The Original 11 ounce jar commonly retails for $5-$6. 

The Original Ah-So Sauce is currently produced from high fructose corn syrup, water, salt, miso, corn starch, garlic powder, FD&C Red No.40, and FD&C Red No. 3. The formula is going to need to change in the future as there is now a FDA ban on FD&C Red No. 3 for foods and ingested drugs. "The FDA is amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in response to a 2022 color additive petition." "Manufacturers who use FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products." 

So, although Harvey Edlin gets the credit for inventing Ah-So Sauce, it was actually Herb Schuster and his team who created it. Harvey used their creation, naming it Ah-So sauce, and helped to spread its popularity across the country. Over 60 years later, it's still available, remaining popular. Harvey deserves credit for his work, but then so does Schuster and his team.

When's the last time you used Ah-So sauce? And what did you use it for?