CULTURE WATCH : But Who Drinks Lemon Pledge?

Ever wonder what the two Ms in M&M;’s stand for? Or whether it’s ketchup or catsup ?

If so, you’re sure to relish Vince Staten’s new book, “Can You Trust a Tomato in January?”

In this cook’s tour de farce, Staten reveals deliciously ironic secrets of the American food industry (there’s more lemon in Lemon Pledge furniture polish, for instance, than in equal amounts of Country Time lemonade), and oddball origins of food terms and brand names.

The fictional Betty Crocker honors a company director named William Crocker. Sara Lee comes from Sara Lee Schupf, daughter of the bakery’s founder.

M&M;’s literally comes from Mars: the last names of Frank Mars, founder of Mars candy, and Bob Murrie, company president in 1941.

Velveeta means “velvety cheese”; Tab helps you keep tabs on your weight, and exotic Haagen-Dazs was simply made up by the wife of a Bronx ice-cream maker.

Likewise, 7Up , originally called “Bib-label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda,” was christened by default after its inventor rejected six other names.

Ketchup won over catsup when Del Monte finally capitulated in 1988, and Yankee Doodle called his feather macaroni because back then macaroni was slang for dandy .