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First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Adam Guerriero. I am 24 years old, born and raised in Frankenmuth, MI. I am currently Executive Chef at the Wolverine-Dilworth Inn located in Boyne City, MI. This is Northern Michigan, far away from the comforts of any convenience whatsoever. It must also be extra far away from the sun, because it’s cold. Nothing would warm my insides right now more than staring at my very own “Cutting Room Floor” set! Please help me make it through this winter!
My hot sauce collection started out as a gift. I was enrolled in Culinary School right after high school, and everyone used this as an excuse to give me nothing but food-themed gifts for years to come. Pots, pans, whisks, knives, etc., etc., and then finally… hot sauce. My first four sauces came in a set, one of those sets you’d probably see at the Dollar General, with Howlin’ Hot Cayenne Sauce, Pecos Creek Mean Green Habanero, Famous Jake’s Chipale, and Crystal Classics Habanero Sauce. I have always loved all things spicy, my mother swears to me that I wouldn’t eat any food as a baby until she mixed a dash of Tabasco into it. But I never had HOT.
These first four simple sauces seemed to spark that primitive urge inside me that had been lying dormant somewhere in the recesses of my mind. That spark turned into a flame, which is now burning like a raging inferno somewhere in the seventh circle of hell (my stomach)! I definitely enjoy eating fire, but I LOVE collecting it. I buy every new sauce that I come across, but in these parts that’s no easy task. I know my collection is modest, especially compared to some chiliheads who dedicate more money than I’ve ever seen, but that’s why this contest excites me.
This is my chance. A chance for the little guy to have something that every collector, no matter how big, will envy. Something that I can look at every day to make me Feel Alive! I love all my sauces, but Blair’s products are different. The skull, the color, the label, everything about them makes them stand out. When people come to my house, they don’t say “Hey what’s that Washington Redskins hot sauce over there?” Of course not! They want the Blair’s Reserve! “What the hell are those?!” “They cost HOW much??” “Amazing!” I’ve heard it all, but us Chiliheads understand. I greatly admire Blair, and I greatly admire his work and his sauces. Collecting hot sauces is great fun to me. The hunt for new sauces is what keeps me going.
Sure, I could go on the internet right now and order every sauce known to man, but what fun would that be? Who would feel good about that? Collecting should not be about “Hey! Look at Me! I spent ten thousand dollars buying everything and now my kids will never be able to go to college! Look at how much I spent! I’m eating out of Dumpsters!” By hunting them down, buying them on trips, and receiving them as gifts, every hot sauce now has a story to go along with it. Just like a hunter would have a story for each buck on his wall, my wall of hot sauces is like a monstrous story of memories, over 130 chapters long. All those hunts, and all those scorched taste buds. “The Cutting Room Floor” is the greatest hunt of them all. The one no one has seen and the one that I can’t get. I am Captain Ahab and this is my White Whale.
My biggest and most common use for hot sauce is to keep me focused, sharp, and on task during my day’s work. I love that hot feeling in my mouth so much, it’s like an addiction. There are times of the day, when I’m working away in the kitchen, and my mind starts slipping. My work gets slower, I start daydreaming, and my body starts to fatigue. I grab a little cup of chili, add a few drops of Sudden Death, and BOOM! I’m back on task! My eyes light up, I get my act together, and I’m rip-roaring-ready to go! This move has got me through countless 15-16 hour days on the weekends. If I’m in a real rush, with 50 tickets hanging in the window and hot pans on the stove, I just dip a frill pick in the bottle and swipe it in my mouth. It works miracles I tell you! As much as hot sauces “fire” me up, the also act on the opposite end of the spectrum, and serve a different purpose.
My hot sauce collection is like also like my Zen Garden. It’s my way of relaxing, releasing pressure, cooling down after twelve grueling hours slinging scorching sauté pans. After all the crashing, burning, yelling and commotion in the kitchen, I can come home to peace and tranquility in my Hot Sauces. It may seem like a strange twist of irony – toxic hot sauces calming me down – but it works for me. I look at all my favorite sauces, fondle my Blair’s Reserves (this makes my fiancée a bit jealous), and maybe pick out which one I’ll open for my late night snack. I rearrange them, shuffle them around, and give some lesser-known guys the good spot in front for a couple days. Sure, this might creep out my fiancée a bit, but she understands now. I love them! Just not as much as her of course (wink, wink.)
Some of my favorite sauces are: 
- Kryptonite Hot Sauce – The first sauce I ever bought myself 6 years ago, and I love Superman
- Hot Blog Sauce #3/144 – C’mon, who doesn’t love hotsauceblog.com? Sweat ‘N Spice Rules!
- Defcon Zero #114 – This new company makes the best wing sauce ever, and I love limited release bottles like this. Signed and numbered bottles always hold a place close to my heart.
- Blair’s Sudden Death – My definite all-time fave, just perfect and hotter than hell. I bought a 12-case on Ebay and it’s starting to dwindle!
- Blair’s Holiday Reserve #48/99 – I love all my Blair’s Reserves, but I felt extra awesome for scoring this one! Only 99 in the WHOLE WORLD! That’s hard for me to imagine, but I am very lucky.
- Sauza Tequila Hot Sauce – I love bottles that stand out and break the mold a bit. This one is bright gold and it tastes great to make it even more awesome! I killed seven bottles of this sauce in recent memory!
- Blair’s LeMillion #411, 425, 852 – Having one of Blair’s Reserves makes me giggle like a schoolgirl, having THREE of a reserve? Well, I won’t go there.
Here are some sauces that I just don’t understand/like at all:
- Harrison’s Habanero – I love babies as much as the next guy, but the screaming baby picture on the bottle doesn’t really fire up my appetite. I kind of angers me, really,
- The Ultimate Burn – Wait, maybe I like this one… Hot Sauce, and nudity? Sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me. If it hurts when you get it in your eye… you know where I’m going with this.
- Capt’n Sleepy’s Hot Sauce – A moon with a sailor hat over the ocean? What does that have to do with anything? And why is it “Quintessential”?
- Feel the Heat – A hot couple is shown on the beach in bathing suits, and the bottle comes with mini-handcuffs attached. Am I missing something here? Who uses handcuff on the beach, other than to drown someone?
- Washington Redskins Hot Sauce – I have no idea where this sauce came from, but I’m assuming that someone found it for me at a garage sale. I don’t like the Redskins and I don’t like this sauce! It just bothers me.
- Emeril’s Kick It Up Sauce – I, like many professional chefs, find Emeril to be a complete moron sell-out. He sold out to the Food Network, and now he throws herbs to impress old ladies. I am sure he had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of this sauce, and probably doesn’t even know what’s in it. In way, he is the polar opposite of Blair.
I haven’t been putting this entry off until the last minute, believe me (or ask my fiancée, she’s about ready to tell me to shut up). I have been pondering, and wishing, and lying awake dreaming of this. Thinking of how I can show that I can be a winner. I know that this may seem fool-hearted or just plain cocky, but I want this more. That entry that you read just before this, yeah, I want it more than they do. As much as other people might think they want it, not as much as me! You have my personal money-back guarantee. And that my friend, is as good as gold. Not for bragging rights, but for the glory. That sweet, sweet Blair’s Glory. I have seen it in my dreams, and now I wish to see it in my kitchen.
Thank you very much for you time,
Adam Guerriero
Chilehead Comments:
Posted by: Nick Lindauer - Categories: Uncategorized
Permalink: Adam Guerriero’s Hot Sauce Collection
One year ago: Absolut Peppar Vodka
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- Help My Hot Sauce Collection Contest Reminder
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- Henry Knake’s Hot Sauce Collection
- Wade’s Hot Collection
61 Comments »
Very impressive collection man. You guys have inspired me to start!
Hey Adam, We understand!
I think this is a standard non-chilehead reaction.
“They want the Blair’s Reserve! “What the hell are those?!” “They cost HOW much??” “Amazing!” I’ve heard it all, but us Chiliheads understand”
Is that an Orange County Choppers hot sauce sitting over the sink?
Adam! Great collection! I know what you mean about “each bottle has a story”. When I go through my collection and look at a bottle I can rember where the hell I was. What stupid thing I did. Etc etc. Good stuff. Keep the sauce coming!
I was watching the Chefology on foodnetwork two nights ago on Emeril, ive never had his sauce, but im fairly sure he designs or has imput on everything with his name on it. Hes got his own kitchen within his company just for designing new food to be sold in stores. He seems pretty admirable to me.
Adam, great collection bro. I love your brief reviews of sauces you DON’T like 
Great story telling, well worded. Too bad it wasn’t an English paper. I would give you a decent grade 
I’ve tried Emeril’s sauces. In a word, “yuck”. I get a kick out of his live show, as he seems to be the Johnny Carson of food tv, but his mass produced sauces leave a lot to be desired.
I dont think that collection is complete without a Three Hot Tamales “Cry Baby” 
Especially a SIGNED bottle
Geez Lisa, you wouldn’t be trying to push your “sawce” would you?
Lisa were you able to do anythig with what I sent Kristi?
Lisa……
My stepdad used to say….”Never miss a chance to ring you’re own chimes”! LOL
Squeekiest wheel always gets the most oil
MSK I love the way your stepdad thinks, and Ryan…yeah im trying to sell sauce, isnt that what I am required to do
Mad, she told me about it and she will send it to me later on, I guess Nick is busy since he didnt post it yet
Love the blog!
Depends on how you look at it. If I started looking at my job as something I HAD to do, I would lose interest very quickly. But push away, Lisa, I’m just giving you crap…its what I do best
Mad_Reilly on 3/15/2006 at 11:55 am said:
Squeekiest wheel always gets the most oil
I never heard that but I like it Mad. I’ll remember that one
Nice collection Adam!!
Someone once said, “Find what you love to do, and let it kill you” , well folks youll be happy to know Im on my way
Lisa on 3/15/2006 at 11:37 am said:
I dont think that collection is complete without a Three Hot Tamales “Cry Baby”
Lisa on 3/15/2006 at 11:40 am said:
Especially a SIGNED bottle
We are waiting for Nick to get these listed…
I hope you are making more sauce Lisa, there are a bunch of people waiting.
Are you still shooting for March 27th?
That should be plenty of time since you rarely let Kristi out of that kitchen
Nick Lindauer on 3/15/2006 at 1:16 pm said:
And I’m waiting on my lighting to come in so I can get some good shots of everything.
I know Nick, just busting…
Like you dont have anything to do? right?
Hey Nick, when you get your shop open, let me know if need any high end kitchen cutlery…gotta have the finest cutting utencils for those people out there slicing peppers
ryan on 3/15/2006 at 1:27 pm said:
Hey Nick, when you get your shop open, let me know if need any high end kitchen cutlery…gotta have the finest cutting utencils for those people out there slicing peppers
Since you are now famous ryan (ha ha) you may be able to give up some of that (extra) side work.
I’ll have to have you contact my company and explain to them why I’m leaving. One of the reasons they hired me was to take over the credit dept. when my boss retires in 5 years
Ok, just let me know. Im here to help
Those sauces are looking mighty close to the window. Hope you have good locks
Thanks man, you’re a real pal Gotta run to eye surgery now, catch you guys later.
MattUK on 3/15/2006 at 1:45 pm said:
Those sauces are looking mighty close to the window. Hope you have good locks
Good point there MATTUK. Talk about a smash an grab…
Adam listed where he lives any a whole bunch more….
personally, I would move them.
This is also a good point with everyone displaying what they have…all those great bottles and some worth over $1000. Now people know where they are. eman, better get that safe.
Great description on what hot sauce means to you. I share many of the same sentiments.
Ryan, good luck with the surgery…. Nick were you being a lil snippy?? Im sorry, dont mean to keep putting the pressure on you Just so excited that everyone gets to try the Cry Baby … ok ill shut up now…
Lisa on 3/15/2006 at 3:05 pm said:
Ryan, good luck with the surgery…. Nick were you being a lil snippy?? Im sorry, dont mean to keep putting the pressure on you
chris k on 3/15/2006 at 1:20 pm said:
I know Nick, just busting…
Like you dont have anything to do? right?
We are waiting Lisa. Its Ok to remind us, we can put the pressure on.
Nick is working on it, wants to get it right.
Anything Nick does, he gets right, well from what I have seen so far anyway ….
Lisa on 3/15/2006 at 3:05 pm said:
Ryan, good luck with the surgery…. Nick were you being a lil snippy?? Im sorry, dont mean to keep putting the pressure on you
Nope - not snippy at all. Just frustrated at my photography supply team. But it pays to make your sauce look good
As long as we’re playing ’sharp eyes’ here on Adam’s collection, methinks I spy some of CaJohns “Hot Spots” line to the right of the sink also. I’m wondering about the two bright yellow labels next to them also.
Well thanks for caring Nick If you need someone to put a lil Jersey scare into the photography team let me know, I am Sicilian ya know…
Eman my brother ya out there?
He’s probabyl driving to Jersey to get is Blair’s!
I gotta get me one of those signed cry baby’s. That would be most awesome no doubt! How many are there? Just checking the likelihood of a sellout cause I dont get to sit by a computer all day while i work
Hey lisa, I sent you over the email from Mad this morning, you din’t get it?
Thank you lisa, it went ok, got a bit of a headache.
How do we go about getting a Cry baby signed limited bottle?
Sorry I missed out maybe? At work cant be typing on this too mmuch, if one of the Tamales is in and sees this maybe they can e-mail me at *edited* to let me know thanks gotta go now TTYL all!
Guys Please dont think this is a limited edition, if Nick runs out we will be glad to give him more signed bottles We want to make sure that all you diehards have at least one
Sounds good to me cause I will likely miss out on a ZERO batch two cause it will come out when I will be at work 
lol Who knows maybe I will get lucky!!
Lisa are you going to send just the cry baby (signed) or what I asked
Nick for was a SET ie Cry Baby/Make Me Moan Mango. Than I need 1
of your Cry Baby that I would like to use(Need not be signed.
Nick will have everything by the weekend, Please know that Nick will always be filled with a Three Hot Tamales stock, you guys rate #1 on our Priority List
adam on 3/15/2006 at 9:05 am said:
Is that an Orange County Choppers hot sauce sitting over the sink?
Those sweet bottles came from Sweat’N Spice!
Jim Campbell (Mild to Wild®) on 3/15/2006 at 4:23 pm said:
As long as we’re playing ’sharp eyes’ here on Adam’s collection, methinks I spy some of CaJohns “Hot Spots” line to the right of the sink also. I’m wondering about the two bright yellow labels next to them also.
The two yellow bottles are “Lucifer’s Own Hot Sauce” and “Two Hot Hot Sauce” and they say “By Jeff” underneath that. Ya know, I don’t really remember the story on those two! But they look like they’re about fifty years old.
Thanks a bunch, I’ll wait on word from Nick on ordering info
Thanks for the compliments everybody - I know that my modest collection pales incomparison to some of the “big dogs” out there! I was a little nervous about sending it in
Adam, very nice!!!!!
Ahhh… Thought for a minute they looked suspicously like my ‘Ralphs Righteous Habanero Sauce’. It’s also a solid yellow label in both incarnations. Chances would have been slim though, as I don’t get out much 
Was I right about the Hot Spots from CaJohns though?
Sorry I didn’t want to say anything, but no Hot Spots.
chris k on 3/15/2006 at 1:52 pm said:
Good point there MATTUK. Talk about a smash an grab…
Adam listed where he lives any a whole bunch more….
personally, I would move them.This is also a good point with everyone displaying what they have…all those great bottles and some worth over $1000. Now people know where they are. eman, better get that safe.
That sounds kinda like a threat Chris K
I work in Boyne City, I don’t live there by the way - so hopefully you don’t know where I live! That looks like an ordinary window but it’s actually bulletproof double-pane glass and right outside of that is a pond containing sharks with frickin’ laser beams on their heads. So go ahead and try it…
Adam2 on 3/16/2006 at 1:39 am said:
That sounds kinda like a threat Chris K
I work in Boyne City, I don’t live there by the way - so hopefully you don’t know where I live! That looks like an ordinary window but it’s actually bulletproof double-pane glass and right outside of that is a pond containing sharks with frickin’ laser beams on their heads. So go ahead and try it…
Nice security, I hope they’re Great whites. lol
Adam2 on 3/16/2006 at 1:39 am said:
That sounds kinda like a threat Chris K
I work in Boyne City, I don’t live there by the way - so hopefully you don’t know where I live! That looks like an ordinary window but it’s actually bulletproof double-pane glass and right outside of that is a pond containing sharks with frickin’ laser beams on their heads. So go ahead and try it…
Dont worry ADAM, thats a nice collection, but Im a chilehead, not a thief…ha ha
what I meant was that there is enough info there for someone to track you down if they wanted to.
I think you forgot to mention something about your security system. What about the pair of highly trained doberman pincher’s that you keep in that kitchen
Henry Knake on 3/15/2006 at 8:32 pm said:
Thanks a bunch, I’ll wait on word from Nick on ordering info
Same here. I’m always looking to increase my collection
Very nice collection, and congratulations!!
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Being a chef I can imagine what its like for dinner at your place. I’ll have the roast duck with mango salsa and hot sauce! lol
The collection looks good man. Seems like owning multiple Blair’s reserves is the thing to do. Which would should I go buy out