“I Like It HOT!” Festival, September 15 & 16, 2007

So I headed west on I-4 to 275 through Tampa toward St. Pete, jumped off on 688 and headed into the little town on Largo, FL. Not a bad trip actually, made it pretty quick. I was lucky to have left so early and miss the Sunday Buc’s game traffic heading into Raymond James Stadium. I was following a friend and good thing because I’m ok with directions but not sure I would have found the Minnreg Hall, it was tucked way back off the road and kinda snuck up on you. But when I saw the cars and the signs I was relieved. “THE LARGEST SPICY FOOD SHOW IN FLORIDA” man I was excited!

The Minnreg Hall is not very big, though they did have some exhibitors outside in a courtyard. Yeah those lucky folks faced the unmerciful Florida sun all day, it was in the high 90′s on Sunday, Raymond James showed 107 on the Field- not too fun! But everyone’s spirits were high and there were a lot of Floridians there just soaking up the sun, the fun and the Hot Food!

Inside was a different story, shoulder to shoulder up and down each aisle the vendor booths had a lots of people around them. I got to talk with so many great manufacturers, it was a hoot. I think the event overall was a success, from all the information I gathered and everyone I spoke to, the Festival broke last years attendance numbers on Saturday. The anchor vendor was Tahiti Joe’s Hot Sauces from West Palm Beach, FL. The Joe’s Crew had a big spread and a huge amount of foot traffic the entire day I was there. Joe is an amazing guy and is so passionate about was he does, his products are great and if you are a label shopper- he has some really funny and envelope pushing labels.

My next stop was at the Chile Chile Bang Bang Gourmet Sauces booth, I tried some sauce and purchased their “Blazing Bonnets” and “Habanero Blaze”. A family based company since 1999 and two time “National Award Winning” manufacturer their products were fantastic.

An excellent find was the Intensity Academy booth, “We pride ourselves on intense flavors with the unique use of vegetables! Hot has never been so good for you!” And let me tell you, they are good. The samples I tried were awesome and I purchased their “Chai Chipotle” and “Hot3 -Hot Cubed”.

Richard’s Hot Sauce Co. from St. Petersburg, FL. booth was nicely arranged and I enjoyed the sauces very much. Also purchased from them, Richard’s Hot Sauce a 2007 Fiery Food Challenge Winner.

I met Chuck Faulk from Palatka, FL. and Cracker House Sauces. “Simple and Fresh, a sweet blend of Florida Datil peppers and Jalapeño peppers along with other fresh vegetables.” His sauces Flippen’ Rock.

And I can’t leave out the guys from “Your Hot Sauce” Company also from St. Petersburg. Let me tell you, these guys were having a blast and their booth was so much fun.

There was a good time had by all; I ate, drank, and got pretty merry. In my comfort zone the nice endorphin buzz from all of the sauces I tried felt right at home with the “Smilies” I got from the beers we downed, Good Times! And I acquired a nice little sauce booty to top off the day.

ILikeItHotFestival@hotmail.com
ContactUs@YourHotSauceCompany.com
Your Hot Sauce Company
PO box 1691
Pinellas Park, FL. 33780-1691

Vic & Wendy’s 1 Year With HSB!So here it is 1 year since Nick posted pics of our collection, can you believe it. Heck it only feels like 10 or 11 months at the very most to me. Doing time with you crazies actually isn’t half bad. We have met some really interesting people through HSB and can also say we have made some very good friends. We have shared some touching moments in time, had a ton of laughs, and done our share of bickering- Good Times! It’s all good and here’s to many many more.So why I am doing this? To be honest, it’s my way of giving back. I want to thank everyone who has made an impact on not only our lives but yes an impact on this wacky obsession we have. I guess you can say we’re here because of you, yeah I blame this all on the Manufacturers who just keep producing these little bottles of magic I just have to have! It can’t be that I’m compulsive and just have to cover practically every bare wall in our house with shelves and shelves of Hot Sauce! Nah.

New sidewall with bookcases

Since the original posting the collection has gone from just over 1,100 bottles to now just over 1,450 with some in transit as we speak. This was a great year for us and can easily say this has been one of our largest bottle addition years to date. Also the types and/or quality of sauces we acquired has greaty increased, but I love the .79 & .99 bottles found in groceries and markets all over.

Some HSB acquisitons from Zest Fest in Fort Worth, TX.

We doubled our CaJohn’s subcollection and added some just incredible pieces.This year we doubled the size of our Cajohn’s bottles, tripled the amount of Blair’s, and put together the most extensive collection of Arizona Jack’s Penrod Pepper Products out there. Blair’s Reserves and some special bottles Some very special and cherished bottles from a great guy! The HSB has introduced me to some great folks and many of who produce sauce or have been involved in either labels, ideas, or special event type sauces. We have been slowly building on our HSB subcollection, it’s been a chore with so many out there, but we’re getting there. Baby steps I guess you could say. Some more awesome HSB Hot Sauces! Daytona Bike Week Sauces and O.C.C. Sauces. Backwall and above the computer desk So thanks to everyone who has added to our little Hot Sauce Dynasty! We appreciate your hard work, creativity, and love of the game. Keep up the good work, keep the cool stuff coming, and I’ll keep putting your stuff on my walls! I need a bigger house!

Review: CSIGI Chili Sauce XXX Hot Salubrious Savina

“The founders’ obsession in choosing specific varietals of peppers is used to create a fusion of flavor, texture and heat that is unlike anything else on the market.”

Well it’s my turn at reviewing a Csigi product, and when I open and smelled this sauce I was very happy to give my two cents and maybe a little more. I put my taste buds to the test with Csigi’s Salubrious Savina = Conducive or favorable to health or well-being. Boy the name hits the nail on the head, the sauce just smells amazing. The first whiff is the Vinegar base, it stays nicely on the bottle cap but the next sniff is all the Red Savina’s. Proud and boastful the peppers make a strong statement and give heed to the upcoming taste. Once you get adjusted to the Hab smell the Tomato and the spices make their presence known. All together the ingredients blend well and the aroma will make your mouth water.

Ingredients: Vinegar, Habanero Red Savina Chiles, Roasted Red Peppers, Roma Tomatoes, Extra Coarse Sea Salt, Turbinaro Sugar, Garlic, Spices, Arrowroot.

Csigi Salubrious Savina Sauce is a wonderfully thick – chunky sauce. The arrowroot is a starch obtained from the rhizomes of a tropical American perennial herb (Maranta arundinacea). It is used especially in cooking as a thickener. The sauce is speckled with spices, seeds, pepper pieces. It has a XXX HOT rating, which maybe for the non-scorched tongue may be accurate, but to the hearty majority of us here it is at a low end hot level. Don’t get me wrong it has a bite, the warmth stays nicely for a good bit but it’s not a barn burner.

“Csigi Chili Sauces’ Salubrious Savina is a hot sauce that seemingly tastes well with anything it’s applied to. The roasted red pepper/Habanero Red Savina® called Salubrious Savina, which won a Scovie Award in the Habanero Hot Sauce category for 2006!”

“Csigi Chili Sauces’ Salubrious Savina has a robust habanero flavor with a smoky intense heat that escalates and lingers on the palate. Try Salubrious Savina in soups, on Southwestern cuisine, pizza, or any of your favorite dishes.”

Well I challenged the “Tastes well with anything” statement and gave the Salubrious Savina an Omelet test. I decided to make a Mushroom, Garlic, Chipotle Cheese Omelet. I first sautéd the Mushrooms and Garlic and added some spices here and there.

Added the eggs and made up some toast. I also put a few drops of the Salubrious Savina Sauce, threw in some of the Chipotle Cheese, and some Asiago Cheese for the heck of it.

There you have it, a monster Omelet topped off with a little more Asiago Cheese and a side of toast. I enjoyed this breakfast very much, the Salubrious Savina Sauce stood up tremendously to the test and added a nice even heat and a lot of flavor. Good times!

Conclusion: An excellent sauce overall, I was very pleased with every aspect of it. Good flavor, the Salubrious Savina Sauce has a nice bite to it that lingered around nicely, and just an amazing aroma. Try this sauce I think you will like it as well. I agree with Csigi it is well rounded and would compliment many different types of food.

Packaging/Label: 8 out of 10
Aroma: 9 out of 10
Taste: 9 out of 10
Heat: 7 out of 10
Overall: 9 out of 10

Csigi Chili Sauce
International award winning habanero [tag]hot sauces[/tag] are just the beginning…
www.csigichilisauce.com
570-420-8664

Yeah it’s bright yellow When I first pulled this bottle out of the box I thought to myself …”Self this looks weird” I shook it up a bit, turned it back and forth to let it run up and down the bottle- it stayed yellow. The sauce has a translucence to it as well and you can see specks of the pepper and the seeds floating all through it. It’s kinda neat and different, I played with it for awhile- the bottle that is.

Ingredients: Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper, Salt, Vinegar, and Citric Acid

The Vinegar is overpowering when you open the bottle and break the seal, and it stays there use after use. The Vinegar actually seems to intensify in the fridge waiting for each use. It’s not all that bad, but you need to have a taste for this type of sauce. If you like the taste of Vinegar with the peppers then it’s your thing, if not beware. Also I found the Island Spice Scotch Bonnet Sauce to be salty straight up. I did the finger test and definitely detected the salt right off the bat. But in this sauces defense, it blends well and hides the saltiness on food.

This sauce made me really think hard on what to try it on first, I went round and round and settled for an old favorite with a twist. We bought some thin sliced Pork Chops and made sandwhiches. We found some cool button top rolls, toasted them, and covered the chops generously with fresh thick sliced American Cheese.

The dinner was completed with some sweet peas and some good old French Fries, yeah not gourmet but it was easy and tasted good. The Island Spice Scotch Bonnet Sauce is thin and chunky, it is no frills in your face basic sauce. I would have to put this sauce at a high end medium heat level, it warms the lips nice and the heat lingers satisfyingly awhile- “I luv you long time!” We topped off the Pork Sandwhich with some Red Onion and Tomato. Mm Mm Good!

Conclusion: If you don’t mind the Salt and like a strong Vinegar based Pepper Sauce then you will enjoy this one. It is a strip down basic bare-bones sauce, Peppers and Vinegar. It adds the heat of the Scotch Bonnets to anything you put it on. I think it has specific uses and would not cross over to things like Mexican or Pizza. But apply it to Chicken and Pork and it’s good to go.

Packaging/Label: 6 out of 10
Aroma: 6 out of 10
Taste: 7 out of 10
Heat: 7 out of 10
Overall: 7 out of 10

Island Spice
21-23, Bell Road
Kingston I I Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: (876) 757-8520
(876) 757-8523
islandspice@cwjamaica.com

Review: Chile Pepper Republic Coffee Bourbon Molasses Rub

A rub is a combination of spices, seasonings and herbs that add flavor and texture to meats. When I first read the label, I thought ok, that’s an interesting combination but I like each of those flavors individually so why not together. I was not disappointed. The flavor blast you get even just dipping your finger in it is delicious, each flavor is detectable quickly and they really blend well.

“A paradise of culinary pleasures awaits you! The adventure begins with Chile Pepper Republic spice blends. Tropical and Caribbean flavours abound from across the seas. Simply Enjoy!”

Ingredients: Garlic Salt, Sugar, Chili Peppers, Molasses, Coffee, Spices and Bourbon.

Upon breaking the seal and taking the first inhale to smell this rub, I got a warm pleasant feeling. The aroma is strong with the Spices, Garlic, the smokey Chile Peppers say hello first. The Coffee is present but underlying and accompanied by a sweetness that is both the Sugar and Molasses. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The rub has an orange/brown color with specks of Coffee and a lot of sugar all through it.

All Natural & No MSG!

I put Chile Pepper Republic’s Coffee Bourbon Molasses Rub on Pork Chops, and laid it on pretty thick. As most rubs do, it locked in the juices making the chops very very tender. This rub has a unique flavor, just a pinch of spicey- for ye seeking the HEAT, it’s not here. This is a good one for the entire family, spicy but very mildly and with a sweet kicker.

Conclusion: When I first saw this rub, I was taken aback with curiosity. Wow that sounds interesting and I can easily say it was. The distinct differences of flavors blend well and together have a very good taste. I would recommend this rub for anyone who likes a sweetness with thier spiciness, because if you do you will enjoy this product.

Packaging/Label: 7 out of 10
Aroma: 8 out of 10
Taste: 8 out of 10
Heat: 2 out of 10
Overall: 8 out of 10

Chile Pepper Republic
Charlotte, NC 28217
888-248-5459

General’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que…To Go HOT Slaw

Not a typical review, I am only doing this in recognition of the ever growing popularity of hot food and to give props to a fellow Chilehead, Spencer Self, who makes one heck a good tasting Cole Slaw. During the Pilgrimage to Gatlinburg, TN this month, as always we stop off in Chattanooga, TN to visit my Sister and Brother-in-law. On this trip I noticed a very small store front on the end of a multiple business building with a lot of trucks (remember, we’re in TN – more trucks then cars) outside of it. We just caught the name on the sign and decided to ask my Sister what it was.

General’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que just opened this year, “Oh you have got to try their HOT Slaw” my Sister’s eye’s gleamed. I told them about you and they are going to make up a special batch just for you. So the decision of what to do for dinner was settled pretty quickly. I had to try: “Meal by Itself – “Titanic Tater” is a hickory smoked potato busted open and smothered with butter, sour cream, meat (pork, beef, or chicken), cheese and BBQ sauce…..YUM!“ I was the only one who finished it completely, yeah no big suprise there aye. But it did take all I had and I paid for it later.

Ingredients: your basic cole slaw- amped up!! Spencer starts with a finely chopped cole slaw mix and adds a punch with sliced Jalapenos, Jalapeno juice soaked in, and tops it off with his homemade Hot Sauce ( a very tastey red cajun
styled sauce with a lot of coarse pepper ). One would think it would be loose or watery, but the slaw had a nice consistency and was very smooth.

The obivious is that the first aroma you catch is the slaw. there is the distinct vinegar smell and a peppery under tone. If you’ve ever had the peppers in vinegar at a Bob Evan’s or a Southern/Counrty Styled Rest., that is exactly what it smells like, peppers and all. The flavor is awesome, to a Heat Seeker it’s on the medium level, but I can tell you out of the four of us that tried it
for the first time, I was the only one not breathing heavy and pounding beer to extinguish the heat. I was just pounding beer for the sheer pleasure of it, if you know what I mean.

Conclusion: Spencer is a true blue Chilehead, his HOT Slaw is incredible! So if you are heading North on I 75, get off on exit 11 – Lee Highway and about two miles down on the right hand side is General’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que…To Go. Tell Spencer I sent you and ask him for his HOT Slaw, maybe he’ll make up a little special batch for you too.

General’s Smokehouse
BBQ & More…….To Go!
Spencer Self, Owner
9416 Lee Highway
Ooltewah, Tn 37363
423-238-6007

Fire Mountain Krewe, Gatlinburg Tenn.

Back Row(left to right) BigShow, Tracy C, Bret, Vic
Middle row(left to right) Jim Campbell, CaJohn (Big Daddy), DK
Front (on his knees…hmmmm) Blane

A tradition that is gaining popularity and members (Family Members), the Hards have been hosting a get together based out of Gatlinburg Tn., the Pepper Palace and their cabin in the Mountains. Several of the veteren inductees knew what we were in store for, and held the secrets well. So I think the Newbies like myself were just awestruck and amazed at the hospitality and generosity of not only from the hosts but everyone involved in the goings on.

If you have not been to Gatlinburg before, the place is awesome. Bit of a tourist trap but a lot of fun. So the plan was to meet up at the Pepper Palace which is located in the Mountain Mall at traffic light #6.

Bloggers trickled in a few at time, pointing at each other and then smiling- you’re….. was the phrase of the afternoon. But by far the biggest suprise was BLANE, driving just shy of 17 hours and giving up on a full weekend of “Winder Lickin’” to hang out with some questionable characters.

After the “Meet and Greet”, it was off to the Go-Kart Track for some serious racing! A lot of smack talk, very little talent, and HUGE men squeezed into very small machines with engines- yeah a receipt for disaster. The rules were easy- finish in one piece and you get points, the more points you get after the three races, and you win a prize.

Check out who tallied the scores…. can you see the brain waves ebbing around their heads? Yeah, neither could I. But somehow they can up with it and how amazing- they won!!

1st place was a Halloween Reserve = DK, 2nd place was a Lady Liberty = Big Show, 3rd place was a Proto Eat Sh** and Bark at the Moon, and because someone had to come in last a Danny Cash NOS = Sue.

And we all left with every body part we came with. Strategy, alliances, revenge, plotting, and conspiracy theories- who needs reality TV, we had it all. I can tell you something else, if Bret drives anything like how he did that night, I have to apologize to the drivers of the fine state of Ohio.

Leaving out the explicit material and mostly blackmail pictures, I decided to jump to Sunday morning. Mostly spent eating; signing bottles, helmets, and vehicles; and picture taking the guys opted for another group shot.

Not to be out done….

This post was not done to make anyone feel slighted, I spoke to a couple of the guys and decided to do it i honor of some really great people. There was so much talk around about it, we thought we should share it with everyone. This is a warm up for NM and future events.

The bonding and friendships that are growing from this Blog are amazing, where else have you seen anything like it. I’ve not been associated with anything nearing it’s equal. So as we group together here and there, I hope we all share the events, the makings, and the friendships grown here. I’m getting all sappy now, I love you man!!

More TN Pictures here

Classy Delites Spinach Artichoke Dip, Spinach Avacado Dip & Aztec Salsa

I decided to do a Bundle Review as it became clear on how we would try the Classy Delite products we received. Wendy was so excited to see these products come out of Nick’s box of goodies. Not a Heat Seeker, she was happy to have the opportunity to taste them with me. We did some additional shopping and planned out a nice lunch for our next day off together. So to say this review was highly anticipated is an understatement, Wendy wanted this one real bad. As each 12oz. jar was unwrapped, it was followed by her ooh, ooooh, wow’s that quickly told me she was into this one.

“Classy Delites gourmet dips and sauces taste so good! We use only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients in our family’s recipes. Our customers don’t have to sacrifice to cut the fat, and that keeps ‘em coming back.”

Ok, so I know what a lot of you who have met us and with the rest of you probably seeing our pictures on the Blog here and on some links around were thinking- Classy Delites? Vic and Wendy? Yeah I know, I’m like school on Saturday, No Class! But we gave it our best attempt at a high brow soiree, yeah we half assed it. Wendy grabbed our mix-match serving platters and I picked out our finest Chinet. Heck we even dressed for the occasion, looking dapper in a black tee over my cleanest wife beater and Wendy in a slinky silky hair scrunchy and fuzzy bedroom slippers, oh baby! On her best behavior, my classy little Florida Cracker did her best job not to cuss and I only used to F word once while enjoying these Classy Delite products.

Spinach Artichoke Dip:

Ingredients: Spinach, Water, Onions, Artichokes (Artichoke Hearts, Water, Salt, Citric Acid), Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Xanthum and or Carob Bean and or Guar Gums), Sour Cream (Cultured Cream), Whipping Cream (Cream, Milk, Mono Diglycerides {Emulsifiers}, Guar Gum, Carrageenan), Orange Juice, Garlic, Corn Starch, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Salt, Dehydrated Onions, Spices

Allergy Information: Contains Milk products, may contain trace amounts of Peanuts or other Allergens.

We cracked open the first jar, though low on the ingredient list, this dip has a lemon tartness aroma you catch right off. Below that is an oniony artichoke fragrance which is nice, with just a hint of a pepper smell. The lemon and Orange Juices make themselves known with a distinct Citrus taste on the tip of your tongue. A very creamy texture wraps the Spinach, which is very visible throughout the dip, with the artichoke that is chunky and in every bite. As the dips sits when served, the Garlic can be denoted and balances out the flavors well. The dip is very thick and quite tasty overall.

Packaging/Label: 8 out of 10
Aroma: 7 out of 10
Taste: 7 out of 10
Heat: 0 out of 10
Overall: 7 out of 10

Spinach Avocado Dip:

Ingredients: Spinach, Onions, Water, Avocado, Tomatoes, Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, and Xanthum Gum and/or Carob Bean and/or Guar Gums), Sour Cream (Cultured Cream), Lime Juice, Cilantro, Poblano Peppers, Garlic, Natural Cornstarch, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Orange Juice, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Pepper, Lime Oil, Spices.

Allergy Information: Contains milk products. May contain trace amounts of Peanuts or other Allergens

This dip had a very different smell when you open it, the Lime Juice edges out the smoky Sun Dried Tomato aroma with the Avocados coming through very strongly underneath. It’s an interesting mixture of smells, its a little tart then a musky/smoky fullness. Again the Spinach is very visible and also chunky, but I think this dip may be a little thicker. I think the Avocados make this dip a lighter green color. If I had to rank them, this would be #3 of 3. I think Avocado lovers would tend to rank it higher, though I like them I did not care for this dip that much.

Packaging/Label: 8 out of 10
Aroma: 5 out of 10
Taste: 5 out of 10
Heat: 0 out of 10
Overall: 5 out of 10

Aztec Salsa:

Ingredients: Tomatoes, Yellow Corn, Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste, Citric Acid), Black Beans, Onions, Jalapeno Peppers, Chili Peppers, Salt, Bell Peppers, Red Wine and Apple Cider Vinegars, Dehydrated Onions, Cilantro, Lime Juice, Granulated Garlic, Spices, Sugar, Corn Oil, Xanthan Gum

With reading through the list of ingredients to this Salsa, I thought “Sweet, it’s going to have some bite to it!” Nope, denied! But hey who says everything has to be hot? Yeah- ME! Honestly in defense of Classy Delites, they do not indicate any heat level on the jar or on line. When you open this jar the smell is very similar to a Vegetable Soup, with the Black Beans hovering in behind. It smells great, and with two types of Vinegars in it, they are surprisingly a low undertone to the Vegetables and Tomatoes. The Corn is crisp and the Salsa has a nice “fresh” taste, very enjoyable. Aztec Salsa is thick and flavorful, it’s sticks well to the chips and crackers we had it with.

Packaging/Label: 8 out of 10
Aroma: 8 out of 10
Taste: 8 out of 10
Heat: 1 out of 10
Overall: 8 out of 10

Overall Conclusion: Whether I personally like the tastes of all the Classy Delite products we tried doesn’t take away from the quality of these items. You can easily tell a lot of time and effort have gone into each and every one of these products. And trust me, you don’t have to be High Class to enjoy them- they’ll taste just as good in the Trailer Park as they do in the Summer House at the beach.

Classy Delites, Inc.
P.O. Box 340189
Austin,Texas 78734
1-800-440-2648 (Toll Free)
512-266-7157 (Local)
512-266-7198 (Fax)
info@classydelites.com

Review: Dave’s Gourmet Insanity Corn

I think I am like most of us here, I seek heat in just about everything I eat. So when I had the chance to try Dave’s Insanity Corn I was stoked. I’ve had Hot Nuts ( easy on the jokes! ) a couple of times, tried just about every so called “Hot” product from the grocery stores, and even put hot spices and Tabasco on popcorn before, but it always fell short and/or felt fake. As this sub-category of hot food grows, you should put this popcorn on your list.

Ingredients: Yellow popcorn, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, pepper, spices, natural and artificial flavorings

I quickly tore the package open, briefly scanned the directions ( I’m a guy, I don’t need directions! ), luckily my microwave has a “POPCORN” button, and awaited my surprise. Once the pops began, the smell of the popcorn started to fill the kitchen. I love that smell. I did not pick up any spicy/hot/peppery smells while in the micro, but once I opened the door it hit me and hit me hard. It was cool because it was strong enough to make me cough, in the real world that might not be the reaction one would look for but here in our Cartoon Blog World, we live for the extreme!

“Insanity Popcorn may be the hottest popcorn on the planet. In fact, I’m surprised it doesn’t pop without a microwave. Enjoy the great flavor with care.”

Between the coughs, came the awesome smell of the spices and pepper, enough to make your mouth water. I ripped into the bag and popped a couple of pieces in my mouth, warm popcorn…..mmmmmm! The Insanity Corn packs some nice heat, the more you eat the hotter it gets. It gave me a first-rate total mouth warmth that lasted nicely. I was a very happy guy!

I made the Dave’s Gourmet Insanity Corn for the Sunday night game where my Chicago Bears handed the Seahawks a pretty good sized butt-whipping! So I would have to say I was in a pretty good mood with the game going our way. But not taking anything away from the Insanity Corn, it was excellent. Practically every kernel popped fully, the popcorn was a good average size and all in all very tasty. Beer, Popcorn, and Football- God Bless America!

Packaging/Label: 8 out of 10
Aroma: 8 out of 10
Taste: 9 out of 10
Heat: 8 out of 10
Overall: 9 out of 10

Dave’s Gourmet, Inc.
2000 McKinnon Ave., Bldg. 428, #5
San Francisco, CA 94124-1621

Review: Lizard Spit Habanero Sauce

A long way from home, fellow Floridians Lizards on the Bayou were a pleasant surprise at the Zest Fest this year. Ok, with a name like Lizard Spit some would question the logic- until you taste it. This All Natural sauce comes behind a fairly simple label, with some basic design work and lets the taste do the talking.

“As a hobby, we grew a variety of peppers, jalapenos, habaneros among others, to cook with. But one year we had more peppers than we knew what to do with. We had bags and bags of peppers in our freezer. So, Liz began to experiment and came up with a blended hot sauce that we now call “Lizard Spit”. Each year, our friends would patiently wait for the next batch, some even supplying their own bottles. After several years of bottling this habanero sauce in our kitchen, and along with the encouragement from our hot sauce followers, Lizard’s on the Bayou, Inc. became a reality. We are happy to say that our sauce is produced using all natural ingredients and without preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. Enjoy!”

Ingredients: Water, Fresh Onions, Distilled White Vinegar, Minced Garlic, Combination of Jalapeno, Habanero, Cayenne and Serrano Peppers, and minimal Salt added.

2006 ZestFest’s PEOPLES PREFERENCE HOT SAUCE AWARD WINNER! Placed 3rd on its first time entered. The aroma when you crack the seal is amazing, fresh would be a word that sums it all up, it smells fresh. The Vinegar is there at first and then dissipates some behind the Peppers,the Onions, and the Garlic. It show back up when you taste the sauce, Lizard Spit is a very thin yet chunky sauce, if that makes sense. I shook it up pretty good like the bottle says and the first pour looked like water and poured quick. Duh, the first ingredient is water. You have to keep shaking to blend it well, because behind the thinness are some yummy goodies. Lots of seeds, Minced Garlic, Onion pieces, and pepper pulp- good stuff!

“Spit is our medium-hot habanero sauce. You will enjoy this on practically everything, from eggs to pizza to blending it with ketchup or other sauces. It likes Bloody Mary’s too. Its versitility will surprise you.” I think that hits the nail on the head, Lizard Spit is at best a high end medium. The Habs give this sauce a satisfying warmth, the heat lingers nicely. Overall it is balanced well.

I tried Lizard Spit on some Eggs made over-easy with Toast and Bacon, thanks to Blane! The breakfast was very good, and Blane’s bacon rocked. It had that wonderfully distinct flavor of FREE, not much tastes better then that. Anyway the Spit added a lot of flavor, I used a ton of it. If I had to complain, it would be that due to the watery base of the sauce, overall it made the plate watery, but nothing the toast couldn’t take care of.

Conclusion: These nice folks from Florida have produced a very tasty, Southern Style Sauce. Lizards on the Bayou got this one right in my books, the flavorings blend and compliment each other well. The heat is ok and it warms up your mouth nicely for awhile- it does what it’s supposed to do. If you like this type/style of sauce, you will enjoy Lizard Spit.

Packaging/Label: 6 out of 10
Aroma: 9 out of 10
Taste: 8 out of 10
Heat: 6 out of 10
Overall: 8 out of 10

Lizard’s on the Bayou
P.O. Box 1705
Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32549