RALEIGH, N.C., July 29 /PRNewswire/ — The Fiery Food Challenge, held each year by Chile Pepper Magazine, pronounced Fire Dancer Jalapeno Nuts the winner of its “Best New Snack Nut” category for 2005. The North Carolina extra large peanuts have an all-natural jalapeno flavoring that seems to dance across the tongue and leave everyone wanting more. The unique taste has gained media attention from the likes of Saveur magazine, Good Morning America and The Food Network.

“This is the first product in our new Fire Dancer line, and we’ve been blown away by the response,” says Patrick Ford, Vice president of Ford’s Gourmet Foods, a fourth generation business based in Raleigh, NC. “The repeat sales have been incredible, and our neighbors all say they keep them hidden from each other and locked in their offices. It’s fun to see people this excited and to know they can feel good about eating an all-natural product with no trans-fats.”

Although Fire Dancer is a new line, the Ford’s are no strangers to peanuts. Their line of Wine Nuts has been selling across the US and Europe since 1998. The gourmet peanuts include a Chardonnay, Merlot, Margarita, Mocha Coffee and a new Lemoncella flavor. “My mom [Sandi Ford, president of Ford's Gourmet Foods] discovered lemoncello liquor while in Italy for a wedding,” says Ford, “and wanted to bring the flavor back for our customers.” They created an all-natural, sodium-free lemoncello flavoring and now the taste so popular in Italy for centuries can be found wherever specialty nuts are sold. To find out more about Fire Dancer or any of the Wine Nuts, go to www.WineNuts.com, email PatFord@WineNuts.com or call 919-833-7647.