Palo Alto Firefighter Lee Taylor has been growing peppers in the station backyard since 1994. After each harvest he would make his famous and zesty pepper sauce – which quickly became a hot commodity. Previously only available to firefighters in Palo Alto – now you can enjoy the fiery taste of Lee’s pepper sauce. All proceeds go to charity.

Ingredients: Chili peppers (chili peppers, citric acid and/or distilled vinegar) sugar, spices

The Palo Alto Firefighters hot sauce has a thick, dark red texture that has good body but pours easily. The smell has a distinctively smokey, peppery aroma. It actually smells like a good hearty chili, minus the beef and beans.

On First Taste
I gave the Palo Alto Firefighter’s sauce a try on a tortilla chip, and many additional samples rapidly ensued. The flavor is terrific. The pepper varieties aren’t given on the label, but serrano pepper stands out among what I’d guess are plentiful red jalapenos and chipotles. The balance of flavor is excellent. The vinegar is well used, light and adding richness to the background. It’s a tasty, well balanced sauce that puts the pepper flavor first – just the way I like it. There is some heat, but it’s by no means a scorcher. This is a sauce for anyone who likes a light burn.

On Food
The Palo Alto Firefighter’s [tag]hot sauce[/tag] seemed a perfect companion for breakfast food, so I heaped it on a sausage and egg breakfast sandwich. It stuck nicely to the food, added a terrific flavor – unquestionably a winner.

The texture and taste would be just ideal with chili, as well. It’s so good, and with just the right texture, that you could easily use this as a base for chili. Just mix in beans, onions and ground been, and it’d be good to go.

In Conclusion
Firefighter Lee Taylor has certainly created a fantastic sauce. Light in heat, but bursting with flavor, his Palo Alto Fire Fighters Pepper Sauce will leave your mouth feeling good. And you’ll feel good, too, knowing you’re supporting a good cause.

Packaging – Clean, classic, appealing. 8.9 out of 10.0
Aroma – Smokey, peppery goodness. 8.5 out of 10.0
Appearance – Dark red, good consistency. 8.1 out of 10.0
Taste – Great chili flavor. 8.8 out of 10.0
Heat – Low, but sufficient in quantity. 3.5 out of 10.0

Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10.0