Posted February 23, 2006 by Anthony in Makers

CaJohns Select Serrano Puree

[tag]Serrano[/tag] peppers are the unheralded hero’s of the [tag]pepper[/tag] world. Often over looked, and getting pushed in the shadow of the jalapeno and the cayenne. Why are they the unheralded hero? Because what many people don’t know is that they are responsible for making the transition from the jalapeno to the cayenne bearable for the beginner chili-head.

Ingredients: Serrano Peppers, Distilled Vinegar, Citric Acid & Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), to preserve colour.

This review is going to be more to the point. If you have read the past 5 reviews for CaJohns Select Purees you know where this is going. If you haven’t, then just follow the links.

CaJohn has been a consistency champ in this product line. The only thing different about this review is the pepper involved. What you get here is a bottle of Serrano peppers in the clear bottle showcasing the sauce inside. It is a beautiful deep orangered colour that is reminiscent of Dave’s Insanity [tag]Hot Sauce[/tag]. But when you look closely you can actually see very fine pieces of pepper in the puree.

The aroma of this is sharp. You can feel it slice through a nose hair if you take a big sniff and it carries on right down to the back of your throat. Like the other purees it is almost overpowering.

I gave it the usual taste test on a piece of flatbread. It has a quick zesty bite with some heat and the flavour lasts a long, long time. I actually could taste it in my burps hours later. I would recommend it for its powerful flavour but it is definitely not a first date sauce.

Out of the three sauces this is my least favorite. Don’t get me wrong it is still an excellent product but just not for me. That lingering after taste hurt more than the heat of the sauce initially. If the other puree reviews have enticed you so far then this should be a pleasant addition to your collection.

Packaging – 9/10
Aroma – 7.5/10
Appearance – 8.5/10
Taste – 8/10
Heat – 6/10
Overall – 8/10