Danny Cash Hot Sauce at the 2007 Fiery-Foods Show in Albuquerque, NM.
Eight weeks before the show: We get an email from a guy in the UK who says he can get us Naga Jolokia peppers from Assam, India. We realize we have a shot to be the first company to release a Naga sauce at a hot sauce show. The race is on.
Six weeks to go: The samples are in and the stuff is mind-numbingly hot. Perfect. After some brainstorming we come up with the NagaSake Bomb. A hot sauce with Naga, red Habanero, and Sake.
Five weeks left: Packaging ideas for the NagaSake bomb are flying around everywhere but nothing’s sticking. We decide the idea of putting a sake glass upside down on a Boston round is pretty rad.
Four weeks: Danny & Pepperman decide to throw some wasabi into the small test batch instead of Sake. The kitchen goes nuclear. All agree the sauce is insanely hot and tasty and is so renamed the Naga Sabi Bomb. DING DING.
Three weeks: We find a dude in Kansas that makes custom molded plastic shot glasses and can print logos. All other materials are ordered.
Two weeks: The label is designed. We hear CaJohn is waiting on the same Naga package from the guy in the UK. Damn!
One week: CaJohn releases his show collectible news and DAMN! A Naga sauce! One with Fatalii and Red Savina no less! We STILL don’t have the Naga.
Four Days: The Naga arrives! Thank you! It had to clear UK and US customs inside of 2 weeks and it made it! (Crazy, that stuff IS a bio-hazard and it got right through) The press releases go out before the sauce is even made. The picture of the Naga Sabi Bomb on the press release is filled with fake sauce!
Two Days: Danny & Pepperman strap on the gas masks (seriously) and make the Naga Sabi Bombs.
The Day before the show: All other collectibles are assembled and loaded up with all of the equipment and other sauces we will need in Albuquerque. Relief and alcohol quickly follow.
Day 1: The Road to Albuquerque
We woke up slightly hung-over today, not sure why. But we did find the new bottle of Vodka Blane left us on Sunday almost empty. Bacon and Vodka: what a guy!
The morning traffic sucked but we were soon on the open road doing 95 MPH in the big red toaster.
Party!
We made it to Albuquerque but only after stopping in Santa Fe for beers. Apparently six hours without beer is as long as we can go in that state. Met up with a bunch of buddies during setup. Aaron kept yelling PARTY! for some reason. We tried CaJohn’s 10 sauce. IT’S HOT! Good stuff!
We drank too much that night.
Danny slept vertical to make more room for the beer. Pepperman started to make him a Hannibal Lector mask out of a paper plate but fell asleep.
Day 2: Trade Day
We woke up slightly hung-over today, not sure why. I grabbed my muffin out of the safe and we were on our way. BTW- I’ve never seen an oval peace sign. (Below)
A great day of selling sauce, talking to distributors, meeting HSBers face to face, and making excuses to Nick who insisted on showing up early and busting balls because we couldn’t find anything in our mess under the tent. I know those Hot Blog Sauce labels are in here somewhere”¦
We pulled it together by the time the chicks showed up that afternoon.
The Creator kept his spirits high even though all his video equipment was stolen by CaJohn and sold to us for pennies on the dollar. Watch for it on EBay and get a deal.
We ended the evening shortly after Nick showed everyone his lens
Day 3: The El Pinto Dinner
We woke up slightly hung-over today, not sure why. Usual day of selling to the public followed by free beer and food at El Pinto. That’s right Huv, FREE BEER. Had to stand while we ate again this year, but it was free!
BLANE: “Danny Cash was at my house about a year ago”¦” (He actually came up and said that!)
Danny Vader: “Luke, I am not your father”¦.” LOL. I know, it’s dumb.
Day 5: The Last Day
We woke up slightly hung-over today, not sure why. I’m starting to suspect all of the alcohol”¦.or maybe that damn muffin.
Isabella downs a bottle of Ragin’ Red in her new Pepperman shirt. Pepperman approves.
People come in and buy so much stuff that we have 3 products out of 12 left by 2 p.m. Some people actually got mad at us for running out of the mustards.
The booths are broken down, stuff packed up and it’s up to the rooftop bar for one last blowout. After barging in on the Tamales private dining room to say hi and wish Doug a happy B-day, we hit the main bar
We had a lot of fun before they shut us down because we must have been spending too much money, or having too good a time, or showing signs of independent thought, any one of which must be a direct violation of tribal law.
Danny showing Todd and Sara from Golden Toad and Mike from BLP how he rides his Vespa. We had a blast at this show seeing all of you guys again and putting new faces to the names. Can’t wait for Texas! Thanks for making this the best show for DC yet!
LEE@DC
DannyCash.com
