Posted September 19, 2006 by Anthony in Reviews

Review: Elephant Pepper – Zambizi Red Hot Sauce

I was really happy to see this sauce come in. When it was first on HSB awhile back it was great to see a sauce that not only makes our tastes buds happy, but also provides an income for farmers and protects elephants at the same time. I guess it is a good thing that Elephants hate chillies cause at the rate they can eat any sauce made in Africa would be a premium to get!

I wasn’t prepared for the sauce in here. (No there was no Ebola). I was expecting an African version of an American type hot sauce and not much more than being another sauce to support another cause. Well I was pleasantly surprised and glad to see that this sauce is quite unique. The closest thing I can compare it to is”¦well ketchup. Spicy Ketchup at best. It’s not hot but it does have a slight zing that is more of a tickle than a pinch on the tongue. The ingredients only lists “Chili” and doesn’t say what kind. I have been pretty good at figuring them out but this one escapes me. Taking a big whiff of this straight from the bottle the most apparent ingredient was the tomatoes. From the first bite the taste of tomatoes was prominent but the rest ingredients carried the flavour and made it shine.

The sauce itself looks unassuming and I was pleased to see it didn’t soak straight through the bun. So in terms of texture and viscosity it does a good job.

This bottle won’t last long. In fact I think I may drain it into my next rib sauce recipe. *Edit* Not much made it into the rib sauce. Most of it found its way onto a hot dog (the picture here is just one of many hot dogs consumed”¦”¦.for breakfast).

Ingredients: Chili, Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Vinegar, Modified Starch, Salt, Natural Preservatives

The Zambizi Red sauce is not complex, a scorcher, or generic. What it is is pleasant, practical and thoughtful.
Even if this bottle did nothing to promote nature or charity I would still give it a good mark. It is unique and delicious.

Packaging 9/10 ““ Pleasant ““ well laid out
Aroma 7/10 ““ Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes ““ A little boring
Appearance 7/10 ““ Nothing bad and nothing outstanding
Taste 8/10 ““ My answer for a spicy ketchup ““ quite good
Heat 3/10 ““ Not very hot

Overall 7.5/10 ““ Worth a shot