Posted March 27, 2007 by Nick Lindauer in Reviews

Review: Tropical Storm Habanero Pepper Jam

If you saw these guys walking around the 2007 Fiery Foods Show, you probably said the same thing a lot of us said and that went something like “WTF”? But, as we all now, the show is all about that (the WTF) and when I finally found the Bermuda Jam Factory booth, I was quiet pleased I did.

After talking with the guys for a while, we agreed that only the “hot” themed jams would work well on the HSB and they selected 4 of their hottest for us to review. The Tropical Storm Habanero Pepper Jam is their 2nd hottest in their product line of 5 jams.

Holy seeds! I think that’s normal, right? Either way, it did intimidate me a little bit but certainly didn’t stop me from digging in. I simply gave it a quick stir before spreading it on the bagel.

I’m still very new to the whole hot pepper jam scene, not being a fan of sweets in general and all – but a review of Vicky’s Hot Pepper Jam and a subsequent sample showed me the light. Pepper jams (when done right) are a terrific balance of sweet and heat, when done wrong you’ll wonder what in the hell you just ate.

Tropical Storm isn’t very hot at all – probably a 4 on the HSB Heat Scale, but the lack of heat allows you to taste all of the habanero peppers. The jam is sweet and has just a hint of honey and the fruitiness of the peppers, but if you take a bite with pieces of habanero (as they nearly all are) then you get the full spectrum of the jams flavor. The peppers don’t shine without the jam and the jam doesn’t shine without them – it’s a great balance for your tongue.

Tropical Storm Pepper Jam is a pepper jam done right and then some. I’ve already finished one jar on just morning bagels and I think I’m going to brave trying it in chili next. That’s right, chili – there’s an interesting recipe for it on the Bermuda Jam Factory website that’s just begging to be tested.

Retailers perspective: Now this isn’t something that I normally do, but I encourage the likes of Peppers, Hot Shots & JJ’s to give these guys a call and bring their stuff to the states. All it takes is one taste of this stuff and your customers will wonder why you didn’t carry it sooner.

And that recommendation speaks volumes as to how good this stuff is, just keep in mind that it’s not very hot but it’s worth it for all the flavor. Individuals can email the Bermuda Jam Factory here to place an order. And I’ll also say that I tried their hottest one at the show, the Hurricane Force, and damn! It’s much hotter then Tropical Storm, but that review will be coming soon so stay tuned