Something to remember when flying: Always ship the gernade shaped hot sauces home!
CaJohn,
I’m sure that you probably don’t remember me but I met you at the Zest Fest last weekend in Ft. Worth. My wife and I went down there, from New Hampshire, just to go to the fest. I stopped at your booth and had a taste / got bitten, by Black Mamba. WOW ! I bought several of your sauces while there: Black Mamba, The Legend #63 / 1500, Caveat emptor #32 / 100 that came with a bottle of Light you up Fatalii, and others. I actually got to meet you and shook your hand.Now for my story. On Monday 9/11, we headed to DFW airport for our flight home. After checking our baggage and going thru all the security we headed towards the gate area. We had arrived quite early, about 3 hours, so we headed to a bar for a few beers. During our wait we noticed that our flight was delayed 40 minutes. About 45 minutes before departure we headed to the gate area. 20 minutes before departure our name was called to go to the gate counter. The agent told us that the TSA, Transportation Security Administration / U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, had been trying to get ahold of us since we checked in hours ago. We figured we didn’t hear any pages because we were in the bar. She told us we had to go back thru security to the TSA area. We asked what the problem was and if we were going to be able to make our flight and she said she didn’t know. We couldn’t imagine why we were being asked to meet with security.
Once we got there, we met with a Security Officer who told us that they indeed had been trying to get ahold of us because there was a problem with an item in one of our bags. He was quite upset with us and told us because of this item, Homeland Security and the Dallas Police Dept. were involved and the entire American Airlines baggage check-in system had to be shut down while my bag was seached. Resulting in a back-up of baggage check in and the delay of our flight. The Security Agent asked me if I knew what the item was and by this time I realized what it was. If you haven’t guessed it by now one of the other sauces that I had purchased was the MK2 Grenade in the wooden crate. I was so embarressed by the problem I had caused.
My wife and I never even thought about it. Imagine, checking a bag for an airline flight with an item in it, in the shape of a grenade, on 9/11. Well, needless to say they confiscated the sauce and by now we had missed our flight. We ended up getting home 3 hours late. I guess we can’t complain, we’re lucky we didn’t get into anything more serious that would have involved fines or legal matters. The reason that I’m telling you all this, besides the fact that your sauce has now just probably earned another award, is that when I purchased the sauce, you signed the crate for me. It was quite the deal at the show too. I got the sauce and the crate for $25.00.
Anyways, I was hoping that there was a way I could get another one signed by you to replace my confiscated one. I’ll gladly pay the price for it. It would just mean alot to me if I could get you to sign another one for me as a rememberance of the Zest Fest and the flight incident. Something that I could actually show my friends as I tell them about the incident. Let me tell you, it was quite the day. One my wife and I will never forget. I was reluctant in contacting you about this, but my wife said I should try because you might enjoy the story and we would really like to replace the sauce. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely
John and Ann Asselin
Written by CaJohn
Nick Lindauer founded Hot Sauce Blog in 2004, making it one of the internet's very first hot sauce review sites. After 20+ years of tasting, reviewing, and attending every major fiery foods event in the country, he's back behind the keyboard covering the hot sauce world he helped build.
26 responses to “TSA & Hot Sauce Don’t Mix”
Interesting story, but I feel a lack of empathy. Granted no liquids on carry-on, that’s an assumed before you even get into your vehicle to depart for the airport. But stowing a grenade in the luggage on 9/11 leaves a bit to be desired in the cranial capacity area. I have heard other problems with people getting stuff home from ZF, including bottles that were opened, but not sealed correctly (yeah, a mess) to flat out confiscation. Perhaps people will realize from this story that the best bet is to either ship the sauces home from the show or maybe even just place an order with the vendor, and have them ship it to you after the show. Either way, you are sure to be a bit more pleased when you get on your flight with no delay and avoid the cavity search. With the rarity and cost of many collector bottles these days, I wouldn’t leave it’s mortal future in the hands of an anonymous minimum wage employee who doesn’t give a rat’s *ss about the fragility, cost or post-search condition of any of your luggage.
Hey Creator give me a call when you get a chance. Thanks.
“INCOMING !” (dives on grenade)
I forgot about CJ’s grenades. They were probably better off trying to bring on a poisonous snake or a large knife. Not the brightest thing to try.
I have to say, Garry and I shipped our sauces home. WHAT A MESS!! One of my bottles from Grumpy broke all over my other sauces. Some of them I was able to clean. There were two that were ruined, two of my favs, Danny Cash’s iHot and Danny Cash’s NOS. My bottle of NOS is even dented. My bottle of iHot never even had a chance. I swear a gorrilla jumped up and down all over that box. So, I guess no matter how you get your sauces home from a show, there is always a chance of losing something special to you. I can totally understand by not even thinking about packing a sauce like that. It’s a sauce. When you are innocent, you really don’t think of those things.
“When you are innocent, you really don’t think of those things.”
Jodie, you’re not trying to lead these folks into thinking your innocent are you? lol Good morning!
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Yeah- No offense, I didn’t fall for that either. Jodie have you seen some of the pictures from Zest Fest and the other events? LOL 😉
Yeah, TSA went through my son travis and My baggage, unwrapped all of our HS bottles about 8 each and just threw back the bottles unwrapped along with the wrapping and on top of one another
(glass on glass).
Thank god nothing broke, each time we claimed our baggage I was looking for wet spots on the side of the luggage.
Guess we were luckier then some
Scotty B
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Thank you Vic, she must have just woken up a little delusional. Say hi to Wendy.
All I have to say is that I suggested everyone ship their stuff home so that something like this wouldn’t happen. Even though one of my botttles did break while in the hands of UPS, I made damn sure that all my bottles were wrapped up tightly with bubble wrap. None of my other bottles got any sauce on them from the broken one. Live and learn guys and gals.
Chris and I had no issues at all. We came home with quite a few sauces and made sure to bubble wrap the heck out of them and then use a ton of packing peanuts. See Ryan, we listened to you. Well not really, but it was good advice. 😉
THT did manage to have a few casualties though, only because we had to pack quick, bigshow was chasing us around on his fancy DC bike trying to take them all!
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Ryan I did what you said ship everything home. Oh crap that right i was not there.
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LOL
That’s terrible!! I laughed though. 😉
We shipped almost everything home, I did however pack the NOS in my luggage.. nobody checked our luggage.. thank god 🙂
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I don’t know what either one of you are talking about!
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LOL, What’d I say? Just an observation, an opinion. 😉
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I agree Lee, but it was FedEx….lol
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OK Vic…..trying to trash a Tamale…I see….I am innocent I tell you! I didn’t do it!
Hello everyone, anyone out there?
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Definately quiet out there today Blane!
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Tell me about it… How are you doing.
Doing well Blane – going to call it a night soon myself!
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TTYL have agood night
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I know. But it was Fed Ex. And BTW, even all ruined and dented, they are both top in my collection! Of coiurse the SB hot sauce takes them both, but I am sure you understand. LOL Hey, if ya want I can send ya phots of my poor bottles. 🙁
What’s going on today. My office PC and the HSB are not getting along today
hi