Category Archives: Spicy Food Reviews
“HOT” off the Press! Louisiana Hot Sauce Expo World Hot Sauce Awards Revealed!
Below is a list of the winners of the inaugural World Hot Sauce Awards. The awards ceremony was held at the Lafayette, La Acadian Center, and the site of the Louisiana Hot Sauce Expo. The winners were selected by approximately 30 judges from across the country, including executive chefs, restaurant owners, elected officials, beauty queens, hot sauce industry experts, and enthusiasts! The judges tasted 582 separate samples and each category had multiple judges. Everyone had a “hot” time and sweating foreheads, red faces, and sniffly noses were prevalent in the judge’s ranks! The awards are listed by division and category. My apologies if there are misspellings along the way, but there was limited time to proofread the list in an effort to get it out to everyone in a timely manner!!! Congratulations are in order for everyone who submitted an entry and especially to the winners across very crowded fields of excellent spicy sauces, spices, confections, etc etc etc!!! So without further ado, here are the lucky winners:
Late Note: The show producers omitted some categories when announcing the winners during the Awards ceremony, so I am adding them here, with the late entry noted in parentheses by the category. Divisional Winners, with the exception of Marketing, were announced in the week or so after the show. I’ve noted them in bold below, as well.
BBQ -Mustard
1. Aunty Lilikoi Passion Fruit Aunty Lilikoi Passion Fruit Kiawe BBQ Sauce
2. Firebud Brands – Slap Sauce
3. Backwoods Premium Sauces -Mustard Based
BBQ – Asian
1. Sweet & Spicy, LLC – Alaskan Umami Sauce “Hot”
2. High Octane Sauce Company – 1500 RPM Asian BBQ Sauce
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Awesome sauce
BBQ – Bourbon
1. Sloppy 2nds BBQSloppy 2nds Peach Bourbon BBQ
2. CaJohns Fiery FoodsAmberFyre Manhattan Black Cherry Bourbon
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – CaJohns Bourbon Street Spicy
BBQ –Specialty
1. Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ – Smoky Jon’s Fiery Gourmet Supreme BBQ Sauce
2. Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce – Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce
3. SADIE B FOODS – SADIE B FOODS JERK BBQ SAUCE
BBQ – Mild
1. Fat Ferg’s Backyard BBQ Sauce – Fat Ferg’s Backyard BBQ Sauce, Sweet & Mild
2. Minorcan Datil Pepper Products, LLC – Minorcan Datil Pepper Barbecue Sauce
3. Cerniglia Enterprises LLC – Russ & Frank’s Mild
BBQ- Fruit
1. Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ – Butch’s Smack Your Lips – Happy Apple (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Southern Belles BBQ – Pineapple Twang
3. Southern Belles BBQ – Ms. Mango
BBQ- Alcohol Infused
1. Sensational Sauces – Toasted Vanilla Cognac
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Apple Smoked Spiced Rum Ancho
3. Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce – Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce
BBQ – Chipotle
1. CattleBoyz Foods LTD – CattleBoyz Chipotle Maple Bacon BBQ Sauce
2. Sloppy 2nds BBQ – Sloppy 2nds Chipotle BBQ
3. Hammer & Tongs BBQ Sauce – Smoked Chipotle
BBQ Hot
1. Buddy’s BBQ Sauce LLC – Buddy’s BBQ Sauce
2. Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ – Butch’s Smack Your Lips – Pyro
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – HDH Grillin Sauce
BBQ – Medium
1. New Venue LLC – Mango Peach
2. FrogBone – Bayou Barbeque
3. Grill Side Barbeque – Grill Side Downtown Heat
BBQ – Tomato
1. Uncle Kenny’s BBQ - Uncle Kenny’s BBQ Original
2. Butcher BBQ – Butcher BBQ
3. Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ – Smoky Jon’s Fiery Gourmet Supreme BBQ Sauce
BBQ – Vinegar Based
1. SuckleBusters – SuckleBusters Original
2. Meat Mitch – Naked BBQ Sauce
3. Whiteford Gourmet Foods, Inc. – Whiteford’s Olde 70
BBQ – X Hot
1. Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ – Butch’s Smack Your Lips – super pyro
2. Sweet & Spicy, LLC – Alaskan Umami Sauce “Extra Hot”
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – CaJohns BBQ Sauce 10 (Jolokia)
Hot Sauce Asian
1. CaJohns Fiery Foods -Al Buddah Hot
2. Race City Sauce Works – 7 Pepper Sriracha
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Al Buddah Mild
Hot Sauce – Indian
1. Rick’s Test Kitchen – Ami (TM)
2. Race City Sauce Works – Pure Genius
3. Mr. Vikkis – King Naga
Hot Sauce – Caribbean
1. Pirate Jonny’s Carribean BBQ Rubs, Seasonings, & Sauces – Syrena’s Seduction
2. Cayman Islands Sauce Company – Citrus Heat
3. Ken’s Pepper WorksIsland Sunshine
Hot Sauce – Latin
1. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Caracara (Also Divisional Winner and “Best Hot Sauce in the World”)
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Oaxacan Chipotle
3. Culley’s Limited – Culley’s Green Chile
Hot Sauce – Chipotle
1. NW Elixirs Hot Sauce Co. – #3 Hott Smoke
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Happy Beaver
3. Cili Pipp – Chipotle BBQ
Hot Sauce – Pepper Blend:
1. DAVEZ FOODZ – Just Chil’n
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – AmberFyre Livingston Parish
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Bourbon Infused Chipotle Habanero
Hot Sauce – Fruit
1. Hot Mama’s Belize – Manganero
2. Jungle Heat – Mango Heat
3. VooDoo Chile Sauces – Psycho Tropic
Hot Sauce – Medium
1. High Octane Sauce Company – Anubis’ Chariot
2. Red Canyon Spice – Raptor Original
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Bumblefoot’s Normal
Hot Sauce – Mild
1. Race City Sauce Works – Roasted Aleppo & Cayenne Shiatta
2. Davez Foodz – Sweet Spicy Girl
3. NW Elixirs Hot Sauce Co. – #2 Verde Hot
Hot Sauce Hot
1. NW Elixirs – #5 Hot Jolkia
2. Humbolt – Habanero Hot
3. Feisty Parrot – Ouch
Hot Sauce – Xhot
1. Fire Dragon Chillies – Deadly
2. PuckerButt Pepper Company – Reaper
3. Scotty O’Hotty Hot Sauce – The Ghost Sauce
Hot Sauce Ultra Hot
1. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Sling Blade Reaper Hot Sauce
2. Race City Sauce Works – 7 Pepper Sriracha
3. Hellfire Hot Sauce Inc – Fear This! (Carolina Reaper Sauce)
Hot Sauce Louisiana Style (Award Winners Announced Late – July 29, 2014)
1. Culley’s – Culley’s Habanero
2. Capsup – Paprika und Chiliprodukte – Habanero Blend
3. Gindo’s Spice of Life – “Original Fresh and Spicy” Pepper Sauce
Condiment – Jam/Jelly
1. Rasta Bros. – Jamaican Pepper Jelly
2. Bayou Born BBQ – Bayou Born – Fiesta Pepper Jam
3. Frog Bone – Apple Strawberry Ghost Pepper Preserves
Snacks
1. Madison Chocolatiers West – Gateway to Hell (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Madison Chocolatiers West – Cayenne Caramels
3. Madison Chocolatiers West – Sweet Burn Butter Toffee
Snacks – Pickles
1. CHEEK Flavored Pickles – Sweet then Spicy Pickles
2. KA-Ranch – Smokey Hot Pickles
3. Texas Creek Products – Texas Creek Pickled Pepper Medley
Bloody Mary Mix
1. Whiteford Gourmet Foods, Inc. – Whiteford’s Spicy BMM
2. Aunt Whiskey Enterprises – Aunt Whiskey’s Smokin-Hot Bloody Mary Mix
3. Backyard Mary – Backyard Mary Bloody Mary Mix
Wing – Medium
1. Sean’s booYah! – Bali
2. Sean’s booYah! – Maple Habo Wabo
3. Sparky’s Wing & Dippin Sauce – Sparky’s Wing & Dippin Sauce
Wing – Specialty
1. Rasta Bros. – Carribean Heat Dipping Sauce & Glaze
2. Sean’s booYah! – Maple Habo Wabo
3. SADIE B FOODS – SADIE B FOODS JAMAICAN MANGO JERK SAUCE
Wings – Hot
1. Sean’s booYah! – Creeper
2. Sean’s booYah! – Sorta Hot
3. Sean’s booYah! – Stinky Bee
Wing – Mild
1. Sean’s booYah! – Bali (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Sean’s booYah! – Buffayaki
3. Gourmet Conveniences, Ltd. – Sweet Sunshine “Warm”
Salsa– Fruit
1. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Mangonero
2. Sweet Slap’n Salsa Co. – Sweet Slap’n Salsa Strawberry
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Jalapino
Salsa – Verde/Tomatillo
1. Deception Salsa – Jealous
2. SilverLeaf International – Ghost Pepper Salsa Verde
3. Stagecoach Salsa Company – Green Extreme
Salsa – Chipotle
1. CaJohns Fiery Foods -Raspberry chipotle
2. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – Spicy Chipotle Pepper & Smoked Corn Salsa
3. TRAIL RIDER SALSA COMPANY – Chipotle Heat
Salsa – Bean and Corn
1. Sweet Slap’n Salsa Co. – Sweet Slap’n Salsa Black Bean & Corn
2. CaJohns Fiery Foods – BBC Ghost Chile
3. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – Black & White Bean Salsa
Salsa – Extra Hot (Winners Announced Late – July 29th)
1. Silverleaf International – Scorpion Salsa
2. Cajohn’s Fiery Foods – Reaper
3. Stick Figure Salsa – Ghost Chile Salsa Verde
Salsa – Hot
1. Mr. Saucy – Flirting Flame
2. Uncle Bunk’s – Rustic Pepper Sauce – hot
3. CaJohns Fiery Foods – Italian Hot
Salsa – Medium
1. CaJohns Fiery Foods – BBC Medium
2. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – Jalapeno Salsa Fresca
3. Rooster’s SalsaRooster’s Salsa- Medium Blend
Salsa – Mild
1. Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries – Salsa Fresca (Divisional Winner)
2. Mr. Saucy – Laid Back Jack
3. TRAIL RIDER SALSA COMPANY – Yankee Mild
Condiment Relish
1. Uncle Bunk’s Mustard Relish – Hot (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Minorcan Datil Pepper Products, LLC – Minorcan Datil Pepper Relish
3. Posh Pickles and Preserves – Sa’ Va’ Tu’o’ng ‘o’t
Condiments – Salad Dressing
1. Stagecoach Salsa Company – Sheriff Mike’s Spicy Salsa Ranch
2. Uncle Roy’s Comestible Creations – ”One & Only” Dressing
3. Poca’s Hottest – Shak Nasti Cajun Honey Mustard
Condiments – Specialty/Unique
1. Uncle Roy’s Comestible Creations – Super Horseradish Sauce
2. Frog Bone – Bayou Cocktail
3. Gourmet Conveniences, Ltd. – Sweet Sunshine “Roasted Shallot & Garlic”
Condiments – Mustard
1. Uncle Roy’s Comestible Creations – Rabbie’s Burnie Mustard
2. Backwoods Mustard Company – Sweet Jalapeno
3. Texas Creek Products – MVG Chipotle Mustard
Marketing Other
1. Frankie V’s – Wasabi Green Thai CHili
2. Zombie – Cajun
3. Trail Rider Salsa CO. – Yankee Mild Salsa
Marketing Hot Sauce
1. Lucky Dog – Dia Del Perro (Also Divisional Winner)
2. Cullys’s – Fire Water
3. Pirate Jonnys – Syrena’s Seduction
Marketing – BBQ Sauce
1. Smokey Moon BBQ Sauce
2. Jenk’s Specialty Foods Sugar Britches
3. Me-Me K’s BBQ Sauce
Holy Mole’! CaJohn’s Got Me Enchanted!
Enchantment is a mole inspired sauce and a new addition to CaJohn’s stable of sauces
At this spring’s New York City Hot Sauce Expo, John Hard (aka CaJohn) came up to me and said, Ken, I have a new sauce I want you to try. I think you’re gonna like it! Well, I don’t know if there’s been a creation from CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire that I didn’t like, so it was a safe bet. But I didn’t expect to be enchanted!!!!
Okay, so I’m making a little play on words here. If you’ve looked at the picture, you know I’m referring to Enchantment, a mole’ style sauce and one of CaJohn’s most recent culinary creations! I’ve had this sauce since the week after the show (thanks to Sue Hard, who graciously boxed up and shipped my hot sauce booty for me, since it’s kind of hard to take 40 bottles of sauce and products through as a carry on!) and it has become one of my go to sauces for anything Mexican or Latin, or anything I want to highlight with the flavor or Old Mexico!
If you know CaJohn and Sue, you know they love New Mexico, and they pay homage to their affection in the label write up of the sauce. They reference their enchantment with the state (get it? Nice word play, CaJohn!) and wanted a sauce that created a fusion of North American Indian, Spanish Mission, Mayan, and Chuck Wagon styles in the tradition of the old Mexico Mole Poblano sauce made famous in the mountain city of Puebla, Mexico (there’s some controversy about the origin of mole sauce, but I’ve been to Puebla, and those folks are pretty darn convincing!). A traditional mole sauce has a pile of stuff in it, from various roasted nuts, to dried bread and fruit, and a finishing of dark chocolate, and cooks for hours and hours. This sauce celebrates that richness, but uses a different flavor and ingredient profile.
Enchantment uses several different peppers: New Mexican chile, Ancho, Guajillo, Chile de Arbol, and Pequin. Add in distilled and cider vinegar, garlic, agave nectar, cumin, salt and oregano, and you have a dark, rich, complex sauce that masterfully layers its flavors and it’s oh so subtle heat. This is not a hot sauce to me. It is a finishing sauce for meat, or a base to slow cook and simmer pork, chicken, or beef. And it took my Spanish omelet to a whole new level! If I have any suggestions for CaJohn based on my using it these past few months, is that my batch is really thick and doesn’t always want to easily pour out of its flask style bottle. But that is a small issue, and after all, a mole is supposed to be thick. Another thing I learned while playing with it is that it doesn’t always play well with others, and mixing it with other powders, spices, rubs, etc. could alter the flavor profile enough to mess things up. So for those that like to use multiple sauces, powders, rubs, etc. in your dishes, don’t be surprised if you’re not thrilled with your results. In other words, make your life easy and don’t use anything else- it’s not necessary.
Enchantment adds a new dimension to a Spanish Omelet!
Now I’m sure there are those of you that are much more skilled in the kitchen than yours truly, and can use it with other spices and products, but I appreciated the stupid proofness that Enchantment gave me. And like I said, while it’s not a true mole sauce (CaJohn will be the first to tell you that it’s a mole “inspired” sauce), the deep, earthy tones of the Arbol chile, combined with the mildly acidic guajillo and New Mexican, the sweetness of the ancho (I think they’re sweet, anyway!), and the playful heat of the pequin combine in masterful fashion to provide my taste buds and smell buds (do we even have smell buds? Remind me to look that up!) with a trip to old Mexico!
So Enchantment earns itself a full 4 Fiery Worlds from this author. I enjoyed the cool way it uses so many different peppers so smartly, the simple list of other ingredients that celebrates the flavors without muddying it all up, and the fullness and richness that makes the sauce “mole-like”. Add in a first hand appreciation for John and Sue’s love for New Mexico and I wish I was on a mesa in New Mexico watching a beautiful sunset, chowing down on some slow cooked pork wrapped in a homemade tortilla, smothered in Enchantment! Ahhh….some enchanted evening that would be! And why, Ladies and Gentlemen? Because…….It’s a Fiery World! (Note: At press time, I didn’t see Enchantment listed on Cajohn’s website, so you may need to inquire as to availability)
Yours truly and the “Godfather” at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo
Ricky’s Gone Plain Nuts! Or Has He?! Hahahaha!!!
From Spicy Chipotle Chile to Sweet Chai, these are not your run of the mill snack nuts!
I got an email a while back from the fine folks at Ricky’s Lucky Nuts in Durango, Colorado, telling me how great their new line of snack nuts were and would I try them and give some feedback. Well, I’ve been accused before of being just a little nuts, so of course I said yes! After all, when you offer a Chilehead snacks with cool names like Thai Red Curry and Spicy Chile Chipotle (they even spelled Chile right!!!), there’s no way you can refuse! Right?! Right! I can tell you right here and now, folks – Ricky ain’t nuts and he ain’t plain, neither!!
I received 5 individual serving bags, and not your run of the mill honey roasted, jalapeno, plain roasted, etc etc etc! I got cool flavors! Hip flavors! Flavors that would make the “new” Colorado snack world proud (I’m guessing their snack food industry is working overtime these days!) I’m talkin’ munchie worthy!! In addition to the Spicy Chile Chipotle and the Thai Red Curry, I also got Black Pepper and Sea Salt, Sweet Chai, and Real Coffee. Real Coffee?! Really?! Who does a coffee peanut?! Well, evidently, Ricky does, and he does ‘em up proud, too!!
The Real Coffee were my favorites, as they had an espresso type earthiness to them, and just enough sweet to take the bitter edge off and merge the coffee with the nut in beautiful fashion. The bag smelled good, and I didn’t get a dusty coating all over my fingers! Is there a cutesy slogan for flavor that stays where it plays – oh wait – that’s kinda catchy! Hmmmm…….. Back to the nuts – the coating seems like it’s baked on so it doesn’t come off, and that was true with all the flavors. Score one for Ricky, unless you’re the kind of person who likes that whole “let me lick my orange cheese curl stained fingers” vibe!!! And I’m sure there are several in Colorado- especially these days!!!! So how about the other flavors?
Well, the Thai Red Curry I ate by itself and put in a stir fry along with my fav asian style hot sauce, and it was just rich enough in flavor to highlight the dish, accent the other flavors, and make me feel like I was hanging out in Bangkok! I also did the same with the Sweet Chai ! As you can see in the pic, my shrimp stir fry was awesome with that smooth but slightly off Chai note. It made an interesting flavor addition to my standard asian influences. Unlike the Red Curry used in another stir fry, where I kept my flavor additions to a minimum, I didn’t hold back while using the Chai, and it really stepped up and balanced the dish exquisitely! And it made for a tasty stand alone snack- subtle Chai tones surrounded by the nuttiness of an obviously high quality, lovingly roasted peanut. Well played, Ricky!
From a fun and simple label to gourmet level snacking inside, these babies have it all!
The Spicy Chile Chipotle was only slightly spicy, but then again, I have a pretty big tolerance. But I liked the subtleness as I woofed down the whole bag! And the whole bag did leave a nice spicy zing in the back of my throat! The Black Pepper and Sea Salt were a good snack, and also mixed in a fresh spinach, tomato, olive, and mozzarella salad. Gave a nice texture, complimented the flavors without interrupting my love affair with balsamic vinegar and EVOO, and made the salad more fun! Cause I’m sorry, but salads are booooring!!! I’ve never had black pepper in a snack nut before, and it is such a natural fit! And the sea salt was very very smooth.
All in all, I give Ricky’s Lucky Nuts 4 Fiery Worlds! Their label is fun and has good “viewability” in a store shelf or on an end cap rack by the register! Go to their website, order you some, sit back and enjoy!!! Whether used to highlight a dish, or to snarf for a snack during those munchie attacks, you won’t be sorry! And that’s because, Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s a Fiery World!!!
MiMi is Screaming “The Award Goes To” at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo
Steve Seabury, owner of High River Sauces and Producer of the NYC Hot Sauce Expo, announced the Winners of the 2014 Screaming MiMi Awards during the first afternoon of the Expo! If you’ve been following my You Tube videos and Facebook posts this weekend, you already know that the show is a rocking success!!! Thousands of people getting their “burn” on kept 45 vendors from across the country crazy busy sampling, educating, and entertaining the crowd. Seabury has raised the bar for Hot Sauce and Fiery Foods Events, with Hard Driving Rock playing during the show, and the likes of Food Network’s Chris Santos, Trans Siberian Orchestra’s Chris Caffery, and Twisted Sister guitarist Eddie Ojeda doing demos and signing autographs!
But the real stars were the sauces, salsas, and spicy products of love being showcased all weekend. The Screaming MiMi’s were judged several weeks ago by a veritable Who’s Who of judges from Food Network, Bon Appetit Magazine, and other true experts in the culinary world! The complete List of winners is below!
I’m having blast at the show and I highly recommend all you to make the trip! Why would you make the trip to NYC for the Hot Sauce Expo! Because, Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s a Fiery World!
Screaming MiMi Awards 2014 Complete List of Winners
Louisiana Style
1st- CaJohns – Firehouse
2nd – Race City Sauce Works – Carolina Cayenne
3/rd – Culley’s Limited – Trinidad Scorpion Hot Sauce
Chipotle
1st-Hoboken Eddies – Home Grown Smoke
2nd – Pucketbutt Pepper Co. – Voodoo Prince Death Mamba
3rd – Dog Gone – Chipotle
Fruit Based
1st – Frankie V’s – The Serranos
2nd- Dirty Dicks- Dirty Dicks
3rd – Loud Foods -0 Sunshine Mango Sauce
Fruit Based Hot
1st-Hellfire Hot Sauce – Elixir
2nd- Volcanic Peppers- Lava Death by Douglah
3rd-Puckerbutt Pepper Co. – Pineapple Ginger
Jalapeno
1st-NW Elixirs – Verde
2nd-Queen Majesty-Jalapeno Tequila
3rd – Lucky Dog-Green
Habanero
1st-Dirty Dicks – Dirty Dicks
2nd-Frankie V’s-Habanero Classic Recipe
3rd-Freshies Food Corp.-Sweet Fire
All Natural
1st- Race City Sauce Works- Aleppo
2nd-Scotty O’Hotty – The Ghost Sauce
3rd- Heartbreaking Dawn’s- 1498 Apricot Scorpion
XXX Hot Sauce
1st- Race City Sauce Works- Cirque De
2nd- Grim Reaper Foods- The Raven
3rd- Tahiti Joe’s – Ulane’ Akai XXXX Hot Sauce
Pepper Blend
1st – Scotty O’Hotty – Premium Habanero Sauce
2nd- Born To Hula – Ghost of Ancho
3rd-Salvy Salsa – Boom Boom
Chicken Wing
1st- Defcon Sauces – Defense Condition #1
2nd Rizzotti Foods- Rippin Red Mild
3rd- Rozzoii Foods – Rippin Red Hot
BBQ Sauces
1st- High Octane- Peach Ghost Scorpion BBQ Sauce
2nd- Torchbearer Sauces-Chipotle BBQ
3rd Davis Sauces- 1929
Spicy Salsa
1st-Silverleaf International- Ghost Pepper Salsa
2nd Gunther’s Gourmet-Jalapeno Salsa
3rd.Apsara Foods, Pepper Salsa
Best Label Artwork
1st- Grinders Near Death
2nd- Cully’s Limited – No. 1 Hot Sauce
3rd – Puckerbutt Pepper Co. -Reaper Sauce
It's a Fiery World 