When I think of an Eagle, I think about America! And when I think about America, I think about July 4^th! And when I think about July 4^th, I think about the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, Rockets’ Red Glare, and the Star Spangled Banner!  And when I think about the Star Spangled Banner, of course I think about its author, Francis Scott Key, and the Battle of Fort McHenry in the Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812.  So………..What would be more fitting and proper this July 4^th season, filled with BBQ and watermelon, and burgers, and chicken, than to talk about EagleWingZ Chesapeake Style Hot Sauce, hailing from you guessed it! The Chesapeake Bay area of DelMarVa!!!  Rick Ewing’s EagleWingZ “Normal” and “Extreme” sauces may be just what you need to make your taste buds Fly Like an Eagle during this year’s July 4^th picnic! (now you’re humming the Steve Miller tune, aren’t you? Yep, you know it’s true!)

This is a sauce that can’t decide if it’s a wing sauce or a hot sauce, or a BBQ sauce, or a……….  and that’s the beauty of it!  The simple, gluten free formula contains mostly basic ingredients:  Cayenne Pepper, Distilled Vinegar, #1 grade Mustard Seed, Celery Seed, Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika, Turmeric, and Garlic Powder.  And the Extreme version uses the same flavor profile, but layers in some Capsaicin to boost the heat. That’s it! The ingredient list is reminiscent of Old Bay Seasoning, very popular in that neck of the woods.  But, it didn’t really have any hidden “spices” or other fancy stuff. Well, turmeric may be considered fancy cause it sounds cool and exotic, but it’s a subtle tone in this straight forward wing…errr…hotsauce.

EagleWingz Extreme Makes a Great Wing!

Speaking of Turmeric, the flavor of these sauces is excellent, especially if you are a fan of mustard-like sauces.  The mustard seed base combined with cayenne is a favorite of mine, but then again, I’m a big fan of mustard based sauces in general. The celery seed adds a touch of sweetness, and the turmeric, a member of the ginger family from India, and a mainstay in mustard and Worchester sauce, adds a little pop and zing to the picnic of flavor! The Black Pepper plays more like a bottle rocket than a big starburst display, but in this fireworks display of flavor, you still know it’s there!

The Heat level is what I’d call very low in the normal version, and just low in the “Extreme”.  So not a lot of heat to be had here, but the flavor is so smooth and broad-spectrum, that it’s not needed. The Capsaicin in the Extreme did vary the flavor ever so slightly, but not enough to become bitter or unpleasant.  

Overall Rating and Impression:  3 ½ Fiery Worlds.  This is a very tasty, versatile sauce and would’ve climbed to an overall 4 if the Extreme version had packed the heat it led me to believe it had. I tried it on wings first, using the hints from the website and from my email exchanges with Rick Ewing.  He told me to grill the wings, then toss them in the sauce, and then “set” the sauce and the flavor by nuking the wings for 40 seconds after tossing! And it worked like a charm!!! Great technique! Also great on grilled chicken breast, pork tenderloin, sandwiches, shrimp (delicious if you like that mustardy style, which I do!), and I’m sure crabs, but I didn’t try that, not being much of a crab person!  So, as your sense of patriotism and pride grow during this Independence Day season and you prepare that menu for your July 4^th picnic outing, make sure it includes some EagleWingz! Go on the website, www.e-wingz.com, and check it out for yourself. The website is actually the site for their storefront, www.GlobalHotSauce.com, so the selection goes way past just these 2 sauces.  Tell ‘em Chilehead Ken sent you and remember Ladies and Gentlemen, that  It’s a Fiery World

After “Setting” the Wings in the Microwave for 40 seconds-Perfectly Glazed!