Foo Foo Mama Choo -- Say WHAT??

The newest hot sauce from High River Sauces is called Foo Foo Mama Choo and is made with the Carolina Reaper pepper, which recently dethroned the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper as the NEW hottest pepper in the world.

Unlike other hot sauces that are quick to jump on the "hottest pepper" bandwagon, this one doesn't cut corners when it comes to quality ingredients and great flavors. High River Sauces takes pride in producing what some would consider "artisan" hot sauces, which is really just a fancy way of saying that their sauces are as much about tasting really good on their own as they are about delivering fiery heat. Their latest creation is true to that commitment to quality, and will please both the serious chilehead as well as the discerning and educated palate.

Roasted red peppers and fire-roasted tomatoes are blended with rice wine vinegar to provide the backbone or base of High River Sauces FooFoo Mama Choo Hot Sauce, for an incomparably rich, smooth, and never harshly tart initial presence on the tongue. You then experience the distinctively bright, almost fruit-like Carolina reaper, with its searingly hot bite -- but because there are no extracts or artificial heat enhancers in this hot sauce, your taste buds won't get blown out. Instead, assuming you're experienced with VERY hot sauces, you'll be able to enjoy the harmoniously complementary flavor notes from zippy fresh ginger, pungent garlic, savory soy sauce and a touch of brown sugar to round everything out, along with High River Sauce's secret blend of herbs and spices.

Intrigued? Then get yourself a bottle and experience what a well-made Carolina reaper pepper hot sauce should taste like. Buy Foo Foo Mama Choo Hot Sauce online from the Carolina Sauces online store while it's on sale.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Available Now: Pure Red Habanero Pepper Mash by the Gallon

Attention caterers, restaurants, BBQ competition teams, and anyone else who prepares food for large crowds -- and also anyone who makes batches of hot sauce or is seriously addicted to habanero peppers or spicy food:

The Carolina Sauces online store now sells Pure Red Habanero Pepper Mash by the gallon!

This is the real deal, folks, unprocessed and without any additives of any sort, which means you'll get the freshest, purest red habanero flavor and heat. This fiery hot pepper mash is made from the finest select red habaneros picked at their peak of ripeness for ideal heat with a nicely rounded, almost sweetly mellow finish that you don't get from lesser quality or unripe peppers. In short, you get the best possible combination of rich habanero flavor and powerful heat.

Packed in food-service plastic gallons for ease of shipment, storage and handling (plastic jugs are much lighter and obviously less fragile than glass), this high-quality habanero mash is ideal for professional chefs and cooks as well as home canners, "mom & pop" hot sauce or barbecue sauce manufacturers, and other fiery food enthusiasts.

Normally sold for $45 a gallon, our gallon jugs of Pure Red Habanero Pepper Mash are currently on sale for only $39.95 -- And if you sign up for our free VIP Club, you'll automatically receive a coupon for an additional 5% off the sale price!

Any questions? Simply email Customer Service, or contact me.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Save Homeless Animals when you buy Dog-Gone Sauces

Sometimes a sauce brand comes along that stands out not only because of its superior flavors and ability to bring out the best in your food, but also because of its greater purpose. Dog-Gone Sauce is such a brand.

Dog-Gone Hot Sauces and BBQ Sauce were created by Jeff Schmidt, a lifelong animal lover with extensive food industry experience and an affinity for zesty flavors, in order to raise money for homeless animals. When you purchase any flavor of these high-quality, all-natural and great-tasting sauces, Dog Gone Sauce donates 100% of its after-tax profits to animal shelters and rescue groups. To date, hundreds if not thousands of homeless dogs, cats and other animals have been saved as a result. The Carolina Sauce Company is thrilled to be able to offer you all three flavors of Dog-Gone Hot Sauce as well as their all-purpose, family-pleasing Barbecue Sauce, as part of our Sauce For A Cause program.

Sweet & smoky, gently spicy (not hot) Dog-Gone BBQ Sauce features a thick and hearty tomato base seasoned with tangy mustard, zesty garlic and savory spices, sweetened with real honey and molasses, and perfectly balanced with earthy smokiness and a dash of peppery zip. It's finger-lickin' good as a basting and grilling sauce on pretty much anything including ribs, hamburgers and other meats, chicken, turkey legs, fish, shrimp & other seafood plus your favorite grilling vegetables (try it on portobello mushrooms, veggie burgers, zucchini etc.). You can also bake or slow-cook with it, add it to recipes calling for barbecue sauce, and enjoy it at the table as a dipping or slathering sauce. Kids love dunking French fries, chicken strips, tater tots and even baby carrots in it.

For hot sauce lovers who appreciate innovative flavors as much or more so than fiery heat, Dog-Gone Sauces makes three inspired varieties of hot sauces. For traditionalists and anyone who enjoys dark, smoky heat, there's the garlicky Chipotle Sauce that packs the richly dark and complex smoke and firepower of genuine chipotle in a vinegar base that gets a delightful gourmet boost from roasted red peppers. Obvious ways to enjoy this south of the border-style hot sauce is with all your favorite Mexican, Tex-Mex and Southwestern foods such as nachos, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, huevos rancheros and more. It's also a nice condiment for burgers, chili, pizza and other hearty foods.

For fans of fruit-infused hot sauces, there's Dog-Gone Pineapple-Honey Hot Sauce, a sassy, fiery tropical style hot sauce that gets its big burn from habanero peppers and its bright tangy flavor from lusciously juicy pineapple. A dash of garlic and pinch of ginger add gourmet zip for a burst of spicy flavor that will make you smile. Fantastic on chicken and seafood dishes, it's also wonderful with rice and beans, fried rice and stir-fry recipes, and grilled meats including all sorts of sausages.

Finally, Dog-Gone Honey-Rum Hot Sauce is smooth and mellow with a warm medium heat, seductive sweetness from honey and tropical fruit including mango, and a depth of sophisticated character from raisins and a splash of dark rum. Magnificent on pork chops, roast chicken, salmon or tuna steaks, mixed grilled vegetables, shrimp stir-fry, Asian noodle dishes and more, it's also lovely with lamb, venison, brisket and other hearty meats.

You can purchase each kind of Dog-Gone sauce individually, by the 3-pack or by the 12-bottle case, and also in combo packs. And remember that every time you treat yourself to these dog-gone delicious sauces you are helping to save the life of a dog, cat or other homeless animal.

Click here to buy Dog-Gone Sauces.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

NEW Scorpion Pepper Hot Sauces from Melinda's & Susie's

Good news for fans of super-hot hot sauces and lovers of the unique flavor and heat of Caribbean scorpion peppers:

The Carolina Sauces online store now carries two new scorpion pepper hot sauces!

Melinda's Scorpion Pepper Sauce is the latest from the world-renowned maker of Melinda's Hot Sauces in Costa Rica. The main ingredient in this VERY hot sauce is the fearsome Trinidad Moruga scorpion pepper, one of the hottest chilies on the planet. These peppers are blended in a traditional Caribbean hot sauce base of vinegar, carrots, onion, lime juice, garlic & salt for a straightforward, savory-tangy flavor that lets you experience the scorpion peppers in all their potent glory. This all-natural hot sauce is a fine example of what a well-made, single-pepper hot sauce should taste like, and proves that an extremely hot sauce (around an 8 on a 1 to 10 scale) need not be a "taste bud killer" to satisfy one's craving for serious heat and pure chile flavor.

Susie's Scorpion Hot Sauce also boasts only natural ingredients, with flaming-hot scorpion peppers taking center stage. Made in Susie's kitchens in Antigua & Barbuda following the local hot sauce traditions that have made Susie's hot sauces highly sought-after and famous around the world, this fiery, savory pepper sauce features a tangy vinegar-mustard base with a secret blend of complementary spices that bring out the best in the scorpion chile. Around an 8 or so on your average 10-point heat scale, this hot sauce is powerfully hot but not dangerously so. Nevertheless, I recommend starting off with just a small amount on your food until you become comfortable with the heat level.

Both of these scorpion pepper sauces can be used on any savory dish, either at the table or in recipes calling for all-purpose, versatile hot sauces. And both of these new hot sauces are currently on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Heartbreaking Dawn's Nuit En Enfer Hot Sauce

"Nuit en Enfer" means "Night in Hell," and that's likely what you'll experience if you don't treat this ultra-hot sauce with the proper respect and due care. Yes, it is THAT hot, and should be handled and consumed with discretion and restraint lest you burn your insides and suffer the consequences.

That said, Heartbreaking Dawn's Nuit En Enfer Hot Sauce is a masterpiece of mind-numbing hot peppers and mysteriously luscious, exotic flavors. The serious heat comes from some of the hottest peppers on the planet: Moruga and Trinidad scorpion peppers, ghost peppers (jolokia) and scotch bonnet peppers. The intriguingly tasty flavors come from an inspired blend of apricots, cardamom and rice vinegar. The overall effect is hellishly delicious. If the devil were a gourmet chef, this is the kind of hot sauce he'd develop for his pleasure.

A little goes a long way when you use Nuit En Enfer from Heartbreaking Dawn's. Start off with a toothpick drop until you get a "feel" for the intensity of the heat and a sense for the flavor profile. Once you're comfortable with this extreme hot sauce, you'll love how it goes with all of your favorite hearty fare, especially grilled or roasted meats, poultry and vegetables, robust rice & bean dishes, and more substantial stir-fry creations.

Buy Nuit En Enfer online while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

New Collegiate Hot Sauces from Arkansas State, Cincinnati & Memphis!

March Madness is right around the corner, and the Carolina Sauces online store has added three new collegiate hot sauces just in time.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Hot Sauce proudly sports the university's colors and the label is emblazoned with its fearsome wolf's head logo. This hot sauce is officially licensed by Arkansas State University, and is a great way to show your school spirit while adding zesty, peppery flavor to all your favorite tailgating and game-day party foods. Enjoy this all-natural cayenne pepper sauce in your homemade hot wings recipe, in hearty chili, on nachos, pizza or fried chicken, and with anything else that could use a kick.

For fans of the University of Cincinnati, we now have Cincinnati Bearcats Hot Sauce, which is also officially licensed to bear the school's name, logo and colors. The bold black label is eye-catching and striking in its rarity -- very few hot sauces have a black label -- and the stylized C "pawprint" logo really stands out. Inside the bottle you'll find a tangy, tasty Louisiana-style hot sauce with straightforward aged cayenne pepper flavor and fire. This versatile, all-natural hot sauce adds just the right amount of food-friendly heat to wake up any savory dish, especially all the appetizers and snacks you like to enjoy while cheering for your favorite team.

And last but certainly not least, we're happy to announce Memphis Tigers Hot Sauce, brought to us with the official "blessing" of the University of Memphis. Like all our other collegiate hot sauces, this one is made with natural ingredients and gets its classic flavor and fire primarily from aged red cayenne peppers. Medium in heat with a pleasantly savory vinegar tang, you can enjoy this all-purpose hot sauce on pretty much anything and everything except dessert and sweets. From bloody Marys to Buffalo wings, burgers and fries to chips and dips, nachos and tacos to pizza and bratwurst, they'll all get a welcome wake-up call when you splash on some of this hot sauce. The school colors and pouncing tiger logo will proclaim your allegiance to the Tigers, too.

Our collegiate hot sauces are ideal for showing off team pride and school spirit. They make excellent graduation gifts as well as holiday stocking-stuffers and any-occasion gifts for students, faculty, staff, alumni and other fans. You can browse our entire selection of officially-licensed college & university hot sauces, all of which are currently on sale, when you click here.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Hot Sauces for 2013

Our best-selling hot sauce of all time was also the top-selling hot sauce for 2013. Hot sauces from the Caribbean were the most popular last year, but you'll find two long-time favorites made in the USA on our top 10 list, which is below:

1. Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce is a favorite of folks who appreciate well-balanced Caribbean flavors of fiery peppers, tangy mustard and luscious tropical fruit. This thick hot sauce is superb when you want to add medium heat and island flair to anything from fish and seafood to poultry, or to rice dishes and cooked vegetables. Try it with grilled burgers or sausages for a delightful departure from the ordinary!

2. Jamaica Hell Fire 2 in 1 Hot Sauce features fiery sun-ripened chilies and specially selected Jamaican spices for a savory, tangy hot sauce you can enjoy any time of day on everything except dessert. Twice as hot as the boring, watered-down supermarket hot sauces (hence the name), it's strong enough for a solid peppery kick but it won't knock your taste buds out.

3. Matouk's Calypso Hot Sauce is hotter and has less fruit notes than Matouk's West Indian, but is just as thick and rich with a pleasantly more pronounced Caribbean mustard tang. Able to stand up to hearty, full-flavored red meats but sufficiently food-friendly to complement grilled shrimp or broiled fish, it's an excellent choice for nearly any occasion -- and especially if serving Caribbean favorites like red beans and rice, meat patties and savory island stews.

4. Busha Browne's Pukka Sauce has its roots firmly planted in Jamaica's colonial past, and that's a good thing if you want a spicy-hot pepper sauce for adding tangy heat to any dish without having it taste like Jamaican jerk (don't get me wrong, I love jerk but not with every meal). This is one of those bright and zesty pepper sauces you look forward to splashing on your scrambled eggs & hash browns in the morning, or on pizza, fries or burgers at lunch, and on spaghetti, stews, nachos, Chinese take-out and other savory evening fare.

5. Walkerswood Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce: Don't be fooled by its short list of ingredients. The true beauty of this Jamaican hot sauce lies in its simplicity, at least for fans of true scotch bonnet pepper flavor and heat. If you make your own jerk marinade or other Caribbean sauces and condiments at home, or just appreciate a "best of class" single-pepper hot sauce starring Jamaica's most famous chile, this one is for you.

6. Matouk's Flambeau Sauce is pretty much as hot as a hot sauce can get when left to its own devices and not spiked with extracts or other "hot sauce steroids" (as I like to call capsaicin extract). Even seasoned chiliheads with jaded palates agree that Flambeau easily rates a 10 on a 1 to 10 heat scale -- but they also agree that it stands out from the crowd for its richly thick body and multi-faceted flavor from the pepper mash made from select aged peppers. If you're partial towards super-hot heat levels but not at the expense of honest chili pepper flavor, this is the extreme hot sauce for you.

7. Scorned Woman Hot Sauce: You can always find a bottle of this classic vinegar pepper sauce in my refrigerator. In fact, it might be the very first "real" hot sauce I tried after growing bored with Texas Pete and Tabasco many years ago. Scorned Woman is one of those rare hot sauces that uses several different chilies plus ground black pepper, and does not "emasculate" them with too much vinegar. This is my go-to hot sauce when making hot & spicy soups and other slow-cooking savory recipes that don't have an ethnic twist.

8. Matouk's Soca Hot Sauce: This lesser-known member of the Matouk's Hot Sauce family is fairly new to the US market, and I'm proud to say that Carolina Sauce Company was one of the first online sources for it. Not quite as hot as Matouk's Flambeau but otherwise very similar in overall flavor, texture, color and aroma, it's an excellent choice when you want big-time peppery heat (let's say an 8 if Flambeau is a 10).

9. Matouk's Hot Pepper Salsa Picante Sauce is another notch lower on the Matouk's heat scale, probably comparable to Matouk's Calypso but with a more tangy-savory, West Indian mustard flavor. The other main difference is that there are no papayas or other "sweet" ingredients in the Salsa Picante. In sum, if you're seeking a savory, full-bodied Trinidad hot sauce with West Indian tang and heat, this is the one for you.

10. Georgia Peach & Vidalia Onion Hot Sauce: One of the milder hot sauces on the market, this playfully devilish, sassy-sweet southern style sauce is friendly and approachable, and some would say downright irresistible. It's fantastic with all sorts of pork and chicken dishes, as well as with fried or grilled seafood and vegetables.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Leon's Southern Charm Hot Sauce

Click to buy Leon's Southern Charm

Spicy, sassy and slightly sweet, Leon's Southern Charm Hot Sauce has plenty of spunky character, just like its creator -- yes, there really is a Leon behind this hot sauce, and this is his own recipe, developed and perfected over the decades to charm the palate of hot sauce fans and lovers of great-tasting spicy foods.

Hailing from Hunstville, Alabama, this all-purpose medium-hot sauce gets its layers of peppery heat and zesty flavor from specially-selected chili peppers including jalapenos, cayennes and orange habaneros, all carefully blended with onions, garlic and secret spices with just a touch of sugar and salt. The ingredients are all-natural, and there are no unnecessary fillers, diluters, or heat enhancers like capsaicin extract.

Whether you splash it on served savory fare at the table or use it in recipes calling for hot sauce like deviled eggs or Buffalo wings, Leon's Southern Charm is up for the task, delivering zippy pizzazz without punishing pain from too much heat. Try it in homemade pimento cheese to liven things up, or add a few splashes to your homemade barbecue sauce or marinades for a feisty but food-friendly kick. Consider this hot sauce a southern gentleman among a crowded field of boorish burners that don't understand the importance of complementing rather than overpowering a food's flavors.

Buy Leon's Southern Charm Hot Sauce online while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Tahiti Joe's Hot Sauce Gift Box: Spicy Flavors with a Playful Twist

Here's another wonderful hot sauce gift idea for the spicy foods aficionado with a playful sense of culinary adventure: Tahiti Joe's Hot Sauce Gift Box, on sale now at the Carolina Sauces online store.

This colorful collection of four full-size (5oz bottles) tropics-inspired hot sauces come packed in a sturdy cardboard gift box that's ready for wrapping and is sure to delight the lucky recipient. Inside the box are the following four flavors of Tahiti's Joe's hot sauces:

• Polynesian Hot Sauce: Inspired by the time Joe spent exploring the South Seas, this exotic hot sauce is all about heat with flavor. Aged red peppers, habaneros and jalapenos deliver layers of solid heat while unique and unusual ingredients including a splash of clam juice, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a secret blend of island spices add savory notes. Joe brings everything together into a sweet symphony of flavors by adding real honey. 


• Onionator XXX Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce: Made with the ferociously hot ghost pepper yet pleasantly surprising in its approachability, this savory and fiery hot sauce is coveted by people who love the earthy pungency of onions and garlic. The base includes tomatoes, cider vinegar, lemon juice, clam juice, Worcestershire and honey plus Joe's special spice blend. This hot sauce is a fiery foodie's delight!


• Tropi-Garlic Hot Sauce is a creative combination of Italian flavors like garlic, tomatoes and parmesan cheese with Tahiti Joe's trademark tropical ingredients.  More savory than sweet, it's a natural for spicing up pizza, pasta, chicken parm, sausage & peppers, and other hearty fare.


• Camel Toe Hot Sauce: Don't blame me for the name; I am not responsible for it! Sweet, sassy and subtly smoky, this saucy condiment features mangoes, apple juice and chipotles in Joe's traditional hot sauce base, with his usual combo of aged red peppers habaneros and jalapenos. This baby is more than just a gimmicky hot sauce with a risqué name!

Tahiti Joe's Gift Box is perfect as a Christmas gift or for any other occasion. And if you'd like to save 10% off its already reduced sale price, simply become a Carolina Sauce VIP (it's FREE) and you automatically receive a special coupon code for 10% off your product total! But don't delay -- this special VIP discount coupon expires at midnight TONIGHT, December 20th.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Trinidad Traders Hot Sauce Gift Box

Here is a hot sauce gift for anyone who appreciates a hot sauce with solid peppery heat and well-balanced, savory tang. Trinidad Traders Hot Sauce Gift Box comes with four such distinctively delicious hot sauces from Trinidad Traders, one of the most highly regarded hot sauce manufacturers. The featured sauces include:

• Trailer Trash Cayenne Hot Sauce: "It's hot sauce, y'all!" But it's more than just a funny redneck label - this all-natural Louisiana style hot sauce is made the old fashioned way, with cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt & pepper. That's it, no high-falutin' fancy ingredients or nasty artificial stuff.


• Backdraft Habanero Hot Sauce: This sweet and tangy, fiery habanero sauce is a favorite of firefighters who know good food, because its rich mustard-tomato base blows away the boring one-dimensional competition. It adds flavorful heat to burgers, ribs, wings, grilled food, stir fry dishes & more.


• Trinidad Mild Habanero Sauce: Made in Florida but true to the style of hot sauces from Trinidad, this surprisingly gentle habanero hot sauce features a special blend of complementary vegetables including green peppers and celery, plus delightful spices like ginger, mustard, thyme, basil and other fine herbs unique to Trinidad. Use this spicy sauce whenever you want to add just a touch of heat with a savory Caribbean accent.


• Trinidad Extra Hot Habanero Sauce: Similar in flavor to the Mild habanero sauce but with a powerful habanero punch, this one is great whenever you want assertive, undeniable habanero pepper heat without sacrificing great flavor.

Buy the Trinidad Traders Hot Sauce Gift Box from the Carolina Sauces online store and get all four of these hot sauces at a special low price, in a sturdy and attractive gift box.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Plutonium Pepper Extract: 9 Million SHU Strong!

Breaking news for chili pepper addicts, adrenaline junkies, extreme hot sauce collectors and fiery foods fanatics: There's a new ultra-hot, extremely powerful, highly concentrated pepper extract now available at the Carolina Sauces online store, and it delivers a deadly 9 million SHU (Scoville Heat Units) of pure capsaicin FIRE!

Introducing Plutonium Pepper Extract from Mad Dog 357 Sauces.

The word "hot" doesn't even begin to describe the furiously intense and unrelenting burn that this painful puppy inflicts on your tongue, mouth, skin and any other surface exposed to it. Its ingredient list is just 1 ingredient long: Premium pure oleoresin capsicum. Yep, the same stuff that's weaponized for military and police use. 'Nuf said.

The one-ounce bottle might seem small, but trust me when I tell you that it contains what is easily more than a lifetime supply of hot sauce for all but the (fool)hardiest of diners. Don't judge this ultra-hot sauce by its size, but rather by the impact it makes. Just as a single atom of its namesake, radioactive plutonium, is capable of inflicting severe injury and destruction, one little drop of Plutonium 9 Million Scoville Pepper Extract can do the same unless diluted in cooked food such as a pot of chili or a vat of homemade wing sauce or barbecue sauce.

If you want to buy Mad Dog 357 No. 9 Plutonium Pepper Extract from the Carolina Sauce Company, you'll have to sign a waiver & disclaimer and you must be at least 18 years old. And if you plan on actually trying to eat it, please do NOT apply directly to served food (it is not a hot sauce but rather a food additive) and use it only by the micro-droplet while cooking, with extreme caution. Do not leave the bottle out where children or pets might consume or come into contact with the contents.

Personally, I recommend treating Plutonium 9 Million Scoville Extract solely as a collector's item for hot sauce fans, a curiosity to be displayed rather than ingested.

You've now been warned. Proceed with caution lest you get burned and suffer the consequences.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Because You Can't Have Too Much Tabasco Sauce: Here's the Tabasco Ultimate Gift Set!

Click to buy Tabasco products

Tabasco Sauce might very well be the best-known, most frequently used hot sauce on the planet. For many chileheads and fiery-foods fanatics, Tabasco probably is the first hot sauce they ever tried. At least that's the case with me. And no matter how many other hot sauces we chileheads have discovered since our first Tabasco encounter, and no matter which hotter or more complex ones have become favorites, I bet you still keep a bottle or two of the original Tabasco Sauce on hand for those times when you need an honest, straightforward, no-frills, hot-enough-but-not-too-hot, good-tasting pepper sauce to enjoy at the table or spice up a recipe.

The original Tabasco Sauce is the quintessential Louisiana pepper sauce. But did you know that Tabasco comes in other zesty flavors and styles in addition to the all-purpose tangy original?

And did you know that you can now get ALL flavors of Tabasco Sauce for a bargain price when you order the Tabasco Sauce Ultimate Gift Set from the Carolina Sauces online store?

Our Tabasco Gift is the perfect hot sauce gift for anyone who enjoys spicy foods and zesty, versatile hot sauces. It includes all seven (7) flavors of Tabasco Sauce: The Original red pepper sauce, pungent and savory Garlic Tabasco (the original recipe jazzed up with garlic), smoky and spicier Chipotle Tabasco (great with Tex-Mex and Southwestern foods), fiery-hot Habanero Tabasco sauce (the hottest of the bunch), brightly zesty Green Tabasco Pepper Sauce (made with jalapenos and the mildest of the bunch), devilishly sassy Sweet & Spicy Tabasco Sauce (fantastic with stir-fry and Asian foods), and classic Buffalo Style Tabasco sauce (a natural with chicken wings and Buffalo shrimp). Buy the Tabasco Sauce Gift Set while it's on sale, and save over $14 over the regular price!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: Tabasco also makes hot cinnamon candy and spicy lollipops with zippy cinnamon flavor, as well as Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles and southern-style Spicy Pickled Okra. These are great gifts for anyone who enjoys zesty, spicy snacks!

SuckleBusters Texas BBQ Sauces, Rubs & Seasonings have Arrived!

Finally, Sucklebusters BBQ products have arrived at the Carolina Sauces online store!

Made in Texas and representing the Lone Star State exceptionally well with their big, bold, unabashedly all-American flavor and zest, SuckleBusters sauces, seasonings and rubs should be on every barbecue enthusiast's and meat-lover's wish list.

Sucklebusters Barbecue Sauces are true to their home state: Rich in flavor and texture, with robust savory flavors tempered by mellow sweetness and spiced with just the right peppery finish, their familiar, friendly flavors appeal to young and old alike. In addition to their mouthwatering Original, Sucklebusters also offers a spicy, smoky Chipotle BBQ Sauce for folks who prefer more heat with dark, earthy flavors that complement Sucklebusters' original sweet-tangy recipe.

When it comes to BBQ dry rubs, Sucklebusters rules the day with their award-winning line of barbecue seasonings. Their Competition BBQ Rub is mild and savory without any peppery heat, making it ideal for families or get-togethers where some people might not like spicy foods. Seasoned with sweet paprika, garlic and other savory ingredients, it's a natural on brisket, London broil, roasts and other beef cuts. Hog Waller Pork & Rib Rub was developed especially for pork, and its sweet & sassy flavor brings out the best in the "other white meat." Chili pepper and a dash of ground chipotle add just a touch of spiciness to tickle your taste buds without burning or turning this rub into a "hot" rub. It's excellent on ribs, chops and pork butt, as well as on venison and even chicken. Hoochie Mama BBQ Rub is hot and spicy, with a feisty kick that will thrill fans of spicy foods. But don't worry, it won't burn you out: In true Texas fashion, this all-purpose spicy BBQ rub is more about great flavor than furious fire (I'd rate it a solid medium on my heat scale).

SuckleBusters also makes other special seasoning blends, including a mouthwatering Campfire Steak Seasoning that's a must for anyone who enjoys a grilled steak with superior flavor and juicy tenderness. Its delectably savory-sweet flavor comes from gourmet ingredients like sea salt, turbinado sugar, thyme, dried chiles and other all-natural seasonings. If fajitas are on the menu, then you need SuckleBusters Fajita Seasoning, with genuine Tex-Mex flavor and fire. Chili peppers are the primary ingredient in this robust savory seasoning blend, and it works wonders with any variety of fajita, whether beef, chicken, shrimp or vegetarian. And since Sucklebusters is from Texas, it should come as no surprise that they make an award-winning authentic Texas Chili Seasoning that's essential if you're making "Texas Red" chili (the recipe is on the label). Medium-hot with 5 different kinds of peppers and deeply savory, this chili seasoning blend has all the spices you need to make a pot of hearty chili -- just add ground beef (or turkey or venison) and beans (if you must). Finally, there's Texas Gold Dust Seasoning, the very first Sucklebusters product and a fantastically versatile all-purpose Tex-Mex seasoning. Use it on any meats, poultry or vegetables whether you're cooking on the stove, in the oven, on the BBQ grill or smoker, or in a crock pot. Cumin, garlic, dried chilies, sea salt and other gourmet spices provide the unmistakeably Tex-Mex flavor and peppery heat.

If you're a serious chilehead or fiery-foods fanatic, SuckleBusters has seasonings and sauces for you, too. First, there's Texas Gunpowder seasoning, which is made from pure dried jalapeno peppers and no other ingredients or fillers. It comes in two convenient sizes: A small plastic jar that's ideal for taking with you when eating away from home, and also a standard plastic dry-rub bottle that's perfect for the kitchen.

Sucklebusters also makes authentic Texas Pepper Sauces that are thick and rich, not runny, with award-winning savory flavor and moderate heat. The Original Texas Heat Pepper Sauce is well-balanced with solid medium heat that'll wake you up and keep you coming back for more. Their Chipotle Pepper Sauce delivers the distinctively dark and smoky flavor of chipotles blended into a smooth, slightly sweet and pleasantly tangy base. And for a more powerful peppery punch there's SuckleBusters Habanero Pepper Sauce, which has just enough habanero pepper to ratchet up the heat a couple of notches but not to the point of overwhelming or overpowering the rich flavors of this surprisingly tasty and food-friendly hot sauce.

All Sucklebusters products are currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company, and you can get a special coupon code to save an additional 10% off your product total when you join our free VIP Club (offer good through 12/20/13, so sign up now to get your VIP coupon code).

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Send a Taste of the Southwest with the Ring of Fire Hot Sauce Gift Box

Ring of Fire Hot Sauces are highly regarded by fiery-food lovers and fans of Southwestern cuisine for their uncompromising commitment to excellence. Made from carefully selected all-natural ingredients of the finest quality, each flavor of Ring of Fire is crafted from a well-balanced recipe that highlights its primary chili pepper or other main ingredient, be it fiery habanero peppers, smoky chipotle or rich and tangy tomatillo with roasted garlic. Complementary spices, herbs and other savory ingredients are then blended in, with just enough vinegar to make the sauce pourable but never thinned out, diluted, or harshly tart. As "icing on the cake," Ring of Fire packages its hot sauces in generous 12.5 oz bottles -- which is more than twice the size of your typical lesser-quality hot sauce -- and yet you can buy them online at Carolina Sauces for little more than you'd pay for most 5 oz hot sauces!

If you know someone who appreciates the superior flavor and well-balanced heat of a high quality hot sauce, give them a fiery gift of good taste this Christmas and send them the brand-new Ring of Fire Hot Sauce Gift Box. This thoughtful gift comes with four full-size bottles of the most popular Ring of Fire flavors: The Original featuring fiery habanero & serrano peppers in a rich and savory tomato base, the aptly-named Xtra Hot (similar to the original but with a higher concentration of habaneros & serranos), the earthy Chipotle with smoked jalapenos and roasted garlic added to their signature habanero-serrano blend, and either the zesty Tomatillo if any is still available (unfortunately this flavor has been discontinued) or one of the other zesty Ring of Fire flavors: All-Purpose Red Pepper with cayennes, pimientos & sweet red chilies; the milder Garden Fresh Chile Sauce with serranos (no habaneros) and lots of tomato, onion, garlic & spices; the intense XX-Hot with loads of habaneros but nevertheless still quite edible and flavorful; or their critically acclaimed Ring of Fire Steak Sauce with intriguingly complex gourmet flavor that's boldly rich, little sweet, mild on the heat scale, and heavenly on steak or other meats.

But that's not all: The Ring of Fire Hot Sauce Gift also includes a package of Ring of Fire Beef Jerky and a Ring of Fire Recipe Brochure packed with easy-to-make, mouthwatering recipes!

All of this comes in a sturdy cardboard gift box emblazoned with the brand's distinctive and eye-catching logo, a fire-breathing red chile pepper.

Buy the Ring of Fire Hot Sauce Gift Set while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store, and make your favorite chilihead eternally grateful to you this Christmas.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: This is just one of many specially-priced, themed Sauce Gifts available from the Carolina Sauce Company. With flavors & heat levels ranging from mild to wild, a wide range of budget-friendly price points, and themes covering everything from bikers to Elvis, North Carolina BBQ to pepper extracts, and single-brand collections featuring Dave's Insanity, Blair's Death, Hula Girl, Matouk's and more, we really do have something for everyone!

Cajohn's Reaper Sling Blade Hot Sauce: Made with Carolina Reaper Peppers!

Move over, Moruga scorpion pepper, there's a NEW hottest pepper in the world.

Meet the Carolina Reaper:

During scientific analysis, Carolina Reaper peppers consistently tested at over 2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) and slightly higher than the 2+ million hit by the scorpion peppers, thus dethroning the scorpion pepper (which had previously beaten out the ghost pepper aka jolokia) and claiming the title as the world's hottest chili pepper.

Of course, someone has already created a new hot sauce starring the freakishly hot but refreshingly flavorful Carolina reaper chili.

Meet Cajohn's Reaper Sling Blade Hot Sauce:

Surprisingly edible, with an appealingly peppery-fruity brightness of flavor along with fearsome fiery heat, this all-natural Carolina reaper pepper hot sauce shows off the best qualities of the powerful chili without destroying your taste buds in the process. Yes, it is indeed extremely HOT, but not freakishly so like pepper extracts tend to be. Instead, think along the lines of Matouk's Flambeau in terms of heat -- although the flavor is quite different because Reaper Sling Blade blends the peppers (Carolina reapers and bhut jolokias) with tomato paste rather than mustard. Cajohn's also adds a secret blend of specially selected spices, in addition to the usual onions and garlic. And the complementary tang comes from a combination of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice along with distilled vinegar. The end result is a chilehead's dream of an ultra-hot hot sauce, one that enhances the distinctive and best characteristics of the specific pepper variety featured in the sauce without having to rely on capsaicin extracts and other heat additives.

If you can handle the heat -- or you're looking for the latest, greatest super-hot hot sauce to give as a gift for a fiery-foods fanatic -- buy Carolina Reaper Sling Blade Hot Sauce while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  Looking for a Carolina Sauce coupon to save even more? Visit the Pastry Chef Online blog and look for our Carolina Sauce Company ad, where you'll find a special coupon code for 10% off your product total at the Carolina Sauces online store! Tell Chef Jenni I sent you, and be sure to check out her delectable recipes and cooking tips.

Keep Calm and Pour On More Hot Sauce, in 3 Flavors!

"Keep Calm and Carry On."

That classic piece of British advice, along with the iconic crown and simple bold lettering, is wildly popular these days, appearing on everything from t-shirts to coffee cups, and often replacing the last two words with a pithy phrase like "drink more beer" instead of the original "carry on."

It was only a matter of time before someone produced a line of hot sauce capitalizing on the "Keep Calm and Carry On" craze.

And once we found it, of course we had to add those new hot sauces to the Carolina Sauce online store.

Meet the Keep Calm and Pour On More Hot Sauce family!

The first of this family is Keep Calm and Pour More Cayenne On Hot Sauce. This is a classic Louisiana style cayenne pepper sauce, made from pureed aged red chilies in a savory vinegar base. This is a straightforward, honest hot sauce for purists, with true cayenne pepper flavor and solid medium heat that's typical of this kind of all-purpose hot sauce. In addition to its suitability as an everyday table sauce for adding zip to any meal without masking a food's flavor, this cayenne sauce is a wise choice for cooking applications anytime you want to add a little heat, or you're following a recipe that lists "hot sauce" as an ingredient.

If you prefer the earthy, dark smokiness of chipotle, along with its higher heat intensity, Keep Calm and Pour More Chipotle On Hot Sauce is for you. Made in the Mexican tradition, this hot sauce begins with smoked red jalapeno peppers and blends them with vinegar and savory ingredients including onion and garlic, for a robust and complex richness with potent peppery heat. It's fantastic with any kind of Mexican, Tex-Mex or Southwestern recipe or food, from simple nachos or salsa to enchiladas, burritos, chili, huevos rancheros, quesadillas, rice & beans, and even non-Mexican favorites like pizza, pork chops and burgers. Splash some on scrambled eggs, french fries or a chunk of homemade cornbread fresh from the oven.

Finally, for serious chileheads, hot sauce addicts and fiery-foods fanatics, there's Keep Calm and Pour More Habanero On Hot Sauce. This one is a Caribbean-style hot sauce, made from tropical habanero peppers in a tangy vinegar-carrot base with a splash of lime juice to highlight the naturally bright, almost-fruity flavor notes of ripe habanero peppers. This is also the hottest of the three "Keep Calm and Carry On" hot sauces, with searing habanero heat that is not for the tender-tongued or those with sensitive palates. Like the cayenne version, the habanero hot sauce is an excellent all-purpose, everyday hot sauce for the table and the kitchen, assuming you can handle the heat. Don't worry, it's not off-the-scale hot like Dave's Insanity or other crazy ultra-hot sauces. But it's definitely more intense than your typical supermarket-variety hot sauce.

All three flavors of Keep Calm and Pour On More Hot Sauce are currently on sale, and they're great as Christmas gifts or Hanukkah gifts for Anglophiles who enjoy spicy foods.

And if you'd like a VIP coupon to save 7% off your order, email me and I'll send you the coupon code and add you to our VIP list.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Grapes of Wrath Hot Sauce: Spice Up your Holiday Cooking!

Grapes of Wrath Hot Sauce from High River Sauces is a creatively distinctive and delicious hot sauce developed specifically to spice up your holiday cooking with the right balance of gourmet flavor and peppery heat. It is NOT your typical one-dimensional, overly vinegary hot sauce found in supermarkets and mass-produced in a huge factory. Think of it as a craft or artisan sauce, the brainchild of a small hot sauce business devoted to making unique, high-quality hot sauces using only the best ingredients available.

As the name suggests, Grapes of Wrath is made from the fruit of the vine, i.e., grape juice and Cabernet wine, blended with select fiery chilies, namely red habaneros and scorpion peppers. Pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, brown sugar and ginger add a seasonal warmth and mellowness that pairs wonderfully with Thanksgiving meals and Christmas dinners, Hanukkah celebrations, New Year's Eve buffet spreads and other festive cold-weather dining. Luscious hints of bright fruit come from the inspired addition of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and pineapple.

But perhaps the most unusual and astounding ingredient in this delightful hot sauce is pickled red cabbage.  Yes, you read those last three words correctly: pickled, red, cabbage. No, I have no idea how anyone would come up with the crazy idea of adding that to a hot sauce -- perhaps it was initially a prank? -- but shockingly, and to my relief, it works. No, the sauce does not taste like pickled cabbage. In fact, I never would have guessed that there was any cabbage, pickled or otherwise, in Grapes of Wrath. I'm just taking their word for it upon reading the label. I suspect that this "secret ingredient" provides the sauce's well-balanced tang without the harshness of vinegar, while the cabbage gives the sauce its robust body and texture.

If you or any of your holiday guests enjoy a good hot sauce and have been wondering how to add a bit of zesty flavor and fire to Thanksgiving dinner or other holiday meals, I highly recommend Grapes of Wrath Hot Sauce for your table or buffet spread. Buy a bottle now while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store -- and order a few more as stocking stuffers for Christmas.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

New Hot Pepper Sauces from Pain is Good

Pain is Good is one of the best-known hot sauce brands around, with a long history of making superior hot sauces and other spicy condiments using quality ingredients in traditional as well as unorthodox combinations. Among their classic offerings are a zesty garlic pepper sauce and a Louisiana Cajun hot sauce, while some of their unusual recipes include a sweet Caribbean jerk Buffalo wing sauce and a hot & spicy trail mix. One thing that all of their products share, in addition to versatility and palate-pleasing flavors, is the trademark "screaming head" on each label, which is guaranteed to catch your eye when looking at a crowded store shelf or browsing an online hot sauce store.

The Carolina Sauce Company is pleased to announce the arrival of five new flavors of Pain is Good hot sauces, each based on popular and classic hot sauce recipes that have survived the test of time and will find plenty of uses in your kitchen and at the table.  Sold under the "Most Wanted" name, these new hot pepper sauces display the original three Pain is Good "screaming heads" on the label, in homage to the brand's iconic image.

My favorite of the bunch is Most Wanted Pain is Good Sriracha Sauce, for several reasons. First and foremost, it delivers that genuine peppery-garlicky-savory sriracha sauce flavor that's essential for spicing up Thai recipes and other Asian favorites. But unlike most sriracha sauces on the market, Most Wanted Sriracha Sauce is relatively mild on the heat scale, with a gentle touch of sweetness that deftly tames the flames without sabotaging the overall flavor. This thoughtful touch renders this sriracha hot sauce much more "user friendly," especially when serving more delicate dishes (e.g., broiled fish or steamed vegetables) or feeding folks with lower heat tolerances. The milder heat also means you can use this pepper sauce as much as you like, and as often as you wish, without burning out your taste buds or tearing up your digestive system. Enjoy it on home-cooked food as well as on Chinese takeout or delivery pizza, just to name a few ways.

A close second for me is Most Wanted Pain is Good Chipotle Sauce. Rich and thick with a masterful balance of earthy, smoky depth and medium peppery heat in a mellow tomato base with hints of sweetness, a touch of sunny citrus and a pinch of savory garlic & onion.  Whether you're enjoying Mexican, Tex-Mex or Southwestern dishes, or snacking on hearty appetizers like nachos or breaded chicken strips, or cooking up a batch of chili or rice & beans, or looking for something to jazz up a casserole or stew, Most Wanted Chipotle Sauce has what it takes. This baby knows how to complement and enhance a food's flavors without overpowering it or overwhelming the other ingredients. But it also knows when to shine in a starring role, such as the basting or dipping sauce for grilled shrimp or chicken breasts, or as an alternative to ketchup with burgers, fries, scrambled eggs, onion rings and more. Not as hot as a Mexican chipotle sauce but also not for hot sauce wimps, this crowd-pleasing chipotle hot sauce from Pain is Good certainly lives up to the brand's name.

If you prefer your jalapeno peppers green and smokeless, then Most Wanted Pain is Good Jalapeno Sauce is for you. But if you're used to vinegary, one-dimensional jalapeno pepper sauces from the supermarket, your taste buds are in for a real treat. This jalapeno hot sauce is far more substantial than the average swill: Roasted green chilies add depth and dimension while onions, garlic and lime juice play with the natural vegetal flavor of unripened, fresh jalapenos. This is the kind of hot sauce normally only experienced at authentic Mexican restaurants or made at home by an experienced cook or chef. In addition to the logical pairings with Mexican and similar fare, Most Wanted Jalapeno Sauce is an excellent choice on pizza or eggs, burgers or sandwiches, in chili or other ground meat or bean recipes, and pretty much anywhere else when you want to add genuine jalapeno flavor with solid but not overpowering heat (it ranks a strong medium on a general heat scale).

For habanero pepper lovers, we have Most Wanted Pain is Good Habanero Pepper Sauce, starring ripe orange habanero peppers in all their fiery fury for a hot heat level that will not disappoint chileheads who insist on real habanero burn but don't want it artificially boosted by extracts or added capsaicin oil. Made in the Caribbean or West Indian style, this zesty hot sauce features a zesty vinegar, carrot and mustard base that gets additional savory flavor from turmeric, garlic and onions. There's no sweetness or sugar in this gloriously hot condiment, making it a favorite of anyone counting carbs or watching their sugar intake. Most Wanted Habanero Sauce is perfect for more robust and heartier dishes, including grilled, broiled or roasted meats and poultry. It's also a natural in Caribbean, West Indian and Latin American recipes calling for heat, including red beans and rice, roast pork, beef or seafood stews, and more.

Last but most definitely not least, there's Most Wanted Pain is Good Cayenne Sauce, made with Louisiana's most popular pepper. This is a kinder, gentler, more family-friendly version of classic Louisiana hot sauce, with a relatively mild heat but with a broad, full flavor that's much more satisfying than the usual tart vinegar tang. In addition to aged cayenne peppers, Most Wanted Cayenne Pepper Sauce uses tomato paste, malt vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and traditional Cajun herbs and spices for a rich flavor and body. Whether you're preparing Jambalaya, etouffee, a crawfish boil or other Cajun or Creole recipes, this hot sauce is up for the occasion. It's also a fine way to spice up other foods from pizza and burgers to eggs or spaghetti sauce, or homemade buffalo wings or bloody marys. If it's anything but dessert, chances are this pepper sauce will make it zippy and better.

Now's the time to try these new Pain is Good Most Wanted hot sauces, while they're on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store. And if you want to save an additional 7% off the sale price, simply email me for our current VIP Club discount -- or sign up for our VIP Club before October 25th and I'll send you a complimentary coupon code good through midnight on Oct. 25th.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Calavera Hot Sauce: Scary-Hot & Perfect for Halloween

Add "hot sauce" to your list of scary Halloween props.

Calavera Hot Sauce's intense and unrelenting burn is as frightening and dangerous as any Halloween ghoul. Made from the two hottest pepper varieties on the planet -- India's bhut jolokia (aka naga jolokia or ghost pepper) and Trinidad's moruga scorpion chili -- this ultra-hot sauce doesn't need any artificial extracts or added capsaicin oil to boost its firepower any further. Please trust me when I tell you that all you will need to add searing heat to any dish is a micro-droplet from a toothpick. And if you are going to use Calavera in a recipe, please start off with just one or two drops first, to let you get a good sense of its unforgiving intensity before you risk scorching the taste buds off your tongue or destroying your digestive system.

If the preceding description has scared you away from actually eating Calavera hot sauce, please don't let it deter you from buying it: Its colorful "death's head" label makes it an eye-catching, novel and very appropriate Halloween decoration, especially if you're hosting a Halloween party.

For those of you who are experienced with super-hot hot sauces and enjoy them on food and in recipes, you'll be interested in knowing that Calavera is more than just another scary-hot sauce. In addition to the jolokia and scorpion peppers, which happen to be the main two ingredients in this caustic condiment, Calavera is made with other natural ingredients including tomato, onion, garlic and other vegetables plus black pepper and chili powder to enhance and broaden the layers of heat. All of this is blended in a tangy two-vinegar base (cider and distilled), with a squeeze or two of lemon juice for a hint of bright citrus. In short, this extreme hot sauce scores well on flavor as well as fire.

Buy Calavera Hot Sauce online while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauces online store -- but don't delay; if you want to have this hot sauce in time for Halloween, be sure to order today!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  For more Halloween Hot Sauces, please browse our selection of Holiday Hot Sauces. 

Lynyrd Skynyrd Habanero Hot Sauce is Here!

"FREE BIRD!!!!!"

If you're a born and bred Southerner with a love for spicy food, or if you're a fan of classic Southern rock and particularly of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, this announcement will rock your world and your taste buds:

The Carolina Sauces online store is now YOUR source for the one and only Lynyrd Skynyrd Habanero Hot Sauce!

On the other hand, if you find the confederate flag to be offensive to your more refined, politically correct and "socially conscious" sensibilities, then feel free to stop reading and move on to one of my vegetarian recipes.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Hot Sauce is loud and proud, just like its namesake's music. Made from simple, all-natural ingredients for honest habanero heat without any distracting additives like fancy spices, sissy sweetness or fruitiness, this straight-shooting hot sauce isn't shy or receding in flavor or appearance (yes, that's the old Stars and Bars on the label).

Use this bold and savory all-purpose hot sauce anytime you want to add some heat to your food without changing its flavor. It's great at the table on everything from breakfast (eggs any style, hash browns, even grits and especially in red-eye gravy) to lunch (sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fast-food, etc.) and dinner (anything grilled, smoked, baked, fried, broiled, slow-cooked or served raw, and on takeout of course). You can use it in any recipe that calls for hot sauce or that could use a spicy wake-up call: Chili, meatloaf, homemade hot wings, your secret BBQ sauce recipe, rice & beans, on nachos, in dips, with Mexican or Cajun favorites, in spaghetti sauce and more.

Buy Lynyrd Skynyrd Hot Sauce while it's on sale -- it's a unique gift idea, too!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria