Top 10 Best-Selling Salsa, Wing Sauce & Condiments for 2013

Salsa, mustard and wing sauce, oh my! Plus ketchup and steak sauce, too! If you enjoy high-quality, great-tasting zesty condiments to liven up your burgers, hot dogs, wings, nachos, steaks, eggs, sausages and more, it's time to try one or more of our best-selling condiments from the Carolina Sauce Company:

1. Gator Hammock Swamp Mustard comes to us from Florida and gets its feisty tang from locally grown hot peppers. Seductively sassy with a mellow tropical sweetness from juicy ripe guavas, this mustard will make your taste buds sing whether you eat it with brats or kielbasa, burgers or hot dogs, ham sandwiches or turkey clubs, salt-sprinkled pretzels or breaded chicken tenders.

2. Bone Suckin' Sweet Hot Mustard is pourable and dippable but still thick enough to spread on sandwich bread. Made in North Carolina using only natural ingredients, it's pleasantly peppery without burning, and gently sweet without cloying. You can also use it for basting ribs and roasts, and add it to recipes like potato salad, egg salad and the like.

3. Pain is Good Honey Habanero Screaming Wing Sauce is a relative newcomer to the Carolina Sauces online store, and yet it was our best-selling hot wing sauce last year. From the makers of the world-famous Pain Is Good Hot Sauces, this fiery-sweet chicken wing sauce delivers big-time in the flavor and heat departments. All-natural and made with olive oil instead of butter or margarine, it will satisfy wing lovers who are ready to move beyond standard Buffalo sauces.

4. Melinda's Black Pepper Ketchup is a far cry from the mass-produced, super-sweet, one-dimensional kid stuff sold in supermarkets. Using only the finest all-natural ingredients and absolutely NO high fructose corn syrup, this superb ketchup boasts true tomato flavor with just the right balance of natural sweetness and savory spice with a pleasantly piquant bite. Take your hamburgers, scrambled eggs, French fries and other old favorites to new heights when you dress them up with this spicy gourmet ketchup.

5. Anchor Bar Original Buffalo Wing Sauce is THE hot wing sauce that began the chicken wing craze some decades ago at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Medium in heat with that trademark cayenne tang and buttery mouthfeel, this one is the real deal and a favorite of purists when it comes to genuine buffalo wings and buffalo shrimp.

6. Naga Jolokia 10 Hot Wing Sauce raises the stakes when it comes to ultra-hot "suicide wings" made in the Buffalo style. The searing heat comes from the legendary ghost pepper (also called the naga or bhut jolokia chili). But this wing sauce also tastes good, thanks to a rich and zesty blend of tomatoes and specially selected spices. It's made with real butter, too.

7. Walkerswood One Stop Savory Sauce is reminiscent of classic American steak sauces, but with a delightful tropical twist. Bananas and mangoes join the usual tamarind and raisins found in ordinary steak sauces, while nutmeg, allspice and thyme add a touch of Jamaican flair to the basic blend of spices and savory ingredients used in regular steak sauces. The end result is a multidimensional, food-friendly condiment that any steak, burger, roast, chop or other hearty meat would be proud to wear.

8. Dave's Insanity Ghost Pepper Salsa is the latest iteration of Insanity Salsa from Dave's Gourmet, and this time he's taken the heat to new levels of madness with the addition of ridiculously hot ghost peppers. If you are brave enough -- and have a sufficiently strong stomach -- to eat this super-hot salsa, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover that it actually tastes good and is not just about the burn, which builds slowly but steadily with every bite. Other than the heat level, it's a classic tomato salsa that pairs naturally with chips, tacos, nachos, burritos, enchiladas and everything else you like to dress up with hot salsa.

9. Ass Kickin' Habanero Mustard is a southwestern style mustard with a hefty habanero kick. Whole mustard seeds are ground together with horseradish for a powerful sinus-clearing punch, but don't worry, there's a touch of honey to soften the blow and bring everything together into a top-class zesty mustard for everyday use.

10. TIE Peppers Original Blue Crab Salsa and Key West Key Lime Salsa: One of my favorite salsas from a jar is the original Blue Crab Salsa from Peppers. It's a traditional tomato, pepper & onion salsa that's medium in heat and has real Maryland blue crab meat mixed in! Sounds weird? It isn't. It's phenomenally good if you like crab, and is wonderful straight from the jar, with chips, on nachos, in quesadillas or over seafood enchiladas, and even as an alternative to traditional tomato sauce for pasta. Another unusual but delectable salsa is Key West Key Lime Salsa, with a bright citrusy flavor from real Key lime juice. Zesty, sassy and lightly sweet with just the right amount of jalapeno heat, it's refreshing like a warm tropical breeze at the beach -- and it pairs beautifully with salty chips, chicken nachos and more.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Wing Sauces, Salsas & Condiments for 2012

Now's the time to start planning your menu for watching the Big Game, and we've got the zesty salsa, spicy wing sauces and full-flavored mustard & other condiments you need. Regardless of whether you and your friends are cheering for different teams in the Superbowl, you'll probably all agree that our best-selling products are crowd-pleasing winners.

Without further ado, here are the ten best-selling salsas, wing sauces and condiments at the Carolina Sauce Company for all of 2012:

1. Peppers Original Blue Crab Salsa: This is one of my favorite salsas on the planet. Made with chunky tomatoes and peppers plus real Maryland blue crabmeat, it's medium-spicy, freshly flavorful like homemade salsa, and will delight anyone who loves crab.

2. Dave's Insanity Ghost Pepper Salsa: This insanely hot tomato salsa is only for hard-core chileheads and serious fiery-foods fanatics. Smooth rather than chunky, a healthy (or unhealthy, depending on your perspective) helping of bhut jolokia aka naga jolokia aka ghost peppers is blended with tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, habaneros and a dash of capsaicin extract--as if the fiery peppers didn't provide enough heat.

3. Crazy Jerry's Margarita Butt Burner Hot Salsa: As its name suggests, this hot, tropical tomato salsa was inspired by the Margarita and is spiked with a shot of tequila. Limes and pineapples provide the requisite tangy citrus notes, while green chiles, serranos, jalapenos and habaneros deliver the heat. It's like a fiesta in a jar!

4. Pickapeppa Brown Sauce: Similar to a steak sauce in appearance and flavor, this spicy brown sauce is ubiquitous in the Caribbean where it is enjoyed with red meat as well as bean dishes and chicken. Medium-hot and with a robust, rich and complex flavor with a touch of sweetness and fruit, it's superb on steaks, burgers, chops, roasts and other hearty fare.

5. Key West Key Lime Salsa: This sweet and citrusy tomato salsa gets is medium heat from jalapenos and its sunny island tang from real key lime juice. It's a natural with tortilla chips and other salty dippers, as well as on all your favorite Mexican, Tex-Mex and Southwestern foods. Try it with breaded shrimp instead of your usual cocktail sauce!

6. Bone Suckin' Sweet Hot Mustard: This North Carolina favorite is lusciously sweet with a sassy jalapeno kick. Slather it on sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers, enjoy it as a dip for pretzels or chicken fingers, use it as a glaze on ribs and ham, and blend it into your favorite prepared salads (e.g., tuna, egg, potato, macaroni, etc.).

7. Melinda's Jalapeno Ketchup: If you've been longing for a grown-up, wholesome spicy ketchup that tastes great, isn't too sweet and has a good medium-hot burn, this is the one for you. All-natural and with NO high fructose corn syrup, this mouthwatering ketchup is hot enough to please most fans of fiery foods but not so hot that you can't enjoy the flavor of your food.

8. DEFCON 2 Medium Wing Sauce: This award-winning Buffalo style wing sauce is probably my favorite of all the Buffalo wing sauces I've ever tried. Its classic cayenne tang will please the purist and its silky-smooth, velvety-rich mouthfeel is proof that it really is made with cream and not margarine or oil. Best of all, it won't drip off your wings (or Buffalo shrimp), so you can relish in every last bit of goodness and even lick your fingers if no one is watching.

9. Busha Browne's Planters Steak Sauce: If you're bored with everyday supermarket steak sauces and are ready to replace your tired old condiments, this spicy (but not fiery) steak sauce is for you. Mangoes and Seville oranges add a hint of tropical fruit to the traditional savory steak sauce base, and crushed red peppers provide a peppery kick to keep things interesting.

10. Melinda's Habanero Ketchup: This fiery-hot ketchup is just as flavorful and wholesome as Melinda's other ketchups, but significantly hotter thanks to the generous addition of fresh habanero peppers. Use with care or be prepared to burn (twice). But if you can handle the heat, go ahead and pour it on your burgers, scrambled eggs, French fries and anything else you'd normally eat with ketchup.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 5 Zesty Burger Condiments

Flickr photo by emerson12

Today is National Cheeseburger Day, so it seems appropriate to list my top five favorite burger condiments, from 5th to 1st. Whether you prefer grass-fed beef or fast-food fare, veggie burgers or venison patties, or any other style of cheeseburger in between, you won't go wrong with one or more of these zesty condiments:

5.  Barbecue Sauce: Many people who enjoy barbeque sauce on burgers--particularly on grilled cheeseburgers topped with cheddar or pepperjack cheese--are looking for a big, bold tomato based BBQ sauce that's a little bit sweet and a little bit sassy to complement the hearty flavors of the burger. My favorite for pouring on a burger is Outta the Park BBQ Sauce, a North Carolina original that's not a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, but rather a classic All-American sauce with lots of savory-sweet tomato. The Original finishes with a bit of a spicy kick while the Hot & Spicy version adds a secret blend of hot peppers for a feisty heat.

4.  Relish:  While a lot of burger enthusiasts stick with traditional pickle relish made from cucumber, I prefer the flavor and fire of a good, spicy pepper relish. An excellent choice is Texas Longhorn Bread & Butter Jalapeno Dip, chock-full of chopped green jalapeno peppers pickled in a tangy-sweet "bread and butter" style brine for a burst of fiery heat and mouthwatering relish-like flavor.

Spicy Pickles

3.  Pickles: You either love them or hate them on your cheeseburger. I love them. And because I tend towards hot & spicy foods when given a choice, my recommendation is Tabasco Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles. There's just enough peppery heat to tickle your tastebuds, while the garlic provides a pleasant pungency that complements the meatiness of a good burger (and also enhances the flavor of veggie burgers).

2.  Mustard:  I must confess that most of the time, I don't put mustard on my cheeseburger if I'm eating a beef burger.... but if the patty is made from another ground meat such as venison, chicken or turkey, or if I'm eating a veggie cheeseburger, the sharp tang of a good mustard makes the overall flavor more enticing, at least to my palate. And when I'm faced with a non-beef burger and I'm craving a meaty flavor, my choice of mustard is Jim Beam Bacon Mustard. It's a classic American mustard that's dressed up with a splash of Kentucky bourbon and the unmistakeably meaty, smoky flavor of bacon.

Black Pepper Ketchup

1.  Ketchup:  Hands down, my favorite condiment for a cheeseburger (or any burger) is ketchup, ideally a high-quality ketchup like one of Melinda's Ketchups, made with the finest all-natural ingredients and no high-fructose corn syrup for a grown-up, gourmet flavor that's neither one-dimensional nor cloyingly sweet like the major brands you find at the supermarket.  Melinda's Ketchups come in five different varieties with varying levels of spice: The mildest is her Black Pepper Ketchup with an upscale flavor and a touch of peppery zip; next is Melinda's Jalapeno Ketchup with a pleasant medium heat and distinctive jalapeno pepper tang; then there's her Chipotle Ketchup with similar heat but that earthy chipotle smokiness; then for serious chileheads Melinda makes a fiery-hot Habanero Ketchup that's one of the hottest (and tastiest) on the market; and finally there's the incendiary Naga Jolokia Ketchup made with the notorious ghost pepper, considered by many to be the world's hottest hot pepper.

What's your favorite cheeseburger condiment? Leave us a comment below to let us know, or tell us on the Carolina Sauce Facebook page. We love hearing from you!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Are You Brave Enough to try the World's Hottest Ketchup?

Buy Melinda's Naga Jolokia Ketchup

The Naga Jolokia pepper, also known as the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, is widely recognized as the hottest chile pepper in the world. Hailing from India, this infernally fiery pepper is magnitudes hotter than a habanero pepper. While ghost pepper hot sauces have exploded in popularity since the arrival of the jolokia pepper on the mass market--we even offer a brand-new Ghost Pepper Hot Sauces Gift Box just in time for Father's Day--its use has been limited mostly to extreme hot sauces appealing only to hard-core chileheads, veteran fiery-foods fanatics, and hot sauce collectors.

Lately, however, we've seen the introduction of a few somewhat more "mainstream" products featuring the naga jolokia pepper as an ingredient, namely salsas (with Da Bomb Ghost Pepper Salsa and Jolokia 10 Salsa being the best-known), Jolokia 10 Mustard, and even flaming-hot peanuts dusted with jolokia powder and aptly named Da Bomb Ghost Pepper Nuts. So it was just a matter of time before the infamous naga jolokia made its way into that ubiquitous pantry staple that's beloved by kids as well as more than a few adults: Ketchup.

Melinda's Naga Jolokia Ketchup is quite possibly the hottest ketchup on the planet. But unlike some other ghost pepper products, this super-hot ketchup is not a gimmick. True to Melinda's heritage, this Naga Jolokia Ketchup is about superior flavor along with the fiery heat. As with all of Melinda's products, this ketchup is all-natural and does not use high fructose corn syrup for sweetness, relying instead on pure cane sugar and glucose to enhance the natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes. And the spices in this ketchup were carefully chosen to complement the jolokia pepper and pay tribute to its Indian heritage: Along with garlic and onion, Melinda's adds a dash of cinnamon and a nip of cloves. The net effect, other than being astoundingly hot, is surprisingly flavorful and pleasing to (whatever is left of) your taste buds.

A word of caution: If you are brave enough to try ghost pepper ketchup, start off with a VERY small dab on your food until you are comfortable with the heat level. You can always add more....

So, are YOU brave enough to try Melinda's Naga Jolokia Ketchup? If so, please leave a comment to tell us what you think!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: Like all other Melinda's Ketchups and nearly all of her other products, Melinda's Naga Jolokia Ketchup is certified Kosher.

New from Melinda's: Black Pepper Ketchup

Ketchup often gets a bad rap--and often deservedly so. Most supermarket ketchups taste more like sugar than tomatoes and are made with  "questionable" ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup. It's no wonder so many people either outgrow their childhood love of ketchup, or guiltily cling to it in private as they discover other condiments with greater depth of flavor and higher-quality ingredients.

If you've been a "closet" ketchup lover like me, secretly longing for a ketchup that would satisfy your craving for sweet-tangy tomato flavor but with a richer, more developed flavor and healthier ingredients, Melinda's Black Pepper Ketchup is for you.

This ketchup actually tastes like real tomatoes, isn't cloyingly over-sweetened with high-fructose corn-syrup, and finishes with zippy zest.  Like all other Melinda's Ketchups, her black pepper ketchup is all-natural and Kosher, so you know it's wholesome and better for you than the mass-produced ketchups from the grocery store. But just as importantly, this ketchup tastes so good you won't be ashamed to pour it on your scrambled eggs, hash browns, burgers, fries, hot dogs or other foods.

Naturally sweetened with glucose instead of HFCS, Melinda's Black Pepper Ketchup displays a refreshingly grown-up balance of sweetness and spice, with savory ingredients like onions and garlic, a tangy counterpoint provided by vinegar and lime, and a pleasantly peppery bite that sparks your taste buds without burning. In addition to serving all your tomato-condiment needs, Melinda's Black Pepper Ketchup will prove indispensable in family favorites like meatloaf, sloppy joes, homemade barbecue sauces, American goulash and other recipes.

Buy Melinda's Black Pepper Ketchup while it's on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company, and experience what ordinary ketchup wishes it could grow up to be.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you want a ketchup with a spicier kick, check out Melinda's Jalapeno Ketchup, the smoky-hot Melinda's Chipotle Ketchup, the fiery Melinda's Habanero Ketchup and the super-hot Melinda's Naga Jolokia Ketchup.

Bacon Hot Sauce, Bacon BBQ Sauce & Bacon Ketchup!

If your motto is, "Everything's better with bacon," then the following three new products are for you.

First, there's Bacon Hot Sauce, created as a result of a discussion among friends over which was better on everything, hot sauce or bacon.  It finally dawned on one of them that the correct answer--at least for them--was BOTH!  Turns out they weren't the only ones to think so, as Bacon Hot Sauce has developed quite a passionate following among people who like to spice things up and wish they could have bacon with every meal.

Bacon Hot Sauce is similar to an all-purpose cayenne pepper sauce, only better:  Cayenne and New Mexico chiles add dimensional flavor along with their relatively mellow heat, and the natural bacon flavor provides that unmistakable smoky meatiness usually found only in cooked bacon.  The end result is a pleasantly peppery, bacony hot sauce that won't burn you out (it's on the mild side for a hot sauce) and that will deliver genuine bacon flavor without any of the fat or calories found in bacon.  If you're a heat-loving baconista, this is a must-have item for your table, kitchen, pantry, purse or computer bag, RV, camping or hiking gear, picnic basket, tailgating supply kit, tackle box, etc. (trust me, you'll want to have a bottle everywhere you eat).


Second, there's Jim Beam Bacon BBQ Sauce, blending three great tastes into one winning combination:  Thick, rich, tomato barbecue sauce; savory grilled bacon, and smooth Kentucky bourbon.  As with the hot sauce, this Bacon Barbecue Sauce lets you enjoy your favorite flavors on all sorts of food without the additional fat or calories found in bacon, and without the alcohol buzz from drinking bourbon (in other words, the whole family can safely enjoy Jim Beam Bacon Barbecue Sauce without blowing their diet or blowing a breathalyzer test).  The heat level is definitely mild--not more than a mere zesty zip that's not hot--and there's enough bold, savory tang to stand up to the most robust grilled fare like ribs, chops and game meats.  But other foods also take nicely to this bacon barbecue sauce:  Slather it on chicken, fish, shrimp, grilled veggies and kabobs, or mix it into meat loaf, baked beans and other recipes for a touch of bacony richness without greasiness.  Bring a bottle of Bacon BBQ Sauce to your next block party or tailgate event to be the hit of the party!

Last but definitely not least, we have Slappin' Fat Bacon Ketchup, for those of us who believe that ketchup is one of the four basic food groups.  As with the other two bacon-infused sauces, eating Bacon Ketchup with every meal is healthier than eating bacon with every meal, because the only thing "Fat" about this bacon condiment is its name.  Beginning with a traditional sweet, tomato-ey flavor and texture, this ketchup veers deliciously away from "ordinary" to EXTRAORDINARY with the masterful addition of natural bacon flavor and a suggestion of rich, bacony mouthfeel.  Pour it on your hamburgers for "bacon" burgers even when you're out of bacon.  Ditto with scrambled eggs, hash browns and other breakfast fare.  Dip your French fries, onion rings and other finger foods in bacon ketchup for an addictively tasty experience.  Add it to any recipe calling for regular ketchup to add heavenly bacon goodness without grease.  Once you try Slappin' Fat Bacon Ketchup, there will be no going back to plain-Jane supermarket ketchup ever again.

Bacon Hot Sauce, Bacon Barbecue Sauce and Bacon Ketchup are all currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  If you've read this far, you're probably a bacon addict--which means you'll definitely want to pay a visit to our partner BaconFreak to check out their extensive bacon offerings.  And to experience some of the best bacon on the planet, you'll need to buy North Carolina bacon from our partner Johnston County Hams.

Jacob's Crazy Good Ketchup

Label for Jacob's Crazy Good Ketchup

I've been a big fan of Mrs. Picky Fanicky's MmmMarmalades and Chutney ever since they came on the market:  Old-fashioned, hand-made and scrumptious, her all-natural creations are lovingly made in small batches in NC, and are chock-full of wholesome flavor the entire family will enjoy.  Recently, Mrs. Picky was kind enough to give me a sample of a brand-new product created by her son Jacob using their homegrown tomatoes:  Jacob's Crazy Good Ketchup.  Being an admitted ketchup fanatic who has tasted more than her share of supposed improvements on this ubiquitous (and often rather boring) condiment, I couldn't help but wonder if Jacob's ketchup would indeed be "crazy good."

A little background is in order before I describe the ketchup:  For a while now, Jacob has been growing and selling tomatoes and other produce at the local farmer's market as a means of funding his Eagle Scout project.  And for years, he and his mom would process and can their extra produce to make sauces and marmalades, and enter them in the NC State Fair cooking competitions (to much success, I may add).  Last year, Jacob decided to try his hand at making ketchup using the extra tomatoes he had.  He entered his recipe in the State Fair competition, and came home with a first place blue ribbon!  With the help of his family and friends, and with the valuable information he's learning as a member of Future Farmers of America while in high school, Jacob is in the process of bringing his product to market.  But instead of turning over production to a commercial co-packer (bottler), Jacob and his mom are doing the work themselves at the Eastern Carolina Food Ventures Incubator Kitchen, which is part of James Sprunt College.  By taking this hands-on approach, not only are they able to ensure that their recipe is followed to a T and that the freshest, highest quality locally-sourced ingredients are used, but also that each batch of ketchup meets their exacting standards before being bottled.

Now for the ketchup itself:  My sample bottle didn't include a list of ingredients, but Mrs. Picky did tell me that Jacob's Crazy Good Ketchup is made with real tomatoes (not commercial tomato paste), apple cider vinegar, white pepper, and absolutely NO corn syrup or artificial ingredients.  You can actually see the little bits of herbs and spices in the ketchup (unlike commercial mass-produced ketchups), and the color is more of a brick red instead of bright fire-engine red.  The texture is thick and very smooth, not at all gritty or watery or thin, and perfect for pouring--and staying--on burgers and sandwiches.  The aroma is full of tomato goodness, like homemade tomato soup simmering on the stove.  And the flavor: Unlike any other ketchup I've tasted, and indeed crazy-good!  While I'm usually not a fan of overly-sweet ketchups--and Jacob's ketchup is sweet, but NOT overly so--this ketchup doesn't have the tell-tale cloying flavor of corn syrup.  I'm guessing from the flavor that Jacob is using honey instead, which would also account for the subtly floral flavor notes and the brick red color.  The cider vinegar provides just the slightest hint of tang, while the spices and seasonings add depth of flavor and keep the ketchup from being too sweet.  Jacob's Crazy Good Ketchup tasted terrific on my veggie burger, and I'm pretty sure it would delicious on regular hamburgers as well as other typical ketchup foods:  Fries, onion rings, omelets & scrambled eggs, etc.  Its flavor would also work quite well in recipes that call for ketchup, like meatloaf, sloppy joes, baked beans and the like, and I'm looking forward to playing with my sample in the kitchen.

Jacob's Crazy Good Ketchup isn't on the market yet--in fact, it's my understanding that the first batch is being made this weekend at the Eastern Carolina Incubator Kitchen.  But when it is, I predict that it will do quite well.  Be on the lookout for this all-natural, North Carolina ketchup made by an inspirational young man and his mom, and if you try it please leave a comment to let us know how you like it!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  If you live in the Eastern part of NC and are interested in starting a food business, you may want to consider Eastern Carolina Food Ventures Incubator Kitchen located in Warsaw, NC.  This regional, shared-use commercial incubator kitchen was established as a collaborative effort of James Sprunt Community College, Duplin County, and Pender County.  Its mission is to help food entrepreneurs create new food businesses, grow existing food businesses and provide workforce development in order to create new jobs and bolster economic development in eastern NC, a historically depressed area.  For more information, check out their website.

PPS:  If you're a fellow ketchup fanatic and enjoy spicy ketchup, you can find all three flavors of Melinda's Spicy Ketchups (Jalapeno, Habanero and Smoky Chipotle) on our Mustards & Ketchups page--and they're all-natural, Kosher, and full of flavor with peppery heat!

Think Outside the Jar for Zesty Sandwich Condiments

Are you guilty of automatically reaching for a jar of bland mayonnaise or ho-hum yellow mustard when slapping some cold cuts on bread for a quick sandwich?  It's time to think outside the jar and add some zest to your sandwich!  Here are three of my favorite ways to bring an ordinary sandwich to new heights of flavor:

1.  Marie Sharp's Exotic Sauce:  Similar to a steak sauce, but with brighter, livelier flavors and a subtle touch of tropical fruit with a feisty peppery finish, this all-natural condiment from Belize is amazingly good with roast beef, burgers, and other hearty sandwiches.  Do you have some leftover rotisserie chicken or roast turkey?  Make a sandwich and splash on some of this sauce for a real treat.

2.  Blues BBQ Chipotle Mustard Pepper Sauce:  Sure, it's a hot sauce, but its rich texture and mustard flavor make it the perfect fiery alternative to everyday mustard.  The chipotle adds a smoky depth that works wonders with chicken, turkey and ham sandwiches.

  3.  DEFCON Wing Sauces:  These award-winning Buffalo style wing sauces are simply too good to be limited to chicken-wing use alone.  Surprisingly thick and creamy, they're great for adding tang and spice to roast chicken or turkey sandwiches as well as any meat sandwich.  Stir some DEFCON sauce into your favorite tuna salad, chicken salad or even egg salad to wake up your taste buds.  I prefer to use the mildest (DEFCON 3) or medium (DEFCON 2) for sandwiches, but if you're a serious chilehead you might prefer the ultra-hot DEFCON 1.

And if you're a purist and insist on using mustard and/or ketchup in your sandwiches, then it's time to think outside the grocery store and try some of these unique, flavor-packed mustard and ketchup brands that you can get from the Carolina Sauce Company.

What's your favorite sandwich condiment that's "outside the jar?"  Please leave a comment to let us know!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top Ten Best-Selling Mustards & Ketchups for 2010

Here is our list of the top ten Best-Selling Mustards and Ketchups (or catsups, if you prefer) for 2010 at the Carolina Sauce Company online store:

1. For the second consecutive year, our best-selling mustard was Bone Suckin' Mustard, a North Carolina favorite from the same folks who make the world-famous Bone Suckin' Sauce. Bone Suckin' Mustard is sweet and spicy, can be used for dipping and as a spread, and you can use it in cooking too--in fact, it comes with free recipes when you order it from us.

2. Moving up dramatically to finish as our best-selling ketchup (and second place on this list) was the fiery-hot Melinda's Habanero Ketchup, an all-natural, HFCS-free, savory ketchup that gets its blazing-hot heat from a hefty dose of habanero peppers. Use with caution on anything you'd use ordinary ketchup on: burgers, fries, onion rings, scrambled eggs, hot dogs, etc.

3. Also jumping up several slots from 2009 to 2010 was Melinda's Jalapeno Ketchup, a zesty, savory, all-natural ketchup (no HFCS) with plenty of jalapeno tang and medium-hot burn. This is my "go-to" ketchup at home, and once you taste it you'll never go back to regular grocery store ketchup (unless, of course, you live with a hot sauce wimp who needs the mild, sweet "kid stuff")

4. Another condiment I use at home finished 4th on this list last year: Texas Pete Honey Mustard Sauce, which is made in NC despite the name. Unlike other honey mustards, this one is less sweet and has a nice tang as well as a pourable consistency, so you can enjoy it as a salad dressing, a dip for pretzels and other finger food, or a condiment for sandwiches and grilled sausages.

5. The smoky-hot, all-natural Melinda's Chipotle Ketchup finished fifth on our list of best-selling ketchups and mustards. This all-natural ketchup is a favorite of foodies and chileheads with its rich, complex flavors and NO high-fructose corn syrup.

6. Durn Good Hot & Spicy Mustard is made in NC and lives up to its laudatory name. This traditional yellow mustard is spiced with just the right amount of peppery heat for a pleasant medium kick that will wake up your hot dogs, deviled eggs, brats, sandwiches, and anything else on which you slather it.

7. Dave's Hurtin' Habanero & Honey Mustard is an award-winning mustard that blends fiery-hot habanero peppers and red chiles with sweet honey for a tantalizing taste that enhances grilled foods and dresses up sandwiches & hot dogs.

8. The sweet and mildly spicy Burning Asphalt Zesty Jalapeno Ketchup from upstate New York broke into the top ten last year with a very respectable 8th place finish.

9. Another newcomer to the annual top ten list was Ass Kickin' Mustard, a Dijon style mustard that gets its feisty kick from habanero peppers and horseradish.

10. Completing our list of the top ten best-selling mustards and ketchups for 2010 was Burning Asphalt Blazin' Habanero Ketchup, a sweet ketchup with enough habanero and jalapeno heat to satisfy serious fiery foods fanatics. The racing-themed label makes this hard-to-find spicy ketchup an ideal gift for auto racing fans who like their food HOT.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

New Lower Price on Melinda's Habanero Ketchup!

Here at Carolina Sauce Company, we believe in passing along great deals to our customers whenever we can. Consistent with that philosophy, we're now offering Melinda's Habanero Ketchup at a new lower price! Originally $6.50 for a 13oz bottle, our new price is only $5.99 for the same size bottle. Melinda's all-natural ketchups are quite possibly the finest ketchups you can buy, made with only the highest-quality ingredients, absolutely NO high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and nothing artificial at all -- plus they're Kosher, too! As a result, all three varieties of Melinda's ketchups tastes like real tomatoes, not some overly-sweet little-kids' condiment. Melinda's Habanero Ketchup is spiced with ripe red habaneros for a fiery kick that's hot but not unbearable, making it the perfect grown-up condiment for folks who enjoy hot & spicy foods. And at only $5.99 for a full-size bottle, you can now enjoy the best at a great lower price!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

All Burning Asphalt Sauces Are Back In Stock!

Fans of zesty foods will be thrilled to learn that all Burning Asphalt sauces and condiments are now back in stock at the Carolina Sauce Company online store! Made by a small family business in the tiny town of Forestville in rural upstate New York, Burning Asphalt first caught my attention with their spicy and tasty Buffalo wing sauces, including their innovative Ranch Wing Sauce which adds a touch of creamy ranch dressing to their traditional Buffalo wing sauce recipe. But this company with the racing-inspired name and logo (they're huge NASCAR fans) isn't just about wing sauces. Burning Asphalt also makes a wonderful line of fiery and flavorful hot sauces (currently on sale), ranging from tangy jalapeno to flaming habanero, plus a habanero-garlic and a sweet garlic hot sauce as well.

This affinity for blending food-friendly flavor with peppery fire is perfected in Burning Asphalt's spicy ketchups, including Zesty Jalapeno and Blazin' Habanero. Ideal for chargrilled hamburgers, hot dogs and other hearty fare but also quite good with scrambled eggs and sausage, these sweet tomato ketchups feature just the right amount of heat for folks who like a little kick (jalapeno) as well as for those who enjoy playing with fire (habanero). You'll never go back to ordinary grocery store ketchup once you've tasted Burning Asphalt Ketchups. Don't despair if you prefer mustard over ketchup: Burning Asphalt also makes an elegantly delicious White Wine Dijon Mustard that will please even the most discriminating palate (and it's not spicy, so even kids will enjoy it).

And since Burning Asphalt is located in the vicinity of New York's Amish community, it only makes sense that they should also have a couple of old-fashioned barbecue sauces made with farm-fresh ingredients including juicy apples and sweet honey. Featuring an Amish horse & buggy logo on the label, both the Dutch Honey Smoked BBQ Sauce and the Dutch Apple BBQ Sauce are thick and rich, packed with layers of mouthwatering flavor, and are marvelous on ribs, chicken, and anything else you grill. And if you're a steak lover, you've gotta try both varieties of Burning Asphalt Steak Sauce (which are on sale), including their zippy Homestyle Steak Sauce and their sweet & spicy Sweet Pepper Steak & Dipping Sauce.

All of these wonderful Burning Asphalt products are once again available at the Carolina Sauce Company, and now is the time to order them for your Memorial Day cookout!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: In celebration of National BBQ Month and National Burger Month, you can save 10% off all Burning Asphalt barbeque sauces, ketchups and mustards when you use our special blog coupon!

Carolina Sauce Newsletter: May is National BBQ, Burgers & Salad Month!

Coupon Sale for National BBQ, Burgers & Salad Month!

If you love BBQ, burgers, or salads (or all three), you're in luck: May is National BBQ Month as well as National Burger Month, and vegetarians can join in the fun by celebrating National Salad Month! The Carolina Sauce Company can help you celebrate AND save you money. Simply use the coupon code May2010Blog and we'll give you 10% off ALL barbecue sauces, burger condiments, and salad dressings, including already-discounted sale items, no minimum order size required. Now is the time to stock up for your Memorial Day cookout or picnic! This coupon is valid through May 31st, and is good on the following products:

*All BBQ sauces

*All Mustards and Ketchups

*All relishes, which include: Crunchy & tangy-sweet Chow Chow relishes in Mild and Hot, mild & tangy-sweet Sweet Pepper Relish, hot & tangy-sweet Habanero Pepper Relish, fiery-hot & savory (not sweet) Mama T's Hot Pepper Relish, ultra-hot and sweet Twenty-Pepper Relish, and spicy-hot & savory Just My Taste Jalapeno Sauce & Dip

*All condiments, which include: Fiery and tangy-sweet Mixed Hot Pepper Rings, spicy-hot and savory-tart Hot Dill Pickle Chips, and our all-time best-selling product, the tangy mustard-ketchup burger sauce from Greensboro NC called Castle Sauce

*All salad dressings, which include: Mama T's Olive Oil Vinaigrette (a classic herb vinaigrette dressing that's hand-made in the NC Outer Banks) and Thomas Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (a unique vinaigrette with a zesty tomato twist from a splash of BBQ sauce)

Get 10% off the above products when you use the coupon code May2010Blog. Enter the coupon online in the "coupon code" section of the billing page, or mention the coupon when ordering by phone. This coupon is valid during the ENTIRE month of May, and you can use it more than once, so order as often as you wish during May to save $$$ while celebrating National BBQ, Burgers and Salads!

Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts

Still haven't found the perfect Mother's Day gift? Here are some beautiful and thoughtful gifts she's sure to love:

*Send breathtaking florist-arranged flowers of the highest quality, all at a reasonable price, such as the Sweet Serenade mixed bouquet of roses, lilies, stock, daisy poms and more, arranged inside a sleek lavender vase decorated with a wearable heart locket and chain.

*Gorgeous fresh flower bouquets shipped directly from the grower, including 12 pastel premium long-stem roses accented with greenery and Baby's Breath

*Pamper your Mom with the luxurious and indulgent So Serene Spa Essentials Gift Basket, or send her a bountiful Gourmet Gift Basket loaded with fabulous foods, delightful snacks and candy confections -- or how about the Bon Appetit Taste of Italy Gift Basket filled with delicious imported treats such as Parmesan bruschetta crisps, Tuscan style dipping herbs, Los Olicos wine biscuits and more.

*Moms are sure to enjoy the magnificent Gourmet Breakfast Basket, a beautiful cloth-lined muffin/bread basket filled with fantastic breakfast favorites including classic buttermilk pancake mix, New England maple syrup, cinnamon nut coffee, Perugina chocolates, cappuccino rolled wafer cookies, European sipping chocolate and more!

*For more last-minute gift options including fresh lobster & steak dinners, fine coffees & wine accessories and more, click on the link boxes at the top of the left column of this blog to see our offerings and select that special gift. Next-day and even same-day delivery options are available!

Latest Zesty New Products

Our newest products offer something for everyone, from mild & tasty to fiery-hot. Check these out:

Bone Suckin' Poultry Seasoning & Rub: From the makers of Bone Suckin' Sauce, this mild and savory-sweet seasoning features an all natural blend of herbs and spices that pair perfectly with chicken, turkey, cornish hens and more. The whole family will love the finger-lickin', bone-suckin' good flavor!

Blue's Chipotle Mustard Pepper Sauce is fiery-hot and robustly flavored with smoky chipotle and zesty mustard in a rich, thick base. Wonderful on everything from burgers to sandwiches to pizza to Tex-Mex and more -- and it's ON SALE!

Carolina Sauce Co. Mixed Hot Pepper Rings are deli-style "bread & butter" (sweet/tangy) pickled hot pepper rings made in the NC Mountains from locally grown hot peppers and all-natural ingredients. Terrific on burgers, subs, sandwiches & more, these zesty hot pepper rings are on sale AND you'll get an extra 10% off when you use the coupon code May2010Blog!

Carolina Sauce Co. Three-Pepper Hot Sauce is made in the Piedmont region of NC from all-natural ingredients and features jalapenos, cayenne and black pepper in a tangy-sweet vinegar base. A tasty, all-purpose hot sauce, it also makes a great spicy-hot sauce for Eastern NC style pulled pork BBQ -- and it's ON SALE!!

May is Military Appreciation Month - Send Free Sauce to a Soldier

Operation Sauce Drop is our non-profit program that sends free gift boxes of sauce to US military personnel stationed abroad. To date, we've shipped over 900 free gift boxes to our deployed military, at absolutely NO cost to them. Our cost to purchase and ship each free gift generally runs from $20 to $25. The troops really appreciate the free sauce, as you can see from the thank-you notes to donors and photos they've sent in. Want to send a soldier a taste of home and bring a smile to his or her face during Military Appreciation Month? Then please donate to Operation Sauce Drop. You can also shop to support Operation Sauce Drop, where some or all of the purchase price of the products goes straight into Operation Sauce Drop (you get the products you order, and the money you pay is used to send free sauce to the troops).

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Melinda's Spicy Ketchups

I love ketchup. There, I've admitted it. Always have loved it, and always will. As a kid, I'd slather it on almost everything except dessert. As an adult, however, the red stuff found in grocery stores is not my preference as it's too sweet, with a boring one-dimensional flavor and no zip, plus it usually has high-fructose corn syrup. If you think you've outgrown ketchup for those reasons, or if you've only had grocery store brands, let me introduce you to a new world of ketchup, courtesy of Melinda's Spicy Ketchups. These all-natural ketchups are packed with real tomato flavor, sweetened with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, and spiced with just the right amount of hot chile peppers for a zesty kick that will complement, not overpower, your foods.

Melinda's Jalapeno Ketchup has a tangy, peppery zip that's on the mild-medium side, making it perfect for scrambled eggs and other breakfast dishes, as well as for any other normal "ketchup application" that could use a wake-up call. If you have adventurous kids who enjoy a bit of spice, I'll bet they'll love this ketchup. If you like food with zip but not fiery heat, then this is the Melinda's Ketchup for you. On the other hand, if you live for fire, then check out Melinda's Habanero Ketchup, with a seriously fiery habanero kick! It's especially good with heartier fare like burgers and other grilled meats, or in recipes where you want to ratchet up the heat (hot & spicy meatloaf, anyone?). And if you enjoy earthy, smoky flavors, then Melinda's Chipotle Ketchup is sure to make you smile. Made with real chipotles (smoked jalapenos), this rich, complex ketchup is also great on burgers and anything grilled, as well as with Tex-Mex egg or sausage breakfast dishes. And of course you can dip french fries and onion rings in any of Melinda's Ketchups.

You can get all three flavors of Melinda's Spicy Ketchups at the Carolina Sauce Company online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Burning Asphalt Zesty Ketchups

Nestled in upstate New York's Amish country, the folks at Burning Asphalt Sauces have brought us tangy Buffalo style wing sauces, old-fashioned BBQ sauces and flavor-packed hot sauces -- and now they bring us two spicy ketchups that are sure to please fans of zesty foods. For serious chileheads who enjoy fiery foods, there's Burning Asphalt Blazin' Habanero Ketchup. Made with plenty of fresh, fiery habanero peppers and piquant jalapeno peppers, Burning Asphalt Habanero Ketchup packs serious heat in a thick, sweet tomato base. Make sure you have a frosty beverage handy if you tend to slather this habanero ketchup on your burgers and fries with abandon!

If you're looking for a spicy ketchup that's more of a medium burn, then Burning Asphalt Zesty Jalapeno Ketchup is the one for you. The same thick, sweet tomato ketchup base is spiced with fresh jalapenos and milder peppers for a pleasant heat that will complement your food without overwhelming your taste buds. Use either of Burning Asphalt's hot & spicy ketchups just as you would use ordinary ketchup: On hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, meatloaf, scrambled eggs, hash browns and anything else that could use a tangy-sweet, tomato-pepper kick. Both flavors are currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria