Carolina Sauce Closed for Vacation July 2 thru July 12

Beginning this Friday July 2nd, through Monday July 12th, the Carolina Sauce Company will be closed to give its hardworking employees some vacation time with their families -- and also for some off-site creative planning on new features for our customers, examining some exciting potential opportunities, and working on additional fundraising for Operation Sauce Drop, our non-profit program that sends free hot sauce and BBQ sauce to US troops stationed abroad. You can still place orders online at the Carolina Sauce Company online store while we are closed, but those orders will be shipped after we re-open on Tuesday July 13th. Although no one will be available to answer the phone while we are closed, you can leave us voicemail or send us email (I will have some access to email while out of town), and we will reply after we reopen on the 13th. We'll still be fully operational tomorrow Thursday, July 1st, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce

Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce is a classic West Indian hot sauce made from a traditional recipe featuring fiery scotch bonnet peppers in a tangy mustard base. If you want to experience a true Caribbean scotch bonnet hot sauce, you can't go wrong with this one from Grand Cayman Island. While the heat of the hot peppers definitely takes center stage, the mustard and authentic island seasonings provide richness of flavor that will complement any savory dish. The combination of mustard and fiery heat make this hot sauce an excellent choice for all sorts of grilled fare, from robust meats to succulent chicken. But because Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce is *not* a vinegar hot sauce, it will also nicely complement fish, seafood and other more delicate fare without overpowering the food. And as you can imagine, it's simply wonderful on any type of Caribbean dishes, from conch fritters to meat patties to red beans and rice. I turned a relatively boring veggie burger (yes, I do eat those from time to time!) into a spicy tropical burger by omitting my usual condiments and instead splashing on some of this zesty hot sauce and topping the burger with finely sliced green onions.

Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce has zero carbs and is low in sodium, with only 65 mg per teaspoon -- and you probably won't need an entire teaspoon to season an individual serving of food unless you're one of those folks who douses everything with hot sauce. And if you are, then you'll be VERY glad to know that a full-size 5 oz bottle of Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce is currently on sale for only $3.50 a bottle at the Carolina Sauce Company online store, so you can get several bottles without breaking your budget!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Lip Lickin' Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce

Here's a delicious, versatile and healthy barbecue sauce the whole family can enjoy: Lip Lickin' Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce, from Greensboro, North Carolina. Made in the Piedmont or western NC style (tomato & vinegar base) using the finest all-natural ingredients, this sauce is far more substantial in body and flavor than your typical eastern NC vinegar BBQ sauce. The tomato and vinegar are perfectly balanced for a sauce that's not too sweet and not too tangy, with just a very subtle hint of natural hickory smoke and a touch of pepper for some zip but no heat, so it won't burn more sensitive palates. Lip Lickin' Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce is thick enough to use for basting ribs, chicken, fish, kabobs etc., but it's nowhere near as thick as a Kansas City or Memphis style sauce. Thus, it's also a great sauce for marinating and for making western NC or Piedmont style pulled (or chopped) pork barbecue. I also like using it as a dipping sauce, and Greg mixed some into ground venison for juicy, flavor-packed venison burgers (obviously you could do this with ground beef for hamburgers).

If you're a vegetarian or simply wondering whether you can use Lip Lickin' Sauce in non-meat dishes, the answer is a resounding YES! It's a great way to add some tang to baked beans, green beans, steamed or grilled veggies, and even portobello mushrooms -- marinate and then grill or broil the mushrooms. You can also splash Lip Lickin' BBQ Sauce on cooked collards, turnip greens, spinach and other greens. And I suspect you could make a tasty homemade BBQ vinaigrette by whisking in some olive oil or your favorite salad oil, and then pouring the dressing over your salad or other veggies, or using it for three-bean salad or corn salad. And if you like to steer clear of artificial ingredients, HFCS, gluten or wheat, or high-fat sauces, you'll be glad to know that Lip Lickin' Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce is indeed all-natural, gluten-free (no wheat), has no high-fructose corn syrup and is fat-free. In sum, this BBQ sauce tastes better and better for you and your family than your regular mass-produced grocery store barbecue sauces. Lip Lickin' Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company, so order it online now to receive it in time for your Fourth of July cookout!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Blair's Mega Death 20/20 Limited Edition Hot Sauce is Here!

In celebration of their 20th anniversary, the folks who make the infamously hot Blair's Death Hot Sauces have released special Limited Edition versions of their sauces -- and I'm happy to inform you that Blair's Mega Death Hot Sauce, 20/20 Limited Edition is now available from the Carolina Sauce Company! If you are not a fan of ultra-hot hot sauces, the type that can only safely be used one micro-droplet at a time, then you might as well stop reading now. But if you are a fiery foods fanatic who prefers fiendishly hot ultra-hot sauces, or if you are a hot sauce collector or know someone who is, you'll be interested in knowing more about the Limited Edition Blair's Mega Death. Yes, it still comes with the Blair's trademark skull keychain, and the label still has all the warnings about this sauce requiring extreme caution when handling and dilution if ingesting. But the original Mega Death recipe has been tweaked -- and therefore improved -- so if you actually decide to use this stuff (and you haven't previously destroyed your taste buds), you'll pick up more of the tropical flavors in this sauce. The more-noticeable fruitiness still comes from guava, and you should pick up the zing of ginger, and the earthy sweetness that's from molasses rather than sugar.

If you collect hot sauces, or need a gift for someone who does, I recommend you get a bottle of Blair's Mega Death 20/20 Limited Edition as soon as you can, because Blair's only made a limited quantity of this hot sauce and this collector's item is sure to sell out quickly, just as the Blair's Sudden Death 20/20 Limited Edition did around Father's Day. And don't worry, we didn't raise the price on the Mega Death Limited Edition sauce, as it's still just $9.95 when you order it from Carolina Sauce.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Independence Day Sale!

The Fourth of July is next Sunday, so if you're planning an Independence Day BBQ, block party, cookout, get-together with friends & family, or other celebration during the long weekend, NOW is the time to get the barbecue sauces, marinades, hot dog & burger condiments, salsa & relish, pickles & snacks and anything else you need to make your celebration a real crowd-pleaser. The Carolina Sauce Company is here to help, with always-low prices AND many BBQ sauces, condiments and seasonings currently on sale. To help you get started, check out these personal favorites of mine, on sale while supplies last:

***D'Vine Foods Muscadine BBQ Sauce, a unique tomato-vinegar-mustard barbecue sauce blended with sweet North Carolina muscadine grapes, only $4.99 for a 12oz bottle!

***Mama T's Seasonings, family recipes that are hand-blended in small batches on the NC Outer Banks by Mama T's daughter, the tangy Ranch Seasoning (great on chicken & veggies) and savory Seafood Seasoning are on sale -- and Mama T's also has a robust Mesquite Seasoning (great on steak, pork chops, & in ground beef) and a Cuban-style Tropical Island Seasoning (superb with poultry, seafood & veggies), too!

***Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning, blending plenty of ground habanero pepper fire into the original Pig Pen's spice blend, this seriously hot BBQ rub & seasoning is definitely for fiery-foods fanatics -- all others, proceed with extreme caution OR stick with the moderately spicy Pig Pen's Original Seasoning. Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning is on sale for only $4.99 a bottle!

***Bubba's Special Sauce, a spoonably thick tomato & pepper hot sauce (no vinegar!) that makes a devilishly delicious topping for burgers as well as a dipping alternative to salsa, only $4.99 for a 9 oz jar (almost twice the size of your average hot sauce bottle!)

***Melinda's Chipotle Ketchup, all-natural, packed with real tomato flavor and smoky-spicy chipotle, and NO high-fructose corn syrup, only $5.99 for a 13oz bottle!

***Carolina Sauce Co. Mixed Hot Pepper Rings, made in the NC mountains, these tangy, sweet & spicy pickled hot pepper rings are great on burgers, brats, kielbasa, subs and more -- only $4.99 for a 16oz jar!

***Just My Taste Jalapeno Dip, delivering pure jalapeno flavor & fire, it's great as a fiery condiment, an alternative to salsa, and blended with cream cheese as a zippy dip - comes with lots of FREE recipes, only $5.50 for a generous 16oz jar!

***Both flavors of Burning Asphalt Steak Sauces, favorites of NASCAR and Indy fans everywhere and much better tasting than any grocery store steak sauce (to borrow a slogan, they make every burger a steakburger), each under $5 a bottle!

***Mel's BBQ Sauce, a mouthwatering, tangy vinegar-mustard Carolina barbecue sauce for everything from pulled pork to chicken, and great as a marinade too, only $4.75 for a 16oz bottle!

This is just a sampling of the many delicious items currently on sale at Carolina Sauce. To find more tasty bargains, simply search the Carolina Sauce online store for the words "on sale", or look for the special RED sale prices when browsing through our offerings.

Want to save even more? Follow SaucyGlo on Twitter and be on the lookout for a special Twitter-only coupon to get 10% off EVERYTHING at the Carolina Sauce online store, including already-discounted sale prices! I promise to Tweet this coupon within the next 2 to 3 days, so make sure to follow me (SaucyGlo) if you're not already!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy Mango Chicken Salad

This zesty chicken salad is inspired by tropical flavors, and is wonderful on its own, in a sandwich, or on a bed of lettuce. Make it for your Fourth of July cookout and wow your guests!

Ingredients
2 cups cooked diced chicken (I like using rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken breast)
1 jalapeno OR habanero OR scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and diced
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
2 Tbs finely sliced scallions or green onions (including some of the green)
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 cup diced mango (reserve the juice from the fresh mango)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt, drained
1 Tbs lemon or lime juice (fresh-squeezed)
1 Tbs mango juice (from when you peeled & diced the fresh mango, OR you can purchase mango juice from a Latin or Indian or other specialty market)
Dash or two of chili powder

Combine all ingredients, cover and chill several hours or overnight. That's it!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you love mango and enjoy spicy foods, you'll flip over Pickapeppa Mango Sauces from Jamaica -- just like the old Ruth's Mango Sauces, and all-natural, too!

Spicy Deviled Clams

Most folks are familiar with deviled crabs, but if you've never had deviled clams, here's a recipe you need to try! A basic, uncomplicated vinegar-pepper hot sauce is best for this recipe. Serves 6.

Ingredients
1 pint clams, drained & chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbs finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (I use freshly cracked)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 to 3 dashes (to taste) hot sauce, such as Durn Good Hot Sauce or Texas Pete Hot Sauce
1 Tbs chili sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cracker meal
2 Tbs chopped parsley
2 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a saute pan, then saute the onion, celery and garlic until softened. Stir in the next 7 ingredients, then add the clams and the egg. Stir well and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in the cracker meal and parsley. Grease 6 large clam shells or ramekins, then fill with the clam mixture. Combine the melted 2 Tbs of butter with the bread crumbs, then sprinkle on top of each shell or ramekin. Bake at 375F degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

If You're in the Raleigh-Durham Area...

We often have folks call or email to ask us where our store is located. As we explain on our website, the Carolina Sauce Company does not operate a retail store that customers can visit, as we are only an online retailer. We do operate a commercial warehouse and office here in Durham, NC, but they're not open to the public. However, if you are in or near Durham and would like to pick up an order of hot sauce, barbecue sauce or other zesty products without having to pay for shipping, we'll gladly set up an appointment for you during business hours. All you need to do is email us (sales"AT"carolinasauce"DOT"com) with the following information:

1. The names of the products you want to buy, and how many of each, AND

2. What days and times would be convenient for you to come pick up your order (please give us at least 24 hrs so that we can make sure the products you want are in stock AND that we're available to meet you - we can't guarantee same-day pickups)

We'll then reply with the total for your order (products plus sales tax - there is no charge for pickup), and with your appointment date and time. We will also include instructions for where to meet us, and how to pay (we can acccept either a NC check payable to Carolina Sauce Company, Inc., or cash with exact change - we don't keep cash at the warehouse and therefore cannot make change, and we also cannot accept credit cards for pickup orders).

I hope this helps those of you who are in the Durham-Raleigh area, or who are planning on traveling to or through this area and would prefer not to have to pay for shipping. If you have any questions, or need help placing an order, please don't hesitate to contact us, or check our info page.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Portuguese Peri-Peri BBQ Steak with Zesty Rice

This recipe is from the folks at Nando's Chickenland Restaurants, and features their exotic and delicious Peri Peri BBQ Marinade, which is based on an old colonial Portuguese recipe and gets its touch of heat from the South African peri-peri pepper. This recipe feeds 2 but you can multiply it as needed to feed more. You can cook the steak on the stove, or grill it outdoors.

Ingredients
2 sirloin steaks
4 to 6 Tbs Nando's Peri Peri Barbecue Marinade
1 cup brown rice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lemon, juice & zest
2 scallions or green onions, chopped (including some of the green part)
Canola oil (or other oil with a high smoke point)

Cook the rice according to package instructions. While the rice is cooking, mix together the cilantro, lemon juice, zest and scallions. When rice is done cooking, stir this mixture into the rice, cover and keep warm while you cook the steaks.

Slice the steaks into finger-width strips. I like to marinate the strips in the Nando's Marinade for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, but the original recipe doesn't call for this.

If cooking on the stove, heat a little bit of oil in a saute pan until very hot but not smoking. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add the Nando's marinade and allow to bubble and sizzle for a couple of minutes until the meat is cooked to your preferred doneness.

If grilling the steak, make sure the grill grate is clean and then brush it with oil. Sear the steak strips on all sides over high heat, then finish cooking over indirect heat, brushing frequently with the Nando's marinade, until the meat is cooked to your preferred doneness.

Serve the steak strips over the seasoned rice, and keep the bottle of Nando's BBQ Marinade handy in case anyone wants more sauce on their steak. A green salad completes the meal.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Father's Day Sale, No Coupon Necessary!

In honor of all the great Dads out there, the Carolina Sauce Company is having a huge Father's Day sale on select barbecue sauces, hot sauces, steak sauces, hot wing sauces and more! Just look for the red sale prices, or look for the words "On Sale" when you click on a product category tab in our online store and browse through the list of products in that category. You can also search the Carolina Sauce Company store for the words "on sale" and that will show you a list of all the products currently on sale. These special sale prices are good only while supplies last, so don't delay! And Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you ran out of time to get Dad a Father's Day gift, don't despair - send him an electronic Gift Certificate from the Carolina Sauce Company!

Apple BBQ Country Ribs

Start this easy recipe in a Dutch oven, and then finish the ribs on the grill, basting with apple butter barbecue sauce. These country-style ribs are finger-lickin' good, and will feed 4 hungry people, or up to 6 with sides.

Ingredients
4 lbs pork country-style ribs
Salt & pepper
1 jar Carolina Sauce Co. Apple Butter BBQ Sauce

Place the country-style ribs in a large Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover the ribs, bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until the ribs are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove ribs from Dutch oven and sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper. Place ribs on grill rack directly over slow coals (or on low if using a gas grill) and cook for about 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. During the final 15 minutes, baste the ribs frequently with apple butter BBQ sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side for dipping.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Best-Selling Hot Sauce, BBQ Sauce etc. for May 2010

The category-specific best-selling sauces and seasonings lists (hot sauces, BBQ sauces, snacks, gift sets, etc.) have been updated again at the Carolina Sauce Company online store for May 2010. Below are some highlights (at least one per category), with links to each highlighted product as well as each list so that you can see the complete lists:

*Best-Selling Hot Sauces: If you're looking for an authentic Mexican hot sauce that's fiery-hot, look no further than El Yucateco Salsa Picante Green Habanero Hot Sauce, made with green habanero peppers and our 6th best-selling hot sauce for May. If you prefer something a little less intensely hot but still packed with peppery flavor, check out Hog's Breath Key West Green Hot Sauce, from the famous Hog's Breath Saloon in Key West FL and featuring green jalapenos (our 10th best-selling hot sauce in May).

*Best-Selling Barbecue Sauces: If you want a rich, bold barbecue sauce that works wonders with ribs as well as chicken, is flavorful but not too spicy so the whole family can enjoy it, AND is made with all-natural ingredients and no high-fructose corn syrup, try our very own Apple Butter BBQ Sauce, which came in 10th last month on our list of best-selling barbecue sauces. For every jar sold, we donate $1 to Operation Sauce Drop, our nonprofit program that sends free sauce to deployed troops!

*Best-Selling Marinades & Dressings: If you want to wow your friends and family with an exotically delicious marinade at your next cookout, use the mildly spicy Nando's Peri-Peri BBQ Marinade and the fiery Nando's Hot Peri-Peri Marinade, both made in South Africa and featuring the African birds-eye pepper (also called the peri peri pepper). These delicious all-purpose marinades finished 4th and 7th, respectively, on May's list of best-selling marinades and dressings.

*Best-Selling Rubs & Seasonings: With a mouthwatering blend of sweet & savory seasonings and a cute name, it's no surprise that Bear-Man Tummy Rub was our third best-selling dry rub last month - AND it comes with a free recipe brochure! Making a very impressive debut (8th place) is the brand-new Bone Suckin' Poultry Seasoning, which is a milder version of the original Bone Suckin' Rib Rub with a few added herbs and spices that work especially well with chicken and other poultry.

*Best-Selling Salsa & Relish: It's hard to believe an authentic southwestern-style salsa verde like Pepper Dog Salsa Verde is made in NC, but this smoky-tangy-spicy tomatillo salsa is the real deal when it comes to flavor, and it was our 5th best-selling salsa or relish last month. Another delicious and unique North Carolina product, Red's Sweet Salsa, completed our top ten best-selling salsa list -- and unlike other sweet salsas, Red's Sweet Salsa is not made with fruit but rather features traditional chunky salsa ingredients like tomato, peppers and onions, for the perfect complement to salty chips. Red's Sweet Salsa is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company!

*Best-Selling Jerks & Curry: More of a Jamaican steak sauce or condiment than a standard jerk sauce, Walkerswood One Stop Savory Sauce from Jamaica blends authentic jerk spices with other island seasonings for a robust, zesty tropical flavor that's great on just about everything, and won't burn out your taste buds. Walkerswood One Stop Savory Sauce was 7th on May's list of best-selling jerk products, and it's a real bargain at only $3.99 a bottle!

*Best-Selling Mustards & Ketchups: If you're bored with ordinary grocery store ketchup and are ready for some grown-up ketchup with a robust, spicy and smoky flavor, you need to try Melinda's Chipotle Ketchup, made with real chipotles, tomatoes and other all-natural ingredients (and no HFCS), last month's 5th best-selling ketchup or mustard -- and currently on sale at Carolina Sauce!

*Best-Selling Wing Sauces: If you love chicken wings and want to try something different from the standard Buffalo wing sauce, try Tony's Birdland Hot Wing Sauce (7th best-selling wing sauce for May) or Tony's Birdland Mild Wing Sauce (10th best-selling wing sauce for May) from the famous wing joint in Rochester NY, featuring a finger-licking-good tangy-sweet flavor that's also great with grilled or roasted chicken, stir-fry, shrimp, veggies and more.

*Best-Selling Gift Sets: Our two all-time best-selling gift sets are our Mild NC BBQ Sauce Gift Set (9th in May) and our Hot NC BBQ Sauce Gift Set (10th in May), each with 6 sauces representing the different regional styles of Carolina barbecue, and both gift sets come with lots of free recipes.

*Best-Selling North Carolina Products: The very first product that the Carolina Sauce Company began selling back when we started in 2003 was Jim's Own Homestyle BBQ Sauce (5th best-selling NC product in May), which is an addictively tasty vinegar-tomato (Piedmont style) barbecue sauce with a slightly sweet tang. The spicy-hot Jim's Hot BBQ Sauce (8th best-selling NC product in May) adds habanero peppers to the original recipe, and is one of my personal favorites. Both varieties come with free recipes!

*Best-Selling Snacks & Sweets: If you like snacking on peanuts and enjoy spicy foods, you'll love Firehouse Nuts, which are smoked-habanero-seasoned peanuts that come in a firefighter-themed can. These are one of my favorite snacks (in fact, I have an open can on my desk right now), and were our 8th best-selling snack or sweet last month.

*Best-Selling Steak Sauces & Pasta Sauces: If you love robust, homestyle spaghetti sauce that's packed with rich, slow-cooked flavor but don't have hours to spend in the kitchen, you need to try Santo & Josie Tomato-Eggplant Pasta Sauce (our 4th best-selling pasta or steak sauce in May), made from an old Sicilian recipe using all-natural ingredients and currently on sale at Carolina Sauce -- and it's also part of our Sauce for a Cause program. And as usual, our best-selling steak sauce in May was Castle Sauce, which also happens to be our all-time best-selling product across all product categories.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy Garlic Croutons

These easy homemade croutons are a great way to add zesty crunch to salads and soup. There are no set ingredient amounts; simply season to taste.

Ingredients
French bread
Olive oil
Garlic Salt OR Garlic Powder
Ground Red Pepper OR Ground Habanero (for really hot croutons)

Preheat oven to 300F degrees. Slice bread into thick slices, about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil, then sprinkle each side with garlic salt or garlic powder. Then lightly sprinkle one or both sides with ground red pepper OR ground habanero pepper - sprinkling both sides will result in hotter croutons. Using a serrated bread knife, carefully cut each bread slice into 1/2 to 1 inch-wide vertical strips, then cut horizontally to make cubes. Place cubes on a baking sheet and bake at 300F degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until the cubes are dry and crisp. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container. Use within 3 days.

Variation: For spicy herb croutons, replace the garlic salt or powder with Big Daddy's Superb Herb Seasoning.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Double-Deviled Crab

If you like hot & spicy foods, this fiery deviled crab recipe is for you! You can bake it in a casserole dish, or in crab shells or six scallop shells - the only difference is the baking time. Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup minced sweet onion, like Texas or Vidalia(R)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs minced jalapeno (deseeded)
1 lb crabmeat, picked over to remove any cartilage
1 1/2 cups saltine cracker crumbs
2 Tbs freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Cayenne pepper sauce, like Dave's Cool Cayenne Sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs, beaten
Butter, softened (for dotting on the crab mixture)
Ground cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place butter in 1 1/2 qt casserole dish, then place dish in oven to melt butter. Once butter is melted, add the onion, parsley and jalapeno, stir and return to oven, cooking until the parsley wilts and the veggies soften. Spoon softened veggies into a bowl, then stir in the crabmeat, cracker crumbs, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard, salt and a dash or two (to taste) of cayenne pepper sauce. Pour in the cream and eggs, and stir well combine. Spoon the crab mixture back into the casserole dish, or into crab shells or 6 scallop shells. Dot with butter, then lightly sprinkle with ground cayenne pepper (to taste). If using the casserole dish or crab shells, bake for 30 minutes at 350F degrees. If using scallop shells, bake for 20 minutes at 350F degrees.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: This spicy-hot crab appetizer is especially good when served with rich and elegant Thomas Gourmet Crab Cake Sauce or cool and creamy Fish Camp Tartar Sauce, to help tame the fiery heat.

Thomas Gourmet Pineapple Chutney

If you enjoy exotic tropical flavors and rich texture in your food, you will love Thomas Gourmet Pineapple Chutney, an all-natural, sweet-savory chutney from Greensboro, North Carolina. Made with ripe, juicy pineapples, sweet raisins, zippy ginger and other tropical ingredients and spices, this seductively delicious chutney is thick and chunky, with an occasional crunch due to the inspired addition of slivered almonds. Thomas Pineapple Chutney is divine on fish and seafood, chicken and poultry, and with pork chops, ham and roast pork. It's also a fabulous addition to stir-fry, rice, and Asian noodle dishes. Use it on your sandwich as an exotic condiment, and pair it with cream cheese or brie to enjoy on croissants, toast, bagels, crackers, etc. This wonderful chutney may be made in NC, but the flavor definitely says, "island vacation!" And best of all, Thomas Pineapple Chutney is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: You can order this Pineapple Chutney by the jar, or as part of our two-jar Gourmet Chutney Gift Box

Redneck BBQ Cabbage

This zesty recipe comes to us from the folks at George's BBQ Sauce, who tell us that it was created by John from Nashville NC.

Ingredients
1 medium spring cabbage (pointed head works best)
1/2 cup George's Hot Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 stick butter, cut into pats
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut about 3 inches from the top of cabbage. Pour water and George's Hot Sauce into cabbage. Add salt, pepper and butter. Put top back on cabbage and hold together with wooden toothpicks. Wrap cabbage in heavy aluminum foil. Cook on gas grill over indirect heat at about 325F degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender, turning every 15 to 20 minutes. Serve in quarters or chopped, using the reserved liquid to pour over cabbage.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: This recipe needs to be made with a vinegar BBQ sauce, like George's (an eastern NC barbecue sauce). If you want to make this recipe but don't have George's Hot BBQ Sauce, make sure you use a NC style vinegar-based barbecue sauce, and not a thick tomato-based barbeque sauce. You can search the Carolina Sauce Company online store to find more Eastern NC barbecue sauces.

Six Zesty Last-Minute Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is next Sunday, June 20th. Still shopping for the perfect Father's Day gift? Don't despair, the Carolina Sauce Company is here to help, with 6 zesty Father's Day gift ideas that can arrive by Father's Day, all well under $50 (plus shipping & handling):

1. For the Dad who loves to barbecue and is King of the Grill, check out our Grilling Pary Gift Sets, in Hot and Mild, each featuring a variety of 9 different BBQ sauces, seasonings, condiments and snacks for enjoying on the grill or with your favorite grilled foods -- only $45 each! And if Dad's a fan of Carolina style BBQ, he's sure to love our North Carolina BBQ Gift Sets, in Mild and Hot, each featuring a NEW selection of 6 authentic NC barbecue sauces representing the different regional styles of North Carolina 'cue, only $29.99 each!

2. If Dad likes to hunt and enjoys venison and other game, this Hunter's Gift Set is the perfect gift, featuring 3 sauces that are especially good for marinating, grilling and cooking game, plus a flavorful dry rub developed by a hunter for tenderizing and seasoning wild game and other hearty fare -- still only $21.99!

3. If Dad loves seafood, or if he's a fisherman who enjoys dining on his catch, give him our Seafood Lover's Gift Set, with 6 delicious sauces, seasonings and condiments including gourmet cocktail sauce, crab cake sauce, tartar sauce, Crabanero Hot Sauce (made with Old Bay(TM) seasoning!) and more, at a new LOWER price of only $25.99!

4. For the Dad who likes to brag that nothing's hot enough for him, there's the Dave's Insanity Sauce Deluxe Gift Set, featuring all 4 heat levels of Dave's Gourmet Insanity Sauce (including the original AND Dave's Ultimate Insanity Sauce), plus Dave's Insanity Salsa, Dave's Insanity Mustard, and Dave's Insanity Popcorn -- only $40.99!

5. If Dad collects hot sauces, you can still get him a hand-signed and individually-numbered limited-edition bottle of Dave's Insanity Sauce 2009 Private Reserve, made with the Naga Jolokia "Ghost" pepper (the world's hottest chili pepper) and packaged in a wooden coffin wrapped with yellow "caution" tape -- only $39.99 BUT only a limited number remain, and once it's sold out, it's gone for good

6. Still not sure what to get Dad? Or don't want to worry about shipping costs or delivery times? Then how about a Carolina Sauce Company Gift Certificate, available from $15 to $100 and redeemable by Dad on anything he wants from the Carolina Sauce Company online store. These electronic Gift Certificates are sent via email (no paper is wasted, no trees are killed) AND we store a copy in our order system so you don't have to worry about Dad losing it -- and best of all, our electronic Gift Certificates NEVER expire!

As always, you can call (919-286-1080) or email (sales"AT"carolinasauce"DOT"com) the Carolina Sauce Company if you have any questions or concerns, or would like assistance placing an order. Don't wait too long, as Father's Day is next Sunday, June 20th!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Crabanero Hot Sauce is Here!

Crabanero Hot Sauce arrived at our warehouse today and is once again available at the Carolina Sauce Company online store! Better still, Crabanero is currently on sale, so you can save money when you stock up! For those of you unfamiliar with Crabanero Sauce, it's a fiery habanero hot sauce that's blended with savory Old Bay(TM) seasoning for a flavor that's especially good with all sorts of fish and seafood, and also adds a tasty kick to Bloody Marys, chicken wings, chili and anything else on which you'd use a "regular" hot sauce.

Now that Crabanero is back, it's once again included in our Seafood Lover's Gift Set, which also includes Thomas Fish Camp Tartar Sauce and Cocktail Sauce, Mama T's Seafood Seasoned Salt, Peppers Blue Crab Salsa and Thomas Crab Cake Sauce -- in sum, everything a fish and seafod lover could ever desire. And we've even LOWERED our already-discounted price for this gift set to just $25.99 for all 6 delicious sauces and seasonings, making it the perfect Father's Day gift for a Dad who loves seafood!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Thomas Gourmet Cranberry Chutney

I have a confession: I love cranberry sauce and could eat it year-round, especially the real deal made with whole cranberries and all-natural ingredients (but I'll admit that I even have a soft spot in my heart for the jellied canned stuff). I also enjoy cooking with cranberries year-round and always stock my freezer in the fall when fresh cranberries are available in the grocery store. If enjoy cranberries too, I have good news: Thomas Gourmet Cranberry Chutney is now available all year, and not just around Thanksgiving and Christmas! This all-natural sweet and savory chutney is packed with tart cranberries, sweet apples, golden raisins and a dash of exotic spices and zippy ginger for fabulously rich flavor that you'll enjoy year-round with all sorts of savory foods. As you can imagine, this cranberry chutney is ideal with turkey, chicken, duck, goose, Cornish hen and other fowl including game birds like pheasant, quail and dove. But it is also remarkably good when paired with meats like pork chops and roast pork, grilled steak, venison and other meats. Combine some cranberry chutney with prepared horseradish for an elegant accompaniment to roast beef or London broil. Blend it with softened cream cheese to enjoy on bagels, croissants, toast, and even as a condiment for cold deli sandwiches, especially turkey or chicken breast sandwiches. Or if you're a hard-core cranberry freak like I am, enjoy it straight from the jar with pita wedges, chips, pretzels, bagel crisps or crackers.

Thomas Gourmet Cranberry Chutney is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store, and you can also order it as part of a two-jar chutney gift box either combined with another flavor of Thomas Chutney or as two jars of the cranberry. Like all Thomas Chutneys, the cranberry chutney is fat-free, all-natural, and very low sodium.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy Creole Sauce

This spicy and flavorful creole sauce is wonderful with chicken, fish and seafood, red beans and rice, and all sorts of meats and veggies, especially when accompanied with rice. This recipe makes 2 cups and freezes well.

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion like Vidalia(R) or Texas
2 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 bay leaf
3 Tbs olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder OR Louisiana Bayou Blend Seasoning
Several dashes of cayenne pepper sauce, such as Dave's Cool Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil until starting to turn translucent, then add bay leaf, garlic and bell pepper. Sautee until the peppers are soft and onion is translucent. Add remaining ingredients, stir well and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning

If you love fiery foods and are searching for really fiery dry rub that also delivers great flavor, look no further than Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning from Salisbury, North Carolina. This all-natural savory seasoning starts with the same special spice blend as Pig Pen's Original Seasoning, but then ratches up the heat to super-hot levels with the addition of plenty of ground habanero and cayenne pepper. You can use it the same way as the original -- as a dry rub for pork, ribs, chicken and other meats, and as a seasoning for seafood, veggies, fries, eggs and more -- but be sure to apply the Hot & Spicy Pig Pen's sparingly, as this baby is HOT (and that's coming from someone who loves really spicy foods). When we were first sampling this product, Greg made some Onions & Peppers a la Pig Pen as if he were using the original, and the end result was hotter than he could handle (and it was at the upper end of my heat scale), BUT the flavor was phenomenal. Since then we've learned to use a lot less of the Hot & Spicy version -- and the nice thing about that is that you'll really get your money's worth from a bottle!

Like the Original Pig Pen's Seasoning, the hot & spicy version is much more than a dry rub for meat and chicken. You can use it as a substitute for seasoned salt or pepper in breadings, sprinkled on broiled or grilled or steamed vegetables, added to ground meat for burgers, and even as a fiery popcorn seasoning. And also like the original, one serving of Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning has no carbs, so it's ideal for folks on low-carb diets who also enjoy hot and spicy foods. If you like spicy foods and wish the original Pig Pen's was hotter, but you aren't sure if the new Hot & Spicy version might be too hot, here is my recommendation: Get a bottle each and then mix some of each together to create your own personalized level of heat. Since the basic spice blend is the same for both versions, you won't dilute that great Pig Pen flavor while adjusting the fiery heat to suit your personal preference. Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company, so treat yourself today -- or give some to your favorite Dad for Father's Day!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Crabanero is Coming Back!

Good news for fans of Crabanero Hot Sauce: It's coming back to the Carolina Sauce Company! Our original supplier stopped carrying this product a while back, but we now have a new source and our fresh inventory will soon be on its way to us. For those of you unfamiliar with this unique hot sauce, Crabanero blends Old Bay(TM) seasoning with fiery habanero peppers for a hot sauce that's ideal on seafood, especially crabs, oysters, shrimp and fish, whether steamed, boiled, broiled, fried, baked or grilled. You can also make feisty and flavorful Bloody Marys and clam chowder with a splash or two of Crabanero Hot Sauce, and add it to stews, casseroles, hot wings, stir-fry dishes and other recipes.

We already have some folks who have asked us to notify them as soon as Crabanero is available again. If you would like to be added to our Crabanero list, please email us at sales"AT"carolinasauce"DOT"com (we publish our email that way to reduce spam - simply substitute the symbol @ for the word "AT" and a period for "DOT"). You can also follow SaucyGlo on Twitter to receive my Tweet announcing the arrival of Crabanero, as well as other zesty news.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Check Out the New Dinosaur BBQ Sauce Labels!

Dinosaur BBQ is a honky-tonk style barbeque joint in upstate New York that's as famous for its finger-lickin' good ribs as for its colorful clientele (it's quite popular with bikers). I had the pleasure of eating at their Rochester location when I was up in the area last March, and the group I was with all agreed that everything we had -- the saucy ribs, BBQ chicken, cajun-seasoned fish, and several side dishes -- was indeed quite good. For some years now Dinosaur BBQ has bottled and sold their delicious Dinosaur BBQ sauces, and the sauces now have a cool new look thanks to updated labels. Better yet, both the sweet & tangy Dinosaur Roasted Garlic Honey BBQ Sauce and the fiery-hot Dinosaur Wango Tango Habanero BBQ Sauce now come in generous 19 fl. oz. bottles. And best of all, Dinosaur BBQ has tweaked their bottled recipes to more closely replicate the robust flavor you'll experience at the restaurant, using all-natural ingredients and no artificial preservatives. The sauces are also gluten-free, which will please folks who need to use gluten-free barbecue sauce. The Habanero Wango Tango sauce is best for fiery-foods fans who prefer hot & spicy flavors, while the Roasted Garlic Honey BBQ Sauce is sure to please the entire family with its stick-to-your-ribs texture, mellow sweetness, subtle smokiness and food-friendly tomato-mustard tang.

So if you're looking for a thick, rich and flavorful barbecue sauce made with top-notch ingredients to slather on your ribs or mop on your chicken -- or if you're from upstate NY and miss the hearty food at Dinosaur BBQ -- make sure to get some Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauce to enjoy at home!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

May's Top 10 Best-Selling Sauces & Seasonings

Here are the overall top ten best-selling sauces & seasonings across all product categories at the Carolina Sauce Company for the month of May:

1. Wells Hog Heaven BBQ Sauce is an authentic eastern NC vinegar-based barbecue sauce with NO tomatoes and plenty of tangy flavor. Ideal for Carolina pulled pork BBQ, Wells Barbecue Sauce also works well as a marinade for chicken.

2. Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce comes from Trinidad & Tobago and is thick & spicy hot, with a touch of tropical fruit -- wonderful with chicken, seafood, and grilled meats!

3. Castle Sauce is an old-fashioned burger and steak sauce from Greensboro NC with an addictively tasty mustard-ketchup flavor that the whole family will love.

4. Buderim Ginger Bears come from Australia and are made with real Australian ginger, for a zippy gummy-bear treat that's not too sweet

5. Calhoun's Charcoal Grill Seasoning is made with real charcoal and is a great way to add char-grilled flavor to steaks, burgers & more when you cook indoors or on a gas grill

6. Busha Browne's Pukka Sauce is a flavor-packed all-purpose hot sauce from Jamaica that's based on an old colonial recipe (not a jerk sauce), and it's a great way to spice up anything from breakfast eggs to lunch sandwiches to all sorts of savory foods

7. Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is the quintessential Jamaican jerk paste (wet rub), packed with aromatic herbs & spices and fiery scotch bonnet peppers for genuine Jamaican jerk flavor

8. Scott's BBQ Sauce is a spicy-hot eastern NC vinegar BBQ sauce (no tomatoes or sugar) made from a hundred-year-old family recipe that's perfect for folks who like their pulled pork barbecue with a fiery kick and plenty of tang

9. Georgia Peach & Vidalia Onion Hot Sauce is a luscious, mildly hot sauce featuring sunny peaches and sweet vidalia onions in a rich, food-friendly base -- wonderful on anything grilled, plus fish & seafood, poultry, burgers and more

10. Scorned Woman Hot Sauce is a traditional vinegar-pepper hot sauce made with a special blend of peppers for plenty of fiery heat -- splash it on served food or add it to recipes like chili, stews, greens, ground meat dishes, etc.

We'll soon update the category-specific best-seller lists to reflect May's sales, and I'll post the highlights here, so stay tuned!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy Grilled Red Pepper & Rosemary Sauce

Here's a delicious homemade spicy red pepper sauce that's fabulous on chicken, beef, pork, shrimp and even grilled vegetables. Try it on a sandwich for gourmet flavor! For best results, use your grill to roast the peppers -- but you can also use your broiler if you keep your eye on it to avoid burning the peppers.

Ingredients
2 large red bell peppers
1 red jalapeno pepper
3 Tbs plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp crushed fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Make sure your grill grate is clean, to prevent the peppers from sticking. Place the whole peppers on the grill over direct heat. Cook on each side until the skin is charred on all sides. As each pepper is completely done, place it in a paper bag and close tightly to steam the peppers for about 10 minutes. Remove peppers from bag and rub off the skin to peel (it should come off easily after steaming, if you completely charred them) - use gloves to handle the jalapeno! Remove the stem from each pepper and cut lengthwise to remove the seeds (again, use gloves to handle the jalapeno).

Place the peeled and seeded peppers in a food processor or blender, then add the oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and salt. Puree until smooth. That's it!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you love the rich, robust flavor of roasted peppers, check out Dave's Gourmet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Nando's Roasted Reds Cooking & Grilling Sauce, both currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company!