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!