Bear-Man Tummy Rub is in the News!

One of my favorite dry rubs and all-purpose seasonings, Bear-Man Tummy Rub, is featured in the July/August 2010 issue of "Coastal Living" magazine! Made in upstate New York, Bear-Man Tummy Rub is a mouthwatering blend of all-natural spices and herbs in a brown sugar and chili powder base, with a touch of black & red pepper and cayenne for a perky kick. When rubbed on ribs, pork chops, chicken and other meats or poultry, the brown sugar caramelizes while the food is grilled, resulting in a savory crust that seals in the juices and imparts a wonderful flavor. Bear-Man Tummy Rub is also great as an all-purpose seasoning for ground meat recipes, soups, stews, veggies, potatoes and more -- in fact, when you order this savory-sweet rub from the Carolina Sauce Company, we'll send you a FREE recipe brochure that showcases the versatility of this seasoning blend! One taste and you'll agree that Bear-Man Tummy Rub is indeed "tummy-rubbing" good, and worthy of recognition in Coastal Living Magazine. And if you're health-conscious, you'll be glad to know that Tummy Rub has no MSG or dyes, is gluten-free, and is made with non-irradiated ingredients.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Mule Dip

This yummy layered dip comes from the folks who make Old Mule BBQ Sauce, a thick & rich, perkily peppery, subtly sweet & smoky barbecue sauce from the North Carolina mountains.

Ingredients
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened (regular or reduced-fat)
1 package of taco seasoning mix
1 can refried black beans
1 cup Old Mule BBQ Sauce
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups grated cheese (I use cheddar and/or Monterey jack)
1 cup diced tomatoes

Blend together the cream cheese and taco seasoning. Spread on a plate or in the bottom of a wide bowl. On top, spread a thin layer of refried beans, then spread the Old Mule BBQ Sauce on top. You can repeat layers if desired. Top with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with chips, or raw veggies or pita wedges for dipping.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Carolina Sauce Newsletter: Tips, Recipe & Coupon for National Grilling Month!

July is National Grilling Month! Here are 3 easy tips to help you get the most out of your grill:

1. Keep Grill Grates Clean. Dirty grates cause food to stick and pick up "off" flavors. Clean your grates after each use by allowing residue to "burn off" and scrubbing with a stiff wire bristle brush.

2. Re-Season Cast Iron Grill Grates. If your grill has cast-iron grates, you should have seasoned them prior to first use. After each use & cleaning, re-season by turning off the grill and applying a thin coating of solid vegetable shortening with a paper towel while the grates are warm, then closing the lid with the grates in until they're cool. Re-seasoning will keep food from sticking.

2. Remove Excess Grease from Drip Pan or Bottom Tray. Before each use, check the drip pan or bottom tray to prevent grease accumulation. Excess grease can start a grease fire.

Honey-Lime Grilled Bananas
Here's a quick & easy grilled dessert from the makers of Weber grills: Cut 4 unpeeled bananas lengthwise into halves and place skin-side down on grill grate over indirect/medium heat. Grill until skins are black, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn bananas over and grill 2 to 3 minutes more. Arrange bananas on serving plates and drizzle with honey and fresh-squeezed lime juice (2 limes).

Coupon Sale!

Save 10% off the following products at the Carolina Sauce Company online store by using the coupon code Blog710, no minimum purchase required! Enter the coupon online in the "coupon code" field on the billing page, or mention the coupon when ordering by phone, and you'll receive 10% off the following products including already-discounted sale prices. The Blog710 coupon is good on the following products thru July 31, 2010, while supplies last:

BBQ Sauce
Bear-Man Growlin' Grizzly, a big, bold & tangy tomato BBQ sauce that's slightly sweet, with a peppery kick
D'Vine Muscadine BBQ Sauce, a tangy tomato-mustard-vinegar BBQ sauce with a touch of sweet NC muscadine grapes
Ole Time BBQ Sauce, THE sauce that made Ole Time BBQ Restaurant (Raleigh NC) famous, featuring tangy vinegar with tomato & pepper for pork, chicken & more
Ole Time Hot Sauce, a spicy-hot vinegar BBQ sauce in the Eastern NC style for pulled pork, marinating chicken, and seasoning greens
Pit Road BBQ Sauce, a rich tomato-mustard dipping, basting & grilling sauce with a racing-inspired label -- great on the grill, on the stove & in a crockpot!
Tarheel Premium Honey BBQ Sauce, sweet & sassy, wonderful for glazing ribs, basting chicken, mopping & dipping & slathering at the table
Tarheel Premium Original BBQ Sauce, a little sweet, a little tangy and a little spicy, with just the right amount of thickness - perfect for beef ribs, brisket, pork loin & chicken
Uncle Pete's BBQ Sauces, bold & thick, sweet & savory award-winning South Carolina sauces in Original, Spicy, and Hickory - each comes with FREE recipes!

Hot Sauce & Salsa
Bubba's Special Sauce, thick like a salsa, this tomato & hot-pepper hot sauce from Alabama comes in a jar and is great on burgers & sandwiches, in chili & meatloaf, with eggs & sausage, & more!
Mad Dog Inferno, FIERY-hot jalapeno sauce spiked with pepper extract and sweetened with molasses
Red's Sweet Salsa, sweet & chunky salsa made with tomatoes, peppers & onion (no fruit), great with chips, on nachos, in recipes, etc.
Zing Gourmet Sauce, 5oz, flavorful & spicy without being hot, Zing is fabulous on everything from breakfast food to dinner entrees, AND comes with free recipes!

Ketchup & Mustard
Burning Asphalt Blazin' Habanero Ketchup, fiery-hot & seductively sweet, this rich ketchup is perfect for grownups who love ketchup and enjoy spicy food
Burning Asphalt Zesty Jalapeno Ketchup, sweet & rich with a mildly spicy peppery kick to wake up your tastebuds without burning them
Trolly Stop Hot Mustard, a Wilmington NC favorite, this dijon mustard is spiced with chipotle & habanero and flavored with honey & pineapple for layers of fiery flavor

Steak Sauce & Pepper Jelly
Burning Asphalt Homestyle Steak Sauce, robust & zesty with rich flavor and a zippy horseradish kick
Burning Asphalt Sweet Pepper Steak Sauce, a traditional steak sauce with a touch of sweetness and a dash of habanero
Carolina Sauce Co. Mountain Pepper Jellies, the perfect savory-sweet condiment for roast chicken or pork, steak & grilled foods, available in mild or hot, Red or Green (4 varieties)
Walkerswood One Stop Savory Sauce, Caribbean seasonings blended with bananas, mango & raisins for an exotic table sauce that's great with steak & any savory dish

Wing Sauces
DEFCON 3 Mild Wing Sauce, rich & creamy award-winning Buffalo style wing sauce with a mildly spicy cayenne bite
Tony's Birdland Wing Sauces from Richmond NY's famous Tony's Birdland restaurant, these sweet & tangy wing sauces come in Mild, Hot and Sweet & Sour

Our Latest New Products are On Sale!
Check out our newest products, all on sale, no coupon required:

*Big Bob Gibson White BBQ Sauce: The ORIGINAL white BBQ sauce from Alabama, great on chicken, seafood & pork
*Lip Lickin' BBQ Sauces, mouthwatering Piedmont NC sauces (tomato & vinegar) in 2 rich flavors: Bold & Spicy, and Sweet & Smoky
*Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce, a traditional Caribbean hot sauce made with fiery scotch bonnet peppers in a savory mustard base
*Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning is a SERIOUSLY hot but truly tasty savory-sweet dry rub
*Thomas Gourmet Cranberry Chutney, not just for turkey or Thanksgiving - try this sweet & tart chutney in sandwiches, with grilled meats, or blended with cream cheese as a spread!
*Thomas Pineapple Chutney, packed with exotic tropical flavor and a sprinkling of almonds, enjoy with chicken, fish, pork & more

Send Free Sauce to a Deployed 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 940 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? 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).

Follow SaucyGlo on Twitter for exclusive coupons, the latest food news, & for sharing zesty tips!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Melinda's Bold Buffalo Wings

This recipe comes to us from the creators of the world-famous Melinda's Hot Sauces. Melinda's sauces are well-known for using all-natural ingredients and expertly balancing heat with great flavor. Their wing sauces are unique in that they blend fiery habanero peppers with the traditional tangy cayenne pepper found in most Buffalo style wing sauces, AND they're Kosher as well as all-natural. The result is an irresistible Buffalo wing sauce with the perfect combination of sizzle and tang that will have you coming back for more. While the following recipe calls for 5 lbs of chicken wings, you can easily make less or more as desired since the recipe doesn't require precise ingredient amounts. You can either bake or fry the wings.

Ingredients
5 lbs chicken wings
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Seasoned salt
1 bottle of Melinda's Wing Sauce (your choice of flavor)

If using oven, preheat to 400F degrees. Season the chicken wings with garlic powder, black pepper and seasoned salt [Note: I like to do this by tossing everything together in a large resealable plastic bag and shaking, or tossing in a large bowl]. Fry the seasoned wings in hot oil until crispy brown, OR bake for 20 minutes at 400F, turning after 10 minutes. In a saucepan, simmer Melinda's Wing Sauce on low heat. Briefly toss the wings in the warmed sauce, then serve the wings on a platter with celery sticks and chunky blue cheese dressing for dipping [Note: I like to use Anchor Bar Bleu Cheese Sauce].

PS: Although Melinda's Hot Wing Sauce is currently out of stock at the manufacturer level, you can still get Melinda's Extra Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce -- and it's currently on sale online at the Carolina Sauce Company!

Big Bob Gibson White BBQ Sauce

Alabama is famous for its unique mayonnaise-based white barbecue sauce, and local lore says Big Bob Gibson originated this sauce back in 1925. Today, his grandkids continue the tradition at the acclaimed Big Bob Gibson's Restaurant in Decatur, AL, and folks come from near and far to devour their delicious BBQ chicken and pork slathered in Big Bob Gibson's Original White Bar-B-Q Sauce. Once virtually unheard of outside of Alabama, white BBQ sauce has gained a nationwide following thanks to TV food shows and celebrity chefs demonstrating the many uses of this creamy, tangy and peppery sauce. If you've never tried white barbecue sauce, or if you're already a fan and wish you could enjoy it at home, I have good news: The Carolina Sauce Company now proudly offers Big Bob Gibson's Original White BBQ Sauce on our Southern Foods page.

I admit that I was skeptical about white barbecue sauce until I tried it a few years ago. Although I still tend to prefer vinegar or tomato based sauces on pulled pork BBQ, I must confess that I'm now a convert to white BBQ sauce when it comes to chicken and seafood, and especially fish. The results are juicy, succulent and flavorful without overwhelming the natural flavor of poultry or seafood. Use Big Bob Gibson White BBQ sauce as a marinade for your favorite meat or poultry (especially chicken or turkey), baste with more sauce towards the end of grilling or cooking, and then serve with some sauce on the side for dipping or pouring at the table. If using white barbecue sauce with fish or other seafood, you don't need to marinate first - simply dip the raw fish or seafood into the sauce and then cook while basting with more sauce. Big Bob Gibson's White Bar-B-Q Sauce is also excellent as a table sauce or dipping sauce with all sorts of grilled, broiled, roasted or fried foods, and also with chicken wings, raw veggies (crudites), and even poured on baked potatoes instead of using sour cream or butter. Mix some of this tasty sauce into mayo-based salads like coleslaw, potato, egg, tuna or pasta salad to add some zip, or use it as a tangy salad dressing over greens and other vegetables. One taste of Big Bob Gibson's award-winning sauce and I'll bet you'll jump on the Alabama white BBQ sauce bandwagon too!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Harnett County's #1 Must-Eat Food is Apple Pie MmmMarmalade!

This month's issue of Our State Magazine featured the 100 must-eat foods in North Carolina's 100 counties, selecting one food from each county that best showcases the county's character. If you've ever tasted Mrs. Picky Fanicky's Apple Pie MmmMarmalade, it'll come as no surprise when I tell you that this all-natural, blue-ribbon-winning apple marmalade was selected as THE must-eat food from Harnett County, NC!

Mrs. Picky Fanicky uses crisp mountain apples, a splash of orange juice and lemon juice, and a secret blend of spices to create a decadently sweet, rich, old-fashioned marmalade that tastes like Grandma's homemade apple pie filling. Spoon it over ice cream, pancakes, French toast and biscuits, or stir it into oatmeal and bread pudding, and serve it with pork chops or roast turkey as a sweet counterpoint. Or do what I do when I crave a sweet but healthy dessert: Grab a spoon, open up a jar and dig in!

Mrs. Picky Fanicky's Apple Pie MmmMarmalade is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company, so now's the time to try the best of Harnett County!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Carolina Sauce is Open for Business!

The Carolina Sauce Company is open again after last week's vacation, and all hands are busy fulfilling orders, re-stocking items that sold out while we were closed, replying to emails and returning phone calls, and otherwise catching up with work. While vacation was quite relaxing, it was also productive and creative: We tried some new sauces and seasonings which we're considering as potential new products for our online store, we did lots of brainstorming and strategic planning, and we completed some website "clean-up" and general maintenance to make the online shopping experience at Carolina Sauce easier and more efficient.

A sincere Thank You to all of you who continued to shop online while we were closed, and a special thank-you for your patience and understanding as we scramble to fill your orders as fast as we can. And a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to those folks who made donations to Operation Sauce Drop right before we closed, and to folks who purchased "shop to support Operation Sauce Drop" products -- because of your generous support of our troops, we are in the process of fulfilling ALL of the gift-box requests on our waiting list AND will soon re-open the Operation Sauce Drop program with a little bit of money in the bank! This means we'll be able to resume sending a FREE taste of home to US troops serving abroad. While we were closed, we received more thank-you notes and photos from deployed troops who recently received their free gift boxes of sauce through Operation Sauce Drop. These will soon be posted on the OSD Feedback & Photos page, and I'll announce that here on my blog for those of you who'd like to read the latest thank-you notes and see how much our brave servicemen and women appreciate your thoughtfulness while they're deployed or stationed far from home.

Without further ado, I'll sign off for now and get back to the warehouse to keep working on those gift boxes and orders from our customers. Thanks again for your support!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

June's Top 10 Best-Selling Sauces & Zesty Products

Yes, the Carolina Sauce Company is still technically closed and I am still technically on vacation, but thanks to the marvels of modern technology (WiFi at the campground and a trusty laptop) I've been able to tally the top ten best-selling sauces, seasonings, and other zesty products for the month of June. Below are the results across all product categories, and I'll be updating the category-specific best-seller lists on the Carolina Sauce website in the next day or so. Once I'm back at the office next week, June's top 10 best-sellers will be listed on the Carolina Sauce home page, replacing May's list.

1. Castle Sauce was our overall top-selling item last month (and remains our all-time best-selling product). Made in Greensboro NC, this old-fashioned burger and steak sauce features a tasty mustard-ketchup flavor with a perky kick, making it a favorite of young and old alike.

2. Wells Hog Heaven BBQ Sauce is made in eastern NC and is true to form: Tangy vinegar base, no tomatoes and a mildly spicy finish. Ideal for NC style pulled pork BBQ, Wells Barbecue Sauce is also terrific as a marinade for chicken and other meats.

3. Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce is made in Trinidad & Tobago and delivers true Caribbean flavor to all sorts of savory dishes. Spicy-hot scotch bonnet peppers and a bit of tropical fruit bring you a taste of island cuisine at home.

4. Matouk's Salsa Picante Hot Pepper Sauce is hotter than the West Indian recipe, made with even more fiery scotch bonnet peppers in a savory mustard base and no fruit. This thick, rich hot sauce is a favorite in Trinidad and among US chiliheads who've encountered Matouk's in the Caribbean.

5. Calhoun's Charcoal Grill Seasoning continues its reign as our 5th best-selling product for another month. This steakhouse seasoning from Tennessee is made with real charcoal and is a convenient way to add char-grilled flavor to steaks, burgers & more when you cook indoors or on a gas grill.

6. Matouk's Calypso Sauce, also from Trinidad & Tobago, starts with the same fiery scotch bonnet & mustard base as the Salsa Picante from Matouks, but then adds some cane sugar to help temper the heat. This subtly sweet Caribbean hot sauce is fabulous on grilled foods, roast chicken, and all sorts of seafood!

7. Matouk's Flambeau Sauce is definitely the hottest of the Matouk's Hot Sauces, and is about as hot as you can get without adding pepper extract. The aged pickled scotch bonnet peppers take center stage, and the thick and tangy mustard base makes this one of the best-tasting HOT hot sauces on the market.

8. Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is the real deal when it comes to authentic Jamaican jerk wet rubs or paste. Intensely flavorful, aromatic and spicy, this is the jerk seasoning that those in the know turn to for genuine Jamaican jerk flavor.

9. Bone Suckin' Original Seasoning & Rub is made in North Carolina by the creators of Bone Suckin' Sauce. With its mouthwatering sweet-savory flavor and just a touch of feisty pepper, this dry rub is guaranteed to make bone-suckin' good ribs (beef or pork) and also tastes great on poultry and other meats.

10. El Yucateco Chipotle Hot Sauce completes our list of the top-ten best-selling sauces and products for June 2010. Made in Mexico, this robust hot sauce blends smoky chipotles with honey and spices for an amazingly good flavor that will enhance any Mexican, Southwestern or Tex-Mex dish.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Lip Lickin' Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce

Hailing from Greensboro NC and made in the Piedmont (western NC) style that's found in that part of the state, Lip Lickin' Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce is a tangy tomato & vinegar barbecue sauce that's great on everything from pulled pork BBQ and ribs to chicken and shrimp. There's no smoke flavor in this zesty sauce, and although the peppery kick is spicy-hot by North Carolina standards, most fiery-foods fan will consider it to be only mildly spicy -- which means this sauce can be enjoyed by all but the most delicate palates. With more body than eastern NC vinegar BBQ sauces, Lip Lickin' BBQ Sauce works well for basting and mopping as well as for dipping, marinating and finishing anything you grill, broil or bake. It's also a flavorful addition to recipes including meatloaf, sloppy joes, burgers and other ground meat dishes, plus baked beans, chili, collard greens and more. Stir some into your favorite vinegar or mayo-based slaw for lip-lickin' good red slaw! Or splash it on fried catfish, hushpuppies, popcorn shrimp, french fries and other fried foods to perk up the flavor. If you're health-conscious, you'll be pleased to learn that Lip Lickin' Sauce is all-natural, fat-free, and gluten-free. Lip Lickin' Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company, so now's the time to give it a try!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria