Best-Selling Jamaican Jerk Products for 2012

If you enjoy the spicy, exotically flavorful and enticingly fragrant flavors of Jamaica, you'll want to try one or more of the best-selling Jamaican Jerk products for 2012 at the Carolina Sauce online store:

1. Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, Hot & Spicy: By far our top selling jerk of all time, Walkerswood is famous in Jamaica and around the world for producing authentic jerk seasonings, sauces and rubs according to traditional recipes and with uncompromising standards. Their Hot & Spicy Jerk Seasoning is a classic jerk paste or wet rub that you apply to meats, poultry, seafood or vegetables for marinating prior to grilling, roasting, baking or cooking on the stove. A little goes a long way, as this is powerful stuff! Marinate overnight for meats and chicken, or up to 30 minutes for fish, shrimp or vegetables. It also comes in 9.25-lb tubs, perfect for cookouts, family reunions, barbecues, block parties, plus catering, restaurants & other food service applications.

2. Busha Browne's Authentic Jerk Seasoning:  In second place is another Jamaican classic, this time from Busha Browne, which follows colonial traditions in its recipes. Their fiery, aromatic jerk seasoning is a highly concentrated savory paste or wet rub, so you don't need much to produce mouthwatering results.

3. Walkerswood Spicy Jamaican Jerk Marinade:  Similar to Walkerswood jerk seasoning in flavor but in a liquid marinade base for ease of use, this product takes virtually all the work out of making authentic jerk meals at home. The marinade will penetrate the meat or poultry to infuse it throughout with that marvelously complex jerk flavor and spicy heat.

4. Walkerswood Mild Jamaican Jerk Seasoning:  If you enjoy the richly spiced, multilayered flavors of real Jamaican jerk but prefer milder food that's not fiery-hot, then the mild version of Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning is for you. There's no loss of flavor intensity or ingredient quality -- the only thing missing is the intense heat, and thus it's a great way to introduce kids and curious diners to the flavor of Jamaica without risking burning more sensitive palates.

5. Walkerswood Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce:  Thick, savory barbecue sauce meets Jamaican jerk in this inspired "fusion" sauce. Sweetened with bananas and brown sugar for mellow flavor that's not cloyingly sweet, and spiced with scotch bonnet peppers, scallions, allspice, thyme and other traditional jerk ingredients, this unique barbecue sauce will coat your meat, chicken, seafood or veggies with wonderful tropical flavor that's medium-spicy and 100% delicious.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  If you've always been curious about Walkerswood Jerk Barbecue Sauce but weren't sure what to make with it or whether you'd like it, or if you're looking for new ways to enjoy this zesty BBQ sauce during the winter months, my Crock Pot Jamaican BBQ Chicken Stew (shown on right) is a simple, delicious recipe to try.

Gloria's Cilantro-Lemon Dressing & Marinade

Cilantro (aka fresh coriander) is used in a variety of ethnic cuisines, including Mexican, Indian and Asian recipes. This simple salad dressing and marinade can be enjoyed "as is" or spiced according to the traditions of any of those cuisines, then tossed with green salads; drizzled over steamed, grilled or broiled vegetables; and as a marinade for scallops, shrimp or fish (no more than 30 minutes marinating time). Here is my basic recipe, followed by suggestions for how to adapt it for a touch of ethnic flair.

Ingredients
1 small bunch of cilantro, leaves & stems coarsely chopped (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
Juice of 1 lemon (approx. 1/3 cup)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp mild Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad with Cilantro-Lemon Dressing

Combine cilantro and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and process until smooth -- you may need to stop a few times to to scrape the bowl/sides with a spatula to facilitate blending or processing. Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and process or blend until combined. With the blender or food processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until fully incorporated. Taste for balance and add more of any of the seasonings if desired. For a more tangy flavor, add a little cider vinegar and blend. For a lighter flavor, blend in a little more oil. Makes about 1 cup and will keep several days refrigerated in a tightly lidded jar (thickening after refrigeration is normal, as is some separation; stir well before using).

For Mexican flavor: Blend in 1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/8 tsp chipotle powder and 1/8 tsp ground cumin with the other spices; for heat add red pepper flakes and/or habanero powder to taste. You can also substitute lime juice for the lemon juice.

Indian-spiced cucumber & carrot with Cilantro-Lemon Dressing

For Indian flavor:  Add 1 minced garlic clove plus 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground coriander & 1/8 tsp ground turmeric with the other spices; OR add 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp garam masala with the other spices.

For Asian flavor:  Add 1/2 tsp or more fresh grated ginger with other seasonings; Other additions you can use include a little bit of chopped fresh lemongrass blended with the cilantro and lemon juice (you can substitute lime juice for the lemon), and/or up to 1 Tbs sesame oil (you can substitute vegetable, canola or peanut oil for the olive oil); and for heat add a dash or two of Sriracha or Thai Garlic-Chili Sauce.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Sauce & Food Gifts for 2012

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so now's the time to get your sweetheart that special gift that says "I love you," "You're HOT!" or "Let's get saucy." Let the Carolina Sauce Company be your Cupid -- Our list of the top 10 best-selling sauce gifts for 2012 is a great place to shop for a zesty Valentine's Day gift: 

1. NC BBQ Sauce Gift Set, Mild:  Despite being added fairly late in the year to the Carolina Sauces online store, this gift set quickly rose to #1 on our top sellers list. Featuring three barbecue sauces representing the 3 regional styles of North Carolina BBQ sauce (eastern vinegar, western/Lexington tomato & vinegar, and coastal mustard) plus a savory-sweet Carolina BBQ dry rub, this gift set is the perfect way to send someone a taste of the Old North State.

2. Dave's Insanity 2012 Private Reserve Sauce:  This limited-edition, specially-crafted ultra-hot sauce from Dave's Gourmet is made with the ferociously hot ghost pepper (jolokia) for extreme heat. Each bottle is numbered and hand-signed, and comes packed in a wooden "coffin" that's sealed with yellow "Caution tape" for an eye-catching presentation. A great gift for hot sauce collectors!

3. Anchor Bar Wing Sauces Gift Set:  For the hot wing lover who adores authentic Buffalo wings, you can't go wrong with the Anchor Bar gift box, featuring three bottles of wing sauce from the birthplace of Buffalo wings. Comes with a full-size bottle each of Medium (original), Extra Hot and Suicide wing sauce from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY.

4. See Dick, Jane & Spot Burn Gift Box: For the hot sauce lover with a silly sense of humor. Remember the old Dick & Jane storybooks from elementary school? These hot sauces (and the gift box) feature the childhood stick figures plus their dog Spot, with cartoon flames coming from all the wrong places. The hot sauces are classic all-purpose cayenne-vinegar sauces for everyday use. Surprisingly popular with teachers as well as with people named Dick or Jane.

5. Holiday Heat XMas Hot Sauces Gift Box: These Christmas-themed hot sauces are a little bit naughty (no worse than PG-13) and feature Rudolph, Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman on the labels.  There are two different habanero sauces and a feisty Cajun style sauce, all which are well-suited for cooking and enjoying at the table.

6. Carolina Sauce Company Gift Certificates:  Not sure what to get your beloved? Overwhelmed by the choices at our online store? Or perhaps you're not a fan of hot sauce or BBQ sauce but you're looking for a gift for someone who is....  Simply send them a Carolina Sauce Gift Card! You choose the dollar amount, and they choose exactly what they want to spend it on, so there's no worrying over whether you picked out a sauce or seasoning they'll like. All you need is their email address, and we'll take care of the rest. Best of all, our gift certificates never expire and need not be spent all at once.

7. 16 Million SHU Pure Capsaicin Crystals Kit: This one is for the serious hot sauce fanatic or the "mad scientist" type who's always brewing up their own secret hot sauce recipe. The kit comes with pure capsaicin crystals rated at 16 million Scoville Units of unadulterated heat, plus forceps, lab gloves, a surgical grade mask and more.

8. Blair's Super 6 Death Sauces Gift Set: Blair's Death hot sauces are made from all-natural ingredients and range in heat from very hot to almost-deadly HOT. They're also known for the trademark skull keychain that adorns the neck of each bottle. This gift set comes with six of the most famous Blair's Death Sauces including Jalapeno Death with Tequila, Sweet Death, Ultra Death, Original Death with Chipotle, Sudden Death with Ginseng, and the new Golden Death with Chipotle.

Swine & Wine Valentine's Bacon Bundle

9. Bacon Gift Bundles: If your sweetheart loves bacon almost as much as he or she loves you, they deserve a Bacon Bundle. These bacon gifts come in a variety of flavors to suit every palate and in a variety of themes to fit any occasion. Select from nitrite-free bacon, Valentine's Day bacon gifts, international bacon, Bacon Club samplers and more.

10. Personalized Steak Branding Irons:  Anyone who enjoys grilling a big, juicy steak exactly the way they like it has probably fantasized about branding their slab of beef with their initials. Make their fantasy come true by giving them a personalized branding iron. You select the 3 initials for the brand to create a unique gift that comes in a handsome cedar box stamped with the brand.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

VIP-Only Sale at Carolina Sauce: Find Out How to Be a VIP

Our exclusive VIP-only coupon sale begins today at the Carolina Sauces online store. If you've signed up to receive our free monthly newsletter, you're on our VIP list and will receive your special discount coupon later today, redeemable online and good on ALL Carolina Sauces products, including already-marked-down sale items.

If you're not a VIP and would like to receive the special VIP discount each month, here's how:

1.  Fill in the short form below, then click on JOIN. You can also click on the button above left, and sign up there.

2.  Check your email for a Confirmation Email from us (it should arrive within a few minutes) and click on the confirmation link in the email.  If you don't do that, your name won't get added to the VIP list, so don't forget!

3.  If you haven't received the Confirmation Email within a few minutes, check your Spam folder. If you STILL don't see it, send me an email that says "Sign Me Up" and I will manually add you to our VIP list.

Here's the form:

Sign up for our FREE monthly email Newsletter to receive discount coupons, special sales, new product info, zesty recipes, and more.  We send the Newsletter only once a month, you can unsubscribe anytime, and we NEVER share your email or contact info with anyone.  Simply enter your name & email address below, then click the 'JOIN' button:

Email:
First Name:
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"This is my second order from Carolina Sauce. I have been totally satisfied with both orders. Great selection to choose from and fair pricing. Prompt response and shipment. Shipped and received in perfect condition. I will do business with this company again. No fear using their products and service. Thank you." --Bill J., Lancing TN

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After you're officially signed up and confirmed, I'll personally send you a copy of our February Newsletter with the VIP coupon, so you can start saving right away.  In the newsletter you'll also find a simple but romantic recipe that's perfect for Valentine's Day.

Any questions? Simply leave a comment below, or on our Facebook page, or send me an email.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: You can read our Privacy Policy here. We fully comply with CAN-SPAM and will NOT send you any other emails unless you ask us to contact you or there is a problem with your order requiring us to notify you. And we NEVER sell, share or disclose your email address with anyone else.

The Great Yeast Revival Experiment (Part 2)

Back in November, I decided to play "mad scientist" (or insane baker) and used 17-year-old yeast (yes, yeast almost old enough to vote) to bake bread. Much to my surprise, delight and relief, the Great Yeast Revival Experiment proved successful and delicious. Because that experiment used only some of the relatively ancient yeast I had found lurking in the back of a kitchen cabinet (specifically the Jan '96 vintage), I dubbed it "Part I" and planned to conduct the experiment again using the last of the old yeast, dated Nov '96. What follows is Part II of the Great Yeast Revival Experiment.

Because the second batch of teenaged yeast was almost a full year younger than the first batch, I was cautiously optimistic that it would be no less active than that used in the original experiment. Another reason for my optimism is that, unlike for the first experiment, this time I had enough time to conduct the entire experiment in one day rather than "holding" the proofed yeast in the refrigerator overnight until I had time to bake the following morning.

As with the first experiment, I began by proofing the yeast per the advice of Jenni Field, aka Pastry Chef Online, who is not only a font of knowledge but also one of the funniest and all-around nicest and most helpful people I've had the pleasure of meeting via Facebook (check out her FB page and tell her Gloria from Carolina Sauce sent you). And no, I don't get paid to say that.

Below is what the yeast looked like immediately after stirring into the warm water (I explain how to proof yeast in the original Yeast Revival Experiment post).

After 10 minutes I was disappointed to see that only a little bit of foam had formed, suggesting that this yeast had not aged nearly as well as the older Jan '96 yeast:

After an additional 10 minutes, the yeast still wasn't frothing as much as I had expected and hoped, causing me to wonder whether I should give up on it as near-dead and abort this experiment now rather than taking a chance and ending up with brick-hard, unrisen loaves of bread:

Against my better judgment, I decided to proceed with the bread recipe despite all indications that this old, tired yeast was barely active and clinging to life by the slenderest of threads. Because I had proofed 2 packets of yeast, I used my full recipe for Easy English Muffin Bread, which produces two loaves.  As usual, I substituted 1 cup of oat flour for 1 cup of bread flour. Having already used 1 Tablespoon of sugar with 1 cup of warm water to proof the yeast and figuring that a little extra food for the poor elderly yeasties wouldn't hurt, I added 1 teaspoon of sugar to the dry ingredients. To account for the cup of water used in proofing, I reduced the amount of warm milk in the bread recipe to 1 1/2 cups and did not add any other liquid. I then proceeded with the recipe, formed my 2 loaves of bread, covered and placed them in my oven with the oven light on for warmth, and prayed that they would rise.

After 1 hour of rising time, the loaves hadn't risen very much at all -- in fact, after 2 hours the change in size was alarmingly slight. I decided to give them a final hour of rising, and here is how they looked after those 3 hours:

As you can see by comparing the two photos above, the bread had NOT doubled in size despite being given 3 hours to rise.  At this point I was fairly certain that my experiment would be an inedible failure, but having come this far I had nothing to lose by baking the loaves. And so I did. Here's how they looked fresh from the oven:

I removed the undersized loaves from their pans and allowed them to cool on racks for a few minutes. To my astonishment, when I cut into the cooled bread it was soft, albeit a bit dense.

The flavor and texture were perfectly acceptable, too. Although the bread was firmer than my usual loaves, it was nowhere near solid or brick-like. In fact, the somewhat denser, firmer texture and finer crumb made it particularly good for sandwiches. I guess I got lucky, because this was by far the least active yeast I have ever used in baking.

What's the oldest ingredient or food that you've found in your pantry or fridge, and dared to eat? Please share your story in a comment below!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Hot Sauces for 2012

The following are the top ten best-selling hot sauces for 2012 at the Carolina Sauce Company online store. While most of the list comprises the "usual suspects," we have a first-time top-ten finisher that will make NC State University students, alumni and fans happy....

1. Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce: By far our best-selling hot sauce of all time, this spicy, sunny hot sauce combines tropical papaya with fiery scotch bonnet peppers in a traditional West Indian mustard base for a flavor that's tangy but not tart, with plenty of powerful heat that's balanced by naturally sweet fruit. Thick and rich, not runny like thin vinegar sauces, Matouk's will stick to your food and make the flavors "pop."

2. Busha Browne's Pukka Sauce: A favorite of folks who enjoy straightforward, all-purpose vinegar pepper sauces, this colonial-style hot sauce from Jamaica pairs well with everything from breakfast sausage, eggs & hash browns to lunch sandwiches or pizza to dinnertime entrees of any variety, especially grilled, roasted or baked foods, soups, stews, casseroles, etc.

3. Scorned Woman Hot Sauce: This hot sauce is a true classic that's been around for many years, and its special blend of chili peppers plus black peppers is the reason why. Similar to Pukka Sauce but with more of a tangy "bite," you can use it in the same way as Pukka, and also add it to bloody marys, homemade wing sauce, and other uses calling for an assertive, fiery-hot vinegar pepper sauce.

4. Jamaica Hell Fire 2 in 1 Hot Sauce: Made in Jamaica using sun-ripened local peppers and Blue Mountain pimento (allspice) in a savory tomato-vinegar base, this medium-hot sauce boasts a mellow, food-friendly flavor that's not as harsh or "sharp" as straight-vinegar sauces. Whether you splash it on french fries or other fried foods, pour it on scrambled eggs, drizzle it on pizza, or mix it into beans and rice, it will complement your food without overpowering it.

5. Matouk's Calypso Hot Sauce: This is the slightly hotter sibling of our top-selling hot sauce. Its big, bold flavor, subtle sweetness and fiery heat make it best suited for more robust dishes like grilled or roasted meats, beans & rice, hearty stews, and the like. If you're craving true West Indian fire and flavor, you won't be disappointed.

6. NC State Wolfpack Hot Sauce: This is the first of our collegiate hot sauces to break into the best-seller list. Made with all-natural ingredients and bearing the officially licensed logo & colors of North Carolina State University, Wolfpack Hot Sauce is a classic Louisiana-style cayenne pepper vinegar sauce. Its honest, uncomplicated flavor makes it an excellent choice as an everyday table sauce as well as a safe choice for recipes calling for hot sauce. And it's perfect for tailgating or giving as a gift to NCSU students, alumni, professors, staff and fans.

7. Matouk's Flambeau Sauce:  This is by far the hottest of the Matouk's hot sauces, made with a very generous amount of aged select scotch bonnet peppers. Savory, not sweet, and at the top of the natural heat scale (not artificially enhanced with capsaicin or pepper extract), Flambeau is for serious chileheads only and should be used with care until you're sure you can handle the heat. But unlike "extreme" hot sauces, this super-hot sauce actually tastes really good, with real pepper flavor in a rich mustard base.

8. Walkerswood Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce:  If you prefer a straightforward scotch bonnet hot sauce where the pepper's natural flavor plays the starring role (as opposed to added spices or other ingredients), this hot sauce is for you.

9. Matouk's Hot Pepper Salsa Picante Sauce: Comparable in heat to Calypso but more savory without sweetness or fruit to temper the scotch bonnet peppers, this traditional mustard-based West Indian hot sauce is excellent as an accompaniment to grilled, roasted, broiled or braised meats and chicken, on hamburgers, with sausages, in Caribbean dishes like red rice & beans, and with other hearty fare. Not as hot as Flambeau, it does have enough of a high-powered burn to please fiery-foods fanatics who like their food HOT.

10. Dave's Ultimate Insanity Sauce:  Completing our list of last year's best-selling hot sauces is the hottest of the Insanity sauces regularly produced by Dave's Gourmet (only his annual limited-edition Private Reserve is hotter). This ultra-hot sauce gets its relentless, unforgiving burn from capsaicin (pepper) extract and is best and most safely used by the micro-droplet or carefully added to recipes rather than on served food. Yes, it really is THAT hot, so please be careful!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Crock Pot Recipe: Jamaican BBQ Chicken Stew

Walkerswood Jamaican Jerk Barbecue Sauce is a one-of-a-kind spicy BBQ sauce that delivers delightfully exotic, tropical flavor in a traditionally rich, mellow and tangy barbecue base. The heat comes from scotch bonnet peppers and is what I consider to be a peppery medium level: Hot enough to register on your tongue as spicy but not enough to burn or hurt you, and it doesn't interfere with your ability to enjoy the other flavors in this Jamaican barbecue sauce. 

Surprisingly, the main ingredient in this unusual BBQ sauce is banana, and yet the sauce does not taste like bananas -- instead, it has a subtle fruitiness that tempers the feisty jerk seasonings including scallions, allspice, garlic and thyme. The overall effect is remarkably inviting and food-friendly, proving that in this case the sum or combination of the parts (ingredients) makes for an even greater, or tastier, whole.

Buy Walkerswood BBQ Sauce

Although Walkerswood Jamaican BBQ Sauce is usually used for basting chicken and meats during the last few minutes of grilling or baking, I was curious to find out how it would hold up to slow-cooking in a crock pot. So, I selected to test it on chicken and a few typical stew vegetables and crossed my fingers. The following recipe turned out quite nicely, and proved to be a hit for dinner as well as for lunch the next day (the leftovers developed even better flavor after sitting in the refrigerator overnight). 

The ingredient quantities below need not be followed exactly, and you could also add cubed potatoes or other common stew veggies if you wish. You'll want to serve this Jamaican BBQ Chicken Stew over cooked rice, or with some rolls or other bread to mop up the stew liquid.

Ingredients
1 lb to 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 small onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, peeled & thickly sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 bottle Walkerswood Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce

Combine all ingredients in your crock pot and cook on high for approx. 6 hrs or on low for approx. 8 hrs., until chicken is done and very tender. Serve hot over cooked rice.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Carolina Sauce Co. Giveaway on Facebook!

It's February 1st, which means another Crock Pot Game and Giveaway on the Carolina Sauce Company Facebook page! Our featured crock pot recipe is our Smoky Spicy Black-Eyed Peas Chili, which is perfect for watching the Big Game with friends or family. And our Prize Pack this month features a jar of our limited-edition, made in North Carolina Mixed Hot Pepper Rings, plus a bottle of Thomas Fish Camp Cocktail Sauce and a bottle of Thomas Fish Camp Tartar Sauce, which are also North Carolina products.

Would you like to win the Prize Pack? Simply like us on Facebook, then look for the photo below, which we posted with our Crock Pot Game earlier today (Feb. 1, 2013):

Leave a COMMENT under that photo post on our Facebook page to tell us what foods you like to eat when watching the Superbowl. At 9pm EST on Monday, Feb. 4th, we'll randomly select 1 lucky person from the comments to receive the FREE Prize Pack. It's that simple!

As with previous games, feel free to comment as often as you wish, but only 1 comment per person will be counted for the random drawing. Also, you need to have a US shipping address - that includes military APO/FPO addresses, so we invite all our military personnel stationed abroad to comment and play!

Good luck, keep it zesty on Sunday, and thanks for playing the Carolina Sauce Company Crock Pot Game!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Best-Selling Meats & Cheeses for 2012

You probably already know that the Carolina Sauce Company offers a huge selection of hot sauces, barbecue sauces, condiments and other zesty seasonings -- but did you know that we also offer a wide variety of meats and cheeses? We've partnered with specially selected producers, distributors and importers of country ham, bacon, specialty meats and even exotic & game meats plus fine cheeses from the US and around the world. Below are the top five best-selling meats and cheeses for 2012 at the Carolina Sauce Company:

1. North Carolina produces some of the best country ham in the nation, so it should come as no surprise that NC country ham was top-selling meat last year. We are proud to offer award-winning, traditionally cured country ham from Johnston County Hams in Smithfield, NC, renowned for its rich and complex depth of flavor and buttery texture. From whole hams to sliced, bone-in or boneless, cooked or uncooked, and even rare Mangalitsa ham, they have something for every taste and budget.

2. Gourmet & Specialty Bacon from our partner Bacon Freak came in second place. They offer a seemingly infinite variety of bacon, including traditional hickory smoked, nitrite-free, cracked pepper garlic, maple smoked, honey BBQ rubbed, spicy chipotle, mesquite smoked, vanilla bourbon, cinnamon sugar, applewood smoked, summer herb and other flavors & seasonings. They also carry specialty cuts including old-fashioned country bacon, center-cut Canadian style bacon, gourmet Private Reserve and even all-natural lamb bacon.

3. For years Spanish cheese remained in the shadow of better-known cheeses from France, Italy and England. But recently, people have begun discovering the wonderful flavors and textures of cheeses from Spain. Last year, our Spanish Cheese Assortment was the third most popular meat or cheese product (and the #1 best-selling cheese) at Carolina Sauce. This gift set comes with a half-pound portion of each of the following classic cheeses from Spain: Manchego, Mahon, Idiazabal and Murcia al Vino.

4. Bacon Bundles & sampler packs were a very popular gift last year, no doubt making many a baconista very happy. From themed bacon bundles and gourmet sample packs to gift boxes that also contain bacon apparel and bacon novelties, and even "bacon of the month" clubs, you can find a bacon gift for virtually any occasion and holiday.

5. Curemaster's Reserve Ham from Johnston County Hams has won national and international accolades for its incomparable flavor and texture. Ham connoisseurs familiar with Iberian ham and other fine pork delicacies will appreciate the deeply nuanced flavors in this gourmet smoked ham from North Carolina. It's the perfect special-occasion ham for celebrations, elegant parties and fine dining experiences at home.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria