Spicy Food
All about spicy food of all kinds - hot sauces, hot chile peppers, snacks, spicy dishes, hot wings, and more - and even bland food!
New! Spicy Food Reviews - Hot Sauces and Spicy Snacks
Weekend of Fire Salsa Contest Finalists Announced and YOUR Chance to Pick the Winner!
As mentioned a few months ago, Jungle Jim's Weekend of Fire Salsa Contest would be underway and eventually be narrowed down to four finalists. Well, the time has come to announce the finalists! Here is one of the contest organizers and fellow chilehead, Buddah, giving all the details:
Weekend of Fire Salsa Contest Winners & a FREE Jar of Salsa to YOU!
This salsa contest started a few months back and now I am proud to announce the final 4 salsas judged to compete at the Weekend of Fire at Jungle Jim's International Market on August 1-2. When I say compete, what I mean is that YOU the chilehead will get to cast your vote to decide the ultimate winner in this competition to be declared the top overall salsa and reap the rewards that come with it. More on the rewards in a moment, but let me explain how YOU get to decide the fate in this salsa challenge.
Anyone going to the Weekend of Fire will get to sample all four salsas. You will have a ballot to vote, and if you mention that you heard it here, you will get a FREE jar of the salsa you vote on as long as supplies last. This is only for the first day, Saturday August 1st, because on Sunday the 2nd, we will announce the winner.
I would like to thank all the wonderful companies who participated in Jungle Jim's 1st Salsa Contest. Not everyone can win, but I found out how many great salsas are out there to be had. As you will see by the winning salsas below, it doesn't matter what region of the country you are in, a good salsa can come from anywhere and be made by anyone. When we do this again next year, we might have even stiffer competition and a lot more salsas to consume. I do not think I have ever had so much salsa in a two month period than for this contest. It was worth it, though. Thanks goes out to Jungle Jim's for letting me organize this for you and to my judges - Scott Roberts, Joe Bowen, and Joe and Linda Levinson - who did an awesome job deciphering who had the best salsa. A special shout-out to Bret Vitek who was the brains in making this possible. Thanks Bwana!
Here are the finalists in no particular order:
- Big Orson's 'Citizen Cajun' Hot Mango Habanero Salsa (Georgia)
- Marco's Not Yet Famous Medium Roasted Vegetable Salsa (Maryland)
- Chuck Evan's Montezuma Brand Smokey Chipotle Lime & Garlic Salsa (Ohio)
- Santa Fe Seasons' Grilled Garden Salsa (New Mexico)
These skilled salsa makers will have 5 cases (60 jars) of salsa purchased from them by Jungle Jim's International Market for the show. The public will decide who wins the grand prize. What is the grand prize you ask?
Review - Cheater 5 Sauces and Salsa
With the amazing and baffling assortment of hot sauces polluting the marketplace, manufacturers must have some unique angle to differentiate yourself from the pack. How 'bout a surfing theme for your company? Well that's exactly what the Cheater 5 Surfin' Salsa Company has done (and according to their website, some of their founders are "extreme sports enthusiasts" who actively participate in "surfing, motocross, skateboarding, wakeboarding, snowboarding, and skiing"). But can their products - which are Shreddin' Serrano Salsa, Killer Caribbean Hot Sauce and Totally Tubular Salsa Taquera - be just as distinctive?
Sortable Columns Added to the Spicy Food Reviews Page
I've made a minor addition to the Spicy Food Reviews page by adding sortable columns. Now you can sort the reviews either alphabetically or by rating. I hope it makes the page more useful, so please let me know what you think.
Link
India Plans Grenades Made From the World's Hottest Chile Peppers
India is planning to use the bhut jolokia pepper - the world's hottest chile - in a variety of uses. Courtesy of BBC News:
India plans hot chilli grenades
"Indian defence scientists are planning to put one of the world's hottest chilli powders into hand grenades.
They say the devices will be used to control rioters and in counter-insurgency operations.
Researchers say the idea is to replace explosives in small hand grenades with a certain variety of red chilli to immobilise people without killing them..."
Review - Superchile Fire! Salsa
Those who know me well know that I love a big, hearty, chunky salsa. Yeah, I eat and enjoy salsas of nearly every consistency and level of ingredient processing. But when it comes to your good old fashioned Mexican salsa, nothing to me beats a thick, ultra-chunky blend of tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Although they obviously didn't have me personally in mind, Superchile has aimed for people like myself who at the end of the day will eschew the drippy, wimpy salsas in favor of a dense one chock full of fresh veggies. I've given their Fire! Salsa a try, and because of its superb texture and taste, it has since grown on me and become one of my favorite salsas...
Taco Tweets And Free Taco Bell Treats
Taco Bell to Celebrate Why Pay More™ Menu with National "Taco Tweets" Tour to Reward Fans with Free Food
IRVINE, CALIF., June 22, 2009 – Taco Bell's industry-leading 79, 89 and 99 cent Why Pay More Value Menu is back to kick off a summer of savings for today's cash-strapped customers. Since its debut last year, the Why Pay More menu has provided people with unparalleled taste and selection at an unbeatable price. To celebrate this and remind America that every cent counts, Taco Bell will conduct a road trip as it heads to the midsummer classic, the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game®, feeding fans along the journey from Los Angeles to St. Louis and back...
Free Chile Pepper Stock Photos
While taking some "stock" photos of hot peppers for various future usage, I thought, "why not share these with everybody?" So I have. Here are 40 free pics of chile peppers in different configurations on a cutting board. Keep in mind that I'm not a professional photographer, so these pepper photos may not be perfect in quality...
WHIPLASH Launches Line Of Hot Sauces
Garden State thrash metal band WHIPLASH have teamed up with From Mild to Wild Hot Sauce Shop to concoct the first-ever thrash metal hot sauce lineup. Three varieties of culinary cachophony are offered by the band: Last Nail In The Coffin, Power and Pain, and Swallow The Slaughter The band proudly proclaims, "This moderate hot sauce should appeal to anyone with taste buds - It's been a favorite of ours for a long time and we're thrilled to be providing it under this label. Get 'em while...
Review - Mossy Bayou Foods Who Dat? Hot Sauce and Bayou Blend Seasoning
Here's a couple of new things in the stable from Mossy Bayou Foods - the bright, pea-green Who Dat? Hot Sauce and the Bayou Blend Seasoning. Are either worthy of your attention? Read on to find out...
Review - Just Simply Good Stuff Seasonings, Part 1
Few things can perk up the "same old same old" like a good seasoning or rub, and one of the top meat enhancers I've used in recent memory is the Just Simply Good Stuff lineup of spice mixes. They were kind enough to send me some seasonings, and in this review I'll cover their Original Rub, Original Rub Smoky Jalapeno, and Smoky Mesquite Salt, which are all terrific in their own right and come with my highest recommendation...
Cooking with Dave Dewitt - Traditional New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburgers
The "Pope of Peppers", Dave Dewitt, and writer and editor Gwyneth Doland grill up some delicious-looking cheeseburgers with freshly roasted New Mexico chile peppers. A simple but effective way to get your burgers southwest-style!
Cool Chile Pepper Plant Growth Blog
Since I'm not growing any chile pepper plants this year, I've got to vicariously experience it through others. I'm enjoying a lot of the gardening photos and stories over at The Hot Pepper forums, but one online destination I feel is really noteworthy is the Aji Chombo blog. It's one person's detailed growth journal as they grow several different varieties of peppers. Check it out!
Link: Aji Chombo
More Scoville Scale Updates
I've put up some more Scoville Heat Units ratings for various sauces on the
Scoville Scale. If you know any sauces or chile peppers that are missing from the chart, by all means let me know about them and and I'll get them added. Thanks!
Link: Scoville Scale Chart for Hot Chile Peppers and Hot Sauces.
Red Sox Slugger David Ortiz Introduces Big Papi Line of Hot Sauces
Courtesy of the Boston Globe:
There is a difference among hot sauce fanatics between the tasters and the masochists. For the tasters, hot sauce exists to coax flavor from food and elongate the sensation of taste. The masochists, by contrast, seek to push the limits of tolerance. They're in it for the fix and, of course, the bragging rights.
David Ortiz, the amiable if presently downtrodden Red Sox slugger and self-described "grill-man," is a taster. Inspired by a well-documented affection for spicy Dominican food and backyard barbecues, Ortiz's new line of Louisiana-style hot sauce, Big Papi En Fuego, is for chili connoisseurs (en fuego is Spanish for "on fire"). Now in supermarkets, four preservative-free levels include Original En Fuego, Monster Double En Fuego, Off the Wall Triple En Fuego, and Grand Slam En Fuego, the fieriest...
Bhut Jolokia - World's Hottest Pepper Shirts
For you or the chilehead in your life...Bhut Jolokia t-shirts! Available in two color offerings - 1. black and dark colors, or 2. white, gray, or light blue - these sweet t-shirts will show the world you mean business with the king of the chiles. Each one is slightly different (the white/light color style has a surprise on the back!) but both feature the text "World's Hottest Pepper. 1,000,000+ Scoville Heat Units" underneath a picture of the ghost chili.
Check them out at http://www.cafepress.com/chilepedia.
June 2009 Poll: Who is Your Favorite Hot Sauce Manufacturer?
In general, who do you think produces the best hot sauces in the world?
Blair's Introduces Smoked Jolokias
From the mouth of Blair Lazar:
Dear Chilipal,
Today I am psyched to share with you the most amazing Jolokia
Chili Pepper I have ever consumed!!!! I have had these amazing pods
lightly wood smoked to further enhance the unreal flavor and skull f&@?-ing
heat. As you may know, I have the amazing privilege to visit my own farm
near the equator. I recently returned from there where The sun is High and
the Chilies make you feel that way!!!!. My 20 year passion for all things
piquant, enables me to share with you "The Best of the Best" That is truly
what these are. I have a very limited supply of these amazing specimens.
You will clearly note the unreal heat, but more important, the fruit flavor
with the mellow wood smoke, make this the very best Chili I have ever
consumed. (Of Which I have put aside a serious stash of my own) Yes, that is
a strong statement for me to make, it's funny, as I write this I realize I
have never said that before, I may never again. !!! In any event, these
mind-blowing chilies are here now but as I am sure you know, I cannot
guarantee I can ever duplicate a batch like this. Mother Nature plays the
biggest part in obtaining "The Perfect Pod" You will receive over...
Review - Frey Supreme Hot Chilli Pepper Dark Chocolate
Here's a yummy little chocolate that I was tipped off to by someone on Twitter (thanks, @dloesch!). Normally I don't go ga-ga for sweets (especially chocolate), but since this, a) is dark chocolate and, b) has chile pepper in it, it's more than enough of a suitable nominee to try out.
What are the ingredients? The back says...
Review - Kato's Hot Sauces
It's time to put a quartet of hot sauces through their paces. This time out, it's the deliciously unique stylings of Kato Productions' hot sauces - Kato's Down South Hot Sauce, Hemi Hot Sauce, Kato's Meaner Greener Habanero Sauce and Kato’s Island Sauce Habanero & Mango, all with something original to offer...
Visit to the Taco Bell Test Kitchen and Volcano Menu Review
I was fortunate enough to be asked by Taco Bell (along with several other food bloggers and writers) to get an in-depth look at the company's expanding Volcano menu which features the delicious new Lava Sauce. I was flown out to their corporate headquarters in Irvine, California to visit their Test Kitchen and talk to the food innovators who created the Volcano line, sample the spicy wares, and even create my own custom menu item...
Spicy Food Reviews - Hot Sauces, Spicy Snacks, and more.
