Product Review: Sabrosa Fire Roasted Pepper Medium Salsa

Duane Thompson's passion for  salsa sparked in the mid-1990's after having a tough day. After the college football team he played for had a particularly awful game, Duane returned to his dorm room exhausted only to find that his friends had raided his fridge, including the bag of garden fresh vegetables his grandmother had delivered to him that morning. With the few vegetables and half a bag of tortilla chips he had left, Duane created his earliest version of Sabrosa salsa. Realizing that the snack he just created  left him without any of the stomach troubles he experienced from other salsas, he made it his mission to tweak his recipe in search for the perfect salsa.

By 2000, demand for his homemade salsa had grown so high that he decided to quit making the salsa altogether so he could figure out how to bring it to market while maintaining his standard of local, wholesome ingredients. In 2006, he founded Sabrosa (Spanish for "tasty") Foods Inc and began manufacturing his salsas in a co-packing plant in Virginia Beach.

The primary ingredient in his salsas are bell peppers instead of a tomato base common in
many salsas, making his salsas a better option for heartburn sufferers. The naturally balanced pH makes Sabrosa salsas shelf stable for up to two years without the use of artificial preservatives. All of the produce in his salsas are fresh from local sources: "If you don't continue to harvest the farms around here, they'll go away," he says. "If you're buying local, you're growing your own community."

Sabrosa Foods Inc.'s mission is to produce healthy, flavorful, all-natural gourmet condiments which seems to be no problem for Duane. His simple-but-powerful recipe is bound to please anyone who likes salsa, including those people with acid reflux or heartburn  troubles.

Today we had the pleasure of sampling the Sabrosa Medium Salsa. It is described as a medium all natural, no preservatives, roasted bell pepper based salsa perfectly Ph-balanced to help keep acid-reflux and heartburn at bay. The medium has a great flavor with just the right touch of heat. We found this to be exactly the case!

When you first open the jar you are confronted with the mouth watering arouma of fire roasted peppers. Unlike your standard tomato salsas, Sabrosa Salsa is based on the peppers not the tomatoes so the flavor is quite unique. In fact I enjoyed the Sabrosa Salsa's bold flavor much more than your typical, watery, grocery store brand.

The first test of any salsa is of course the chip test. Sabrosa Salsa is wonderful simply dipped with chips, however upon fist taste your will realize the unlimited potential culinary uses the condiment can provide. Used as a topping to cheeses, an ingredient in recipes, or as a pepper tapenade, the bold flavor of the fire roasted peppers will stand up to many possible combinations.

We used our jar as a topping to some freshly made Chile Rellenos. The medium salsa elevated this dish to another level of flavor complexity,  in fact we enjoyed it so much that used it to flavor up the refried beans that accompanied the entree.

I think if you try the Sabroso Brand Fire Roasted salsas you will agree that the flavor and versatility is far beyond that of your current chip dip. Oh, we almost forgot; low acidity means no heartburn with this tasty condiment!

You can find Sabrosa Salsa at many retail locations in Pennsylvania and Virginia or at their site www.sabrosafoods.com

Best Hot Sauce of the Decade According to RateItAll!

If you have ever been to the popular website rateitall.com you know the drill. You can out up any product and you can rate that product and put up a review.

Well, for the last 10 years that's what has been happening and it appears that all the fans of Baboon Ass Brand Habanero Hot Sauce think it's a 5 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to the awesome fans of Baboon Ass Brand Hot Sauce we have received the Best Of The Decade Award from RateItAll.

We want our fans to know that we appreciate their loyalty and support, so we are putting together a rewards program at RoJosGourmet.com. Of course the purchase of any Baboon Ass Brand product will earn you double the reward points! We will make a formal announcement when the rewards program is officially launched so stay tuned for details!

Thanks again to all our customers, fans, friends, and supporters! We appreciate you! If you have not yet had the opportunity to rate and review Baboon Ass Brand Hot Sauce; click on the trophy above and RateItAll!

Gourmet Sauce Business Thrives in Soft Economy.

Our good friend Gary at The Black Market Condiment Company could use your vote! Click the image and vote for BMCC today and everyday until they win the Home-Based 100 contest. No registration is needed so vote daily to show your support!

Black Market Condiment Company are purveyors of gourmet-style condiment products including pepper sauces, dry rubs, marinades, grilling sauces, grilling sprays and more. All of our products are all natural, contain no additives or preservatives, are gluten free and vegan friendly.

We are a true home based start-up company in the truest sense. Founded in December 2005 in our kitchen, Black Market has already had it's fair share of bumps and bruises and almost didn't happen at all. In our first year of business our contract packager built all of our products wrong and would not make good on their mistake. After a lengthy (1-year) attempt at arbitration, we decided to cut our losses and liquidated our entire inventory for nickles on the dollar. We then spent the next 14 months, and a bunch more money, working with a new contract packager who flawlessly took us from point A to Z of the process and in March of this year delivered three delicious pepper sauces that are now on the shelves of major and independent grocers all across the California Central Coast. With the sauces selling very well, we are now in the process of initial talks with a handful of distributors with the goal of moving into the northern, central and southern California markets in the next six to nine months, and other states in the southwest corner of the U.S. in the next year.

There were many times that we would have liked to have thrown in the towel and called it quits, but the desire to succeed at something we are passionate about outweighed any sort of adversity and in the end has only made us a wiser and stronger company.

Recent press release:

New Paso Robles Condiment Company Launches First Products

PASO ROBLES, California – June 08, 2009 – Black Market Condiment Company, a new Paso Robles based producer of innovative gourmet-style condiment products, announced today the launch of the first three products from their Original Black Market Brand line of pepper sauces.

The first three products to be released are their fiery roasted garlic pepper sauce, chipotle pepper sauce, and black pepper blend pepper sauce. All three contain no additives or preservatives, are all natural, gluten-free, vegan friendly and in the medium heat range. Being gourmet-style products, they are fairly complex and are made with only the finest ingredients, perfect for beef, chicken, lamb, pork, seafood, veggies, and of course, taco night.

Original Black Market Brand pepper sauces are currently available at all central coast Albertsons stores, select Spencer’s Markets, Meridian Vineyards, and New Frontiers Natural Marketplace, with more stores being added weekly. They are also available online at www.originalblackmarketbrand.com.

“All three of the Black Market pepper sauces have been very well received by local consumers,” says owner Gary Gannon. “We are thrilled to finally have our products out there and available to the consumer. Everyone who’s tried them absolutely loves them. They become instant fans and repeat customers,” he added. “We’re going to begin doing tasting demos at the stores that carry our line so that those who haven’t tried our products can have a taste and see for themselves why people are excited about them.”

Black Market Condiment Company is committed to providing high-quality and creative new products to those who wish to bring a new flavor dimension to their meals. Future product releases will include a full line of gourmet-style marinades, grilling sauces, dry rubs, and grilling sprays.

Turnkey Gourmet Food Business at Bargin Basement Price!

Monty's Gourmet Food has been in the business of selling specialty sauces, spices, pickles, and even oxygen, going on 10 years now.

Recently, due to Monty's declining health and the increased responsibility of caring for his elderly parents; Monty has decided to shut down the business and sell it off.

Monty's sauces hold the bragging right to over 50 awards and the Monty's Gourmet brand has been shipped to nearly every state. "This is a complete brick and mortar business in a box" says Monty Fritts.

Monty is looking to get only $9,000 for this entire set-up which even includes the inventory and fixtures to set up your own retail outlet. This is way below the value of the itemized listing provided by the accountants.

If you are wanting to get into the specialty food business; here is an inexpensive way to get everything you need to get started. If you are already in business here is a great way to get some inventory and fixtures at a steal.

The Last Bite would like to wish all the best to Monty. We hope that you have success in the sale of your business and take care of your health.

If you are interested in Monty's Gourmet Foods you can contact Monty directly for details at mfritts@montysgourmet.com

Marinade, Brush-on, or Dip. It Depends on the Sauce!

Have you ever marinated chicken in your favorite BBQ sauce overnight only to end up with a charred mess on the grill the next day? We tell you how to avoid this from happening again!

Marinade: There is no better way to get flavor deep inside your meat than the marinade method. You can use a dry rub or a wet mixture to impart that flavor. You do however need to be sure you are using an appropriate flavor delivery system to accomplish this. If you use a sugar, honey, or molasses laden blend you will surely find yourself in a sticky and burnt situation. If you like the idea of marinating try using a sauce like Stone Brewing Co's IPA Curry Mustard Grill Sauce. Perfect on chicken, pork, or even lamb, you can use more; brushed on top for a nice blast of flavor!

Brush-On: What could be nicer than a tangy glaze on your chicken or ribs? Many sauces are suitable for glazing. The key to identifying one of these is usually thickness. The thick sauce should be brushed or mopped on in layers during the last twenty minutes of cooking. This will give your sauce time to thicken further and caramelize on the surface of your meat. While BBQ sauce like Pebble Creek's, Phil's, or Russian River Fine Foods lines are all great for brushing on your meat, Tony Tah's Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing makes an incredible tangy glaze, especially if you are looking for something a little different for your family or friends!

Dip: Perhaps you opted for the dry rub method because you love that crusty bark on your brisket or ribs but you still enjoy some sauce with your barbeque. Dipping is the perfect way to have the best of both worlds. All the sauce previously mentioned are excellent for dipping, but don't just pour the sauce from the bottle into a bowl, nothing will put a damper on your BBQ like cold sauce! Heating the sauce for dipping is the perfect way to enhance both your sauce and the meal. The heat will help intensify the flavors and develop some caramelization and thickness, and you won't be giving your pork the cold shoulder!

Review: Silva's Taco Shop -El Cajon, CA

Have you ever gotten to the point where you just had enough? Enough Fresh Mex, or Tex Mex, and enough thinking outside the bun, or running for the border? Well when you hit the crappy Mexican food wall, and you will because there is definitely more crap than the good stuff out there, you will need to find a real taqueria to redeem yourself.

Silva’s Taco Shop in El Cajon, California is one such taqueria. In fact The Last Bite feels that Silva’s Taco Shop is the ubiquitous taqueria. This is apparent in the appearance and décor of Silva’s. The exterior of the building is painted in bright yellow and red high gloss paint and is trimmed out in orange. To the right is the patio; the furniture is made up of painted cinder blocks and table tops and benches are tiled. The interior of Silva’s is incredibly void of any décor, in fact other than the menu board and the special; hand drawn on paper an taped to the wall, I don’t recall any specific details of the dining room at all. This type of environment is crucial for the proper execution of taqueria fare. I’m convinced the more refined the atmosphere the lower the quality of the taqueria food.

The food at Silva’s is the shining star of the taqueria world. For this review we ordered a few of the different specialties that they prepare. The Rolled Tacos and Carne Asada Chips are both indigenous to the San Diego area and don’t try to tell me that these are the same as Nachos and taquitos ‘cuz they’re not!

The Carne Asada Chips starts with a large plate (Styrofoam clamshell) of tortilla chips and piled high with sizzling, savory, carne asada; under that carne asada is the smooth and delicious refried beans. The whole thing is then slathered with sour cream and Silva’s specially prepared guacamole. A mountain of shredded mild cheddar cheese buries this entire delight. We recommend having a bottle of Silva’s house made red sauce in hand for liberal application during consumption. It’s a huge portion so bring someone with you because it is so delicious you might try to eat it all by yourself and that will hurt.

If you’ve never had a Rolled Taco you haven’t really been to San Diego. Like I said before; the rolled taco is the furthest thing from the sad little taquito. Picture a fresh made tortilla stuffed with Silva’s shredded beef, rolled into a cigar shape and fried until it is crispy golden brown. Take 3 or 5 of those babies and line them up on a plate for the next step; toppings. The whole plate is topped with guacamole, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and a fist full of mild Mexican cheddar cheese. Again keep that red sauce, or green if you prefer, handy because once you start eating these addicting rolled tacos you won’t be able to put them down.

My favorite item on the menu is the Baja Style Fish tacos. Silva’s version starts with their house made tortillas. They are over stuffed with crispy golden brown pieces of deep fried fish, lettuce, pico de gallo, and their creamy rich white sauce. It’s served with a couple of lemon wedges and a squeeze bottle of the red or green sauce. Be prepared to drip this all over your shirt as it is so wonderfully indulgent you won’t even bother to stop and clean up ‘til it’s gone. The combination of flavors and texture in this taco will have you wanting for more but they are so big one or two is the limit.

Finally, my old standby, the Carnitas Taco, what could be more perfect than hunks of crispy seasoned pork; nestled in two house made tortillas and stuffed with the classic taco fillings of shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. The only thing that could make it better are the roasted Serrano chiles that are served on the tacos. Douse liberally with red sauce and get them in your mouth for an unforgettable taqueria experience.

All these dishes are served with Silva’s house made “Hot Carrots” in escabeche , just tender and fragrant with herbs and vinegar, they are the perfect accompaniment to cut the richness of the food and spank the pallet with a bit of heat between bites.

If you are looking for an authentic taco shop experience and not some prefabricated wannabe Mexican food slop, visit Silva’s Taco Shop in El Cajon and tell we sent you from San Francisco!

Silva’s Taco Shop
998 Broadway
El Cajon, CA 92021
(619) 447-4196

Rediscover America's Legend - Tabasco!

By: Courtney Phillips

You can find it at any dinner across the heartland of America and in almost any refrigerator or pantry, but not many people know the history of this definitive American legend. Myth surrounds its early history, with some of the early rumors proving true according to the historians and curators at the McIlhenny Company,

The Legend Begins

It was a man by the name of Edmund McIlhenny who is credited with the development of the recipe and process that created the spicy red concoction focusing on a natural fermentation of the liquid instead of an accelerated boiling process. In 1868 he grew his own commercial crop of peppers for his first official batch. In 1869 McIlhenny sent out 658 bottles of liquid heat to sell to grocers and markets in the southern gulf coast.

Selling for one dollar a piece he labeled the bottles “Tabasco,” a word of Mexican Indian origin meaning “place where the soil is humid.” In 1870 he secured a patent for the name and the rest, as they say… well you can finish that one.

Today

The brand is still in heavy production five generations later, being produced on Avery Island, Louisiana, where half of the factory’s 200 workers still live. Many are the descendants of the factory’s original workers and all working today for Paul McIlhenny, the sixth generation descendant of the inventor.

The Tradition

The recipe remains unchanged and the ‘mash’, or main pulp and spices for the recipe, is still made in much the same way as the original, although the quality of some of the ingredients has been improved over the years. The sauce is aged in white oak barrels for as long as 3 years and only at the permission of the family, who supervise the process very closely, is it allowed to be mixed with vinegar before being bottled.

Fun Facts and Secrets

One fact you may not know about Tabasco brand hot sauce is that every drop is aged in barrels which come from the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, TN. The company purchases used barrels that Jack Daniels brand whiskey has been aged in and subsequently uses them to age their hot sauce. The bottles that Tabasco goes into were not all that original at their start either. According to legend Edmund McIlhenny originally used discarded cologne bottles to package his first few batches, a fact confirmed through the company’s own historians!

This post was contributed by Courtney Phillips, who writes about the culinary school ranking. She welcomes your feedback at CourtneyPhillips80 at gmail.com

Review: Dave's Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce

So Hot It’s Spooky! That’s the catch phrase pasted across the top of the Dave’s Gourmet Ghost Pepper Sauce. You would think that would have been enough to have me steer clear of this torturous elixir. But something drew me in, something eerie and unexplainable. Perhaps it was the lost souls whom have succumbed to the ghost pepper itself?

Initial Impression: FEAR! While I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost, I am afraid of the ghost pepper or Bhut Jolokia as it is known is the Tezpur region of India. This big daddy of hot pepper sauces looks harmless while trapped in its bottle, but even it slightly pinkish hue reminds me that something is wrong here!

Ingredients: Ghost pepper/Naga Jolokia peppers, hot pepper extract, salt, vegetable oil, roasted garlic pulp, acetic acid.

Extract??? Dave, are you trying to say that 1 million Scoville units of tongue blistering heat is not enough? This is a truly sadistic endevour!

Appearance: This is a very smooth reddish sauce with a slight pink hue. Upon closer inspection you can see tiny red globules of chile extract forming in the neck of the bottle, it’s hard to keep that extract in suspension so you had better shake this well before you use it!

Aroma: Wow. This is a really great smelling sauce. When I first uncap the bottle and take a slow smooth smell It makes my mouth water. The Jolokia peppers have super sweet melon like aroma. It is slightly smoky and has a little twang on the nostrils, something you would expect from vinegar. Interestingly, the is no vinegar in this sauce.

Taste: The very first flavor to hit me is uhhmm PAIN, no wait it’s sweet and smoky and you can actually taste the garlic in the back for a second, then the PAIN! Wow, this is some hot stuff! Interestingly enough you go from a few seconds of pain to completely numb. My gums are still tingling, but I guess the endorphins have kicked in and blocked the pain cuz’ it’s gone. I think this is actually one of the best tasting super hots I have tasted. The bitter extract taste is not present in this sauce as in other super hots. I think I can find a few uses for this super hot sauce.

The Food Test: Are you kidding? The food test is everything I eat until the fire in my face goes away.

Conclusion: This one is a doozy! I love the fragrant aroma and the smoky melon like flavor. This has more than enough heat for the serious Chile-head and is almost forgiving enough for a supervised beginner to bungee jump their tongue. Have your cream cheese or ice-cream ghost buster nearby just in case you need a rescue party. Who you gonna call?

Packaging 9/10 – Typical DG Packaging
Aroma 9/10 – Fragrant and Enticing
Appearance 9/10 – Thick and pinkish
Taste 9/10 – Smoky Melon Pain
Heat 10/10 – Respect the Ghost

Overall 9/10

Canadian Hot Sauce Company Heads South For the Winter

I was recently speaking with Denzel Sandburg of Denzel’s Gourmet Foods in British Colombia, Canada. He was telling me that he may get his fantastic products out here to the Napa area for the Mustard Festival. Denzel recently learned that his honey mustard sauce took the top prize at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival Worldwide Mustard Competition.

Then today while surfing my usual food related searches I can across this article about Denzel in the Vernon Morning Star:

Denzel Sandberg has to drain every grocery store along Highway 97 in the Okanagan to collect enough habaneros — the spiciest naturally-grown hot pepper — for his world famous hot sauces. It takes about 20 pounds of habaneros to make a batch of Fire Hazard, a hot sauce ranking eight out of eight on his spicy scale because it uses twice as many habaneros as his next-hottest sauce (Dangerous Goods, a seven) and which he uses the word really three times to convey how hot it is.

“It’s my drug of choice. This one is ‘aahhh,’” he says, widening his arms as if he were imitating a bear.

In the four-hour process of grinding, chopping, and roasting the habaneros for Fire Hazard, his eyes burn, his skin flares and his nostril hairs seer.

“It smells good but it burns,” said Sandberg. “It hurts.”

Making hot sauce is hard work, which is why the Enderby entrepreneur/chef, whose bottles have been bringing him international awards since he started Denzel’s Gourmet Foods seven years ago, entertained the idea of getting into the barbecue sauce business. Less than a year later, three of his four barbecue sauces have won some of the world’s top sauce prizes.

We hope that we will see you in Napa!

Read the rest here...

Review: Donya Marie’s Original Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce

Hello Last Bite Foodies. Two of my favorite things in the food world are barbecue and chocolate, and not just any old chocolate, dark chocolate. In fact I don’t really consider milk chocolate to even be chocolate as there tends to be more sugar, milk, and fillers that actual chocolate in that particular variety.

One thing I never expected to see was the two of those elements combined. The mere thought of chocolate BBQ sauce seems utterly absurd at first, right? But then what about mole; made of spices, nuts, seeds and chocolate. While Donya’s BBQ sauce is not a mole, I put myself in that frame of mind when I approached this taste test.

Initial Impression: I have to admit it confounded my senses. The bottle was appealing with a simple off white label and two-tone gold lettering. The white label against the dark reddish brown sauce is well played. Uncomplicated and elegant, but what the label says to me; “Dark Chocolate Barbecue Sauce” leaves me unsure what to expect.

Ingredients: Tomato concentrate, vinegar, cocoa, corn syrup, canola oil, onion, garlic, salt, paprika, black pepper, prepared mustard, sugar, lemon juice, xanthan gum.

The ingredient list is really nice and clean. There are no preservatives or artificial anything. Yes I see the corn syrup and frankly I don’t get the whole stigma of corn syrup. When did corn become a poison anyways? Corn is a vegetable that we all eat so get over it!

Appearance: This is one rich, thick, and sexy sauce. It is reddish brown sauce and there are sparse but definite bits of spices floating around. The consistency of this barbecue sauce presents many applications. It was super thick and sticks to your meat, or whatever else you would use it on nicely. It also makes a great dipping sauce since it won’t drip off of whatever you’re dunking.

Aroma: I popped the cap and took in a snoot full of fumes. Mouthwatering, like drool down your chin, mouthwatering. Now that I cleaned myself up I can tell you that this sauce has some subtle layers of aroma. At first you get a sweet tropical fruit perfume; next the tomatoey fragrance fills your nostrils and makes your mouth water. The velvety cocoa aroma comes in for the finish and practically hypnotizes you.

Taste: Sweet and tangy, this could be a dessert sauce. Tasting it from the jar it has a definite tangy fruity flavor. There are some pieces of black pepper in it that come up next. The pepper is pronounced but not overpowering or out of balance. Next the vinegar tang comes out a bit and the rich cocoa flavor puts it out before it gets out of control. I can taste the chocolate in the finish, but it’s not at all what I expected.

The Food Test: Since we were having some nice weather I decided to fire up the grill and throw on some Tri-tip. I gave it a quick rub down with some Just Simply Good Stuff Original Rub. Tri-tip is tender enough to get away with grilling if you stick to medium rare at the most. The Donya Marie’s BBQ sauce was a perfect match for this lean cut. I would also like to try it on ribs and see how it pairs with richer meats.

Conclusion: Not knowing what to expect made this a great culinary experience. When most BBQ sauces taste the same, Donya Marie’s Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce stands out from the crowd. It is extremely rich and thick and flows with layers of flavors and aroma. While the chocolate may be more pronounced on the label than it is in the sauce, it has to be that way to make it as delicious as it is. If you are a fan of BBQ you will be a fan of this sauce. Pair this meal with a nice zinfandel and finish with a flourless chocolate torte.

The Year of the Ghost Pepper!

Did you know that 2009 is the year of the ghost? No, not on the Chinese calendar, on the Chile-head calendar.

It seems that there is finally enough of the incredibly hot Bhut Jolokia pepper commercially available not that a plethora of ghostly hot products have hit the market running.

The Naga Jolokia (also known as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Chili, Ghost Pepper, Naga Morich) is a chili pepper that grows primarily in Assam state of India, but also in northeastern India (Nagaland, Manipur), Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. In 2006, it was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, replacing the Red Savina.

In 2000, scientists at India's Defense Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale, and in 2004 an Indian company obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units through HPLC analysis. This makes it almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper. For comparison, pure capsaicin rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units.

In 2005 at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, Regents Professor Paul Bosland found Naga Jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.

In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the Bhut Jolokia (Prof. Bosland's preferred name for the pepper) as the world's hottest chili pepper.

Last year Dave’s Gourmet, famous for their Insanity Sauce released the first 2008 Ghost Pepper Private Reserve in the well know wood coffin caution tape wrapped packaging. This year the Return of the Ghost Pepper Private Reserve 2009 is making its debut and apparition like disappearance. Hundreds of the ghoulish hot sauce has been pre-sold prior to its release and current inventory is flying off the shelves. We anticipate that in a very short time you will have to hire yourself a ghost hunter to locate this spicy specter.

While we don’t have the actual Scoville rating of the 2009 Private Reserve the addition of Jolokia peppers insures that these will be some of the hottest reserves ever made by the spicemeister.

In other ethereal hot sauce news from Dave’s Gourmet, Ghost Pepper Naga Jolokia Hot Sauce, the newest member of the insanity line has just been released. This sauce is “So Hot It’s Spooky”, and it says so right across the top of the label. A quick review of the ingredient declaration shows that Jolokia peppers are the primary ingredient in this sauce, and if that’s not enough for you it’s spiked up with hot chile extract. In case your taste but are not completely flambéed roasted garlic is added to round out the flavor. Don’t be fooled though, the primary flavor in this new hot sauce is PAIN! This stuff should have no problem getting your endorphins rushing to ghost bust your horrifying agony.

Who You Gonna Call?

Black Friday Sale In Great Taste!

RoJo's Gourmet Foods is rolling out Black Friday specials with great taste. Make the foodie, home cook, tailgater, or anyone excited about their gourmet gift this year. No standing in long lines, no worries about returns. Everyone loves to get a gourmet gift! So save yourself from the turkey and stuffing induced coma by hopping on your computer and doing a little holiday shopping from the comfort of your home.

Dave's Gourmet Original Insanity Hot Sauce

List Price: $7.49
Our Price: $6.95
Sale Price: $4.25
You Save $3.24!



Your S'more 4-Pack, All-In-One Indoor S'more. 4-3.5oz, Individually
Wrapped

List Price: $14.25
Our Price: $11.95
Sale Price: $10.95
You Save $3.30!


Dave's Gourmet Spicy Twelve Pack Miniature Hot Sauce Collection

List Price: $23.95
Our Price: $21.95
Sale Price: $18.95
You Save $5.00!


Tony Tah's Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing & Marinade

List Price: $6.29
Our Price: $5.95
Sale Price: $4.25
You Save $2.04!





And many more items on sale! Plus every order gets a FREE hot sauce added and at $89 worth of qualifying merchandise we will pick up the cost to ship it to you by FedEx ground or home!

Wan Ja Shan Gourmet Dumpling Sauce

The folks at Wan Ja Shan have been reading The Last Bite and were enjoying it so much they decided to send us a box of sauces that they make to test out on our review team.

Today we have reached into that box and pulled out their Dumpling Sauce, and what better way to use than on dumplings! I just happen to have some Chinese dumpling in the freezer waiting for just such an occasion.

Wan Ja Shan's natural brewing method captures the essence of ancient Oriental tradition using scientific, modern-day technology. After special heat-treating, crushing, mixing and culturing, their wheat and soybeans are combined in a salt water brine solution. Then they are stored in 25,000 gallon storage tanks for a six-month aging period before being pressed, pasteurized, tested, refined and bottled. Wan Ja Shan soy sauce is NATURALLY BREWED from the basic ingredients of soybean, wheat, salt and water. This wonderful soy sauce is the base for the dumpling sauce we are sampling today.

Wan Ja Shan recommendsto use this as a dipping sauce for dumplings and all dim-sum dishes to bring out that authentic Chinese taste. In addition, Wan Ja Shan Dumpling Sauce also serves as an all-purpose seasoning for marinating and stir-frying meats and vegetables.

The first thing that struck me was the wonderful rich aroma of this sauce, it immediately made me hungry as it wafted it's wonderfully tangy, toasty scent.

I always taste every sauce by itself before applying it to food. This allows me to taste the delicate nuances one might miss when paired with food. This dumpling sauce was actually quite complex and full of tasty layers of flavor.

The initial flavor is of the tangy vinegar and saltiness of the soy. It is then smoothed over by the toasty, nutty sesame oil. There is a slight sweetness and garlicky notes in the ever so light zestiness that finishes the flavor profile of this sauce. The brew of the soy comes through nicely but never overpowers the balance of this sauce.

We really enjoyed sampling the dumpling sauce from Wan Ja Shan. It definitely elevated our dumplings to a higher level.

Review: Dragon’s Breath, MOJO Citrus Juice Hot Sauce

It’s been a while since I have conducted a product review and looking at my shelf of awaiting items I figured tonight was as good a night as any to get one more done.

Initial Impression: This looks like your typical hot sauce, and while I can’t say that any one thing jumps out at me and says “I’m special, eat me”, there is also nothing fundamentally wrong with the first glance of this hot sauce.

Ingredients: Habanero, Serrano and Red Peppers, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Citrus Juice, Spices, and Salt. This ingredient list checks out A-OK with me. All natural, no preservatives, and peppers are the first ingredient in this list, what more could you want?

Appearance: A nice looking, reddish sauce with bits of black pepper and chili pepper skin. MOJO Hot Sauce has a thick appearance that coats the inside of the bottle so I was a little surprised to see that under the cap is one of those little plastic orifice restrictors. Getting this nice thick sauce out of the bottle was a pain with the plastic doohickey in place. Pull it off and throw it out.

Aroma: Ohh yeah. This is a really great smelling sauce. When I first uncap the bottle and take a healthy snort I get the aroma of toasted cumin and chili powder. The next to hit your nose is garlic and some smoky elements. It makes my mouth water.

Taste: The very first flavor to hit me is a citrus tang. I initially thought vinegar, but there is none in the ingredient list. Further tasting leads me to think lime juice. The sudden heat of the Habanero and Serrano chilies come next. The heat is short lived and does not ever actually get to a nice searing hot level. This is a medium heat at best, but this is a nice heat level for this sauce and it feels well balanced.

The Food Test: This sauce paired perfectly with tonight’s meal! Since the label says it works well with Caribbean dishes I figured the Cuban Sandwich Wraps we made would be a match made in heaven. All I can say is YES; the sauce IS a perfect match! The richness of the pork is cut by the acidity of the citrus juice in the sauce and the flavor of the spices elevates this sandwich. The MOJO Sauce could use a bit more heat as a good amount of it is lost to the food. I used a quarter of the bottle on my sandwich.

Conclusion: Thick and tangy this hot sauce is a pleasure to eat. It doesn’t have a pile of heat but it’s enough for a regular dose of flavor so you can splash it on liberally without hurting yourself. I think I’ll bring this sauce to our local Cuban restaurant to test drive it some more.

Packaging 7/10 – Typical Hot Sauce
Aroma 9/10 – Fragrant and Enticing
Appearance 9/10 – Thick with Bits
Taste 9/10 – Tangy, Complex & Spicy
Heat 6/10 –Medium, Short Lived

Overall 8/10

Extreme Heat at the Great Divide

Baboon Ass Brand GONE RABID Hot Sauce has made it to new heights; 10,759 feet to be exact. Thanks to Bill Duke of AwardWinningSauces.com our insane simian has now officially traveled farther than we have. Come to think of it This fiery monkey can be found in Germany, The UK, Canada, Australia, and Israel. Someday I would like to visit all the places that the extreme beast has been.

If you have a picture of any Baboon Ass Brand product anywhere cool, and we mean anywhere, send it to innuendofoods@pacbell.net and we will post it. When we get a bunch, we'll figure where to send some great gourmet sauces. Will you be the one to get our gourmet gift?

A Call For Products; We're Looking For A Few Good Sauces!

Are you a gourmet food or specialty sauce maker? Are you located in Northern California? Are you interested in having your products placed in online and Bay Area Stores?

Innuendo Enterprises LLC is looking for some great new products to add to their current offerings. Your products; should they be approved for placement in our network will be presented to our ever growing list of retail clients. Your product will automatically be placed online with their retail affiliate RoJosGourmet.com and may also qualify to be offered to over 40 million shoppers a day on Amazon.com .


The criteria are as follows:

*Your product must be a shelf stable gourmet or specialty food item.

*Your product should be professionally packed in a FDA approved processing facility.

*You must have a professional label which includes ingredient declaration and nutritional facts.

*You should provide a price list of your submitted items which includes both wholesale and distributor price and your suggested list price.

*Your product should be made and stocked in Northern California.

*You acknowledge that any materials that you submit will be done at your own expense and regardless of the outcome your samples and/or materials will not be returned to you.

*All decisions are at the sole discretion of Innuendo Enterprises LLC and its officers.

We are particularly interested in expanding our Rubs and Spices, Salsa, dressings, olives and pickles, wing sauce, and condiments offerings.

If you would like to submit your specialty food items please contact us at INNUENDO CONTACT FORM and provide us with some details of your products.

Sauce Maker Interview: Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

I received an email from Al at County Bob’s All Purpose Sauce Company. He explained that they had seen “The Last Bite” and wondered if we would be interested it trying their fine All Purpose Sauce. Seeing as though Country Bob’s is not available in California I was all over that like a tornado on a trailer park.

Country Bob’s is a small company from Centralia, Illinois. One man’s passion for cooking resulted in their original sauce recipe. They formed a corporation and the business exploded. They credit their great success to God and have appointed Christ their CEO. While the CEO was not available for this interview; co-founder Al Malekovic was happy to answer our question:

Q: How did you come to found a gourmet sauce business?
A: Country Bob Edson created the All Purpose Sauce in 1968. He owned a filling station and all the local guys would come around and he would make lunch. He loved to BBQ and he would fix different meats and feed them. He could not find a sauce that suited him so he created Country Bobs All Purpose Sauce.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Country Bob was making it to sell locally and in 1982 the four of us Bob, Terry his son, Al Malekovic Terry’s father-in-law and Reed Malekovic, Al’s son created Country Bob Inc. and started on our way. This answers the next question, Al’s wife Eileen, runs the office, also a son-in-law and two grandsons. We have a total of 14 employees.

Q: Do you have business partners? Is it a family business? etc.
A: Didn’t you read the last answer? (us, not their answer)

Q: What kinds of challenges are involved in having a gourmet sauce company, and how do you surmount them?
A: The main challenge was getting people to taste it. We use to do a lot of demos, but due to the high cost we have about quit. Cost has went from $35 a day to about $150 a day, but now we give a lot of coupons for free bottles of Country Bobs away. Mainly over the internet!

Q: Do you use a co-packer? How did you find a good one, and how do you work with them to make sure the product comes out the way you intended?
A: We pack our own and also for several other small companies. We are now making our plastic bottles.

Q: What’s the best thing about your job?
A: Meeting all the great people and see how they react to Country Bobs. Working with our family and way the Lord has blessed us.

Q: What’s the worst thing about your job?
A: Getting told NO!

Q: What was your first sauce?
A: Do you still offer it for sale? Country Bobs All Purpose Sauce was our first and still is!

Q: How do you go about developing a gourmet sauce?
A: We do it ourselves; in fact, we are working on a marinade and two new BBQ sauces.

Q: How do you taste and evaluate gourmet sauce?
A: Our employees help with the taste and we see what the market place is needing.

Q: How has your company evolved over the years? (if applicable)
A: Because of the increased number of chains and the Broker system dissolving; we now use the internet to get people to taste Country Bobs. We send out a coupon for a free bottle if the people register on our web site. We are on a bunch of search engines that give free stuff away. Also we started blogging a couple of months ago and our hits on our web site have doubled. We are redoing our web site to make it more person friendly.

Q: Do you use any unusual ingredients that people might be surprised at? (No Answer)

Q: Do you have a favorite sauce? What do you like about it?
A: Our All Purpose!!

Q: Aside from your own, do you have a favorite commercially available gourmet sauce?
A: NO!

Q: What’s the best way to use your sauce?
A: You name it! From marinating, dipping, steak, BBQ, and the vast ways to cook with it. (you should see our cookbook).

Q: What’s the strangest way you’ve heard of someone using your sauce?
A: Ice Cream

Q: What do you want people to know about your sauce?
A: If they will taste it they will buy it.

Q: What is next for your company?
A: Gourmet BBQ sauces

Q: What trends do you see happening in the specialty food industry in the next several years?
A: Shelf space being a premium and the cost of doing business rising.

Q: Where can we buy your products?
A: Web site, call us, Amazon, most Kroger and Wal-Mart Super Centers, Albertsons, and other independent stores. Country Bobs is sold mostly in the Midwest and the South.

We truly enjoyed the sample of Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce and you can get your FREE bottle by simply signing up for their newsletter. Some restrictions apply, see their site for details: http://www.countrybobs.com/pages/signup.asp

Look for part two where we use Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce in a recipe from the Country Bob's website!

Review: Bryner's Classic Hot Sauces

This has been a particularly busy year for me so far and as a result I have gotten quite behind in my hot sauce reviews. I figured this was a perfect opportunity to thin the “to be reviewed” shelf by doing a two-for! Today’s review is a pair from Bryner’s Classics; Bryner’s Best & Momma’s Mild. With two at once your gonna have to try’ in keep up now. So here we go!

Initial Impression: First impressions can be deceiving. I have to admit I was not overly impressed by the overall look and feel of these sauces. That is part of the reason this sauce has been sitting on my shelf for so long. While the actual sauce inside the jars looks great the packaging had me constantly reaching for other selections. I guess it’s true; you really do eat with your eyes first. The smudgy, homemade labels were just not enough to make me want this sauce.

Ingredients: “Bryner’s Best”: Carrots, Vinegar, Peppers, Water, Onions Garlic, Sweeteners, Citrus Juices, Salt & Other Spices.“Momma’s Mild”: Carrots, Vinegar, Peppers, Water, Onions, Garlic, Sweeteners, Citrus Juices, Salt & Other Spices.

Interestingly enough both jars contain the exact same ingredients? Huh, that’s odd? The other thing that stands out to me is “Sweeteners”. Is it sugar? Corn syrup, cane juice, agave, Splenda? What is the secret? I’m pretty sure the FDA would insist that there are no mystery ingredients allowed in a product packaged for sale to the public. Anyways, the list is clean and looks good!

Appearance: Aside from the color; both of these sauces have pretty much the same appearance. They are both nice and thick and pile up on the plate when poured. Both sauces are smooth yet a bit pulpy, and neither sauce has any seeds or particles floating around in it. When left to sit a minute in the plate the liquid began to run out from around the edges of the sauce. Be sure to shake this one well before applying.

Aroma: “Momma’s Mild” is just that in the aroma department. It has a vinegary tang up front and if you Hoover on it some more you will pick out some onion and garlic. The “Bryner’s Best” on the other hand wallops your nose with aromatic spices. There is a definite soy and Worcestershire aroma to this sauce yet neither is listed in the ingredients. The garlic stands out a bit more in this flavor. Let’s Eat!

Taste: Momma’s Mild is certainly mild, with only the slightest warmth the sweetness comes to the forefront. Right after the sweetness there is a vinegary tang that hit me so hard I winced. The warmth of the peppers comes through in the finish along with some garlicky tones.

Bryner’s best is a completely different sauce despite the ingredient declaration similarities. The first flavors that rush over your taste buds are a smoky, sweet, steak sauce type of flavor. The sweetness and heat come in together in the center of your tongue and the finish is a long, garlicky flavor.

The Food Test: Moussaka! No, that is not some kind of Middle Eastern curse word. It is a Greek dish made of layers of eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, ground beef, with sauce and Mediterranean spices. As it turns out, Moussaka is a great pallet for these two sauces. I started with a nice blob of each on separate pieces just to try it out. In the end I poured about a quarter of each bottle on my wonderful meal. The Moussaka’s blend of flavors and spices was able to tone down the sweetness of the sauces and the other flavors were able to shine through.

Conclusion: Whether you like it mild and sweet, or on the spicier side; Bryner’s Classics has a flavor that will suit your taste. They grow their own peppers and have been making this sauce for the past twenty years. There are no preservatives or artificial ingredients. If you go to their site at http://brynersclassics.com/ordernow.htm you can even get a pack with each of their flavors for free!

Packaging 1/10 – Homemade, smudged.
Aroma 7/10 – Fresh & Tangy

Appearance 10/10 – Smooth & Sexy
Taste 6/10 – A Bit on the Sweet Side
Heat 5/10 –Momma’s is a 2.

Overall 6/10