Condiment of the Week: Walkerswood Fire Stick Pepper Sauce

I was lucky enough to have a number of different hot sauces, curries and marinades brought back for me from Jamaica, and of the bunch, one of the biggest standouts was the Walkerswood Fire Stick Pepper Sauce. As far as hot sauces go I have always had a fondness for the pepper sauce because it combines multiple types of heat, like peppers, garlic and onions, but also uses some sweetness like brown sugar. This version of the pepper sauce is actually mild, as far as Jamaican hot sauces go, but actually really packs a punch. It is a thick, almost pourable hot sauce, whose heat and flavor spreads slowly through your mouth and over your tongue so you get hit with a slow burn of flavor. The texture is not quite as thick as Srircha, but it's close. I tend to use it mainly for Mexican food, and add only a few carefully placed drops for both heat and texture. It balances nicely with a more liquid standard hot sauce like Frank's.

So good it's sold out!

Condiment of the Week: Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Among the thousands of hot sauces Sriracha is king, and anyone who even remotely likes a little heat with their food will agree with you. Personally, I buy this stuff by the giant squeeze bottle because I go through it so quickly. Usually many people don't even know the name of this sauce they just refer to it as the squeeze bottle hot sauce, or the hot sauce bottle with a rooster. Sriracha goes best with Asian foods, like chinese, thai, and vietnamese. Personally I also use it with mexican food and in a lot of marinades. Heck in college we use to just squeeze it onto crackers like it was a dipping sauce. Plus, with it's bright red color, thick consistency, and distinct chili flavor it makes for a nice finish on top of many dishes. While most hot sauces are thin and liquidy, usually with a lot of vinegar and burn your mouth like someone lit a match inside of it, Sriracha bursts with flavor and just enough heat to keep you honest.

Favorite Use: Generous squirts poured over Chicken with Broccoli
Strangest Use: Casey on Top Chef used it to make ice cream. Oh yeah, and also used poblano's, dried apricot and potato chips. I love Sriracha, but come on, did she really think this would actually taste good?