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Salamander Sauce Company. Fighting Fire with Flavor.

7/19/2013

13 Comments

 
by Len Boccassini
       I like to say I'm one pepper short of a Chilihead and I say that with complete affection. In fact, I admire and often share their enthusiasm for the almighty pepper. But my dilemma stems from the fact that far too many hot sauce enthusiasts get so caught up in the heat factor, that they simply lose sight of the flavor. That is something I simply refuse to do.

      To be frank, I much prefer a hot sauce that offers flavor as an element equal to that of the heat; a composition that enhances and adds complexity to the dish rather than devouring all in is path. It sounds like a simple formula, but failing to execute that recipe of balance is exactly where so many sauces fall short in my book.
    Last week, however, I was lucky enough to receive samples of three hot sauces from Timothy Kavarnos, founder of the Salamander Sauce Company. As the new kid on the block, Tim approaches the pepper game in a manner that exudes a passion for his product and consequentially, brings an unexpected freshness to the stale glut of same old, same old in the hot sauce aisle.

    The three samples I received were as refreshingly bright as is their creator's approach to the business of making hot sauce.
Review of Salamander Hot Sauce • Foodidude.com
Photograph by Len Boccassini
    There's a whole lot more I like about Salamander Sauce Company than merely the flavor of their sauces. Particularly the core beliefs and ideals which go into each and every bottle.
Salamander Hot Sauce Review • Foodidude.com
Tim Kavarnos
     Let's face it, Tim Kavarnos founded his company to make a superior hot sauce. He wanted to devise a sauce which relies on flavor as much as heat. In fact, the very name of the company alludes to that mindset and came about as a result of the mythical Salamander dancing through the fire without getting burned. But his principles and methodology on how just he would go about doing so is what I really found impressive.

    To be concise, in creating his sauces, Tim has clung to the tenet that only an all-natural, locally-sourced, locally-produced sauce would do. That ideology begins with produce that is sourced from family-owned farms in the Hudson Valley and picked at the peak of freshness. With the freshest ingredients possible, his spicy blends are hand crafted in small batches and hand-bottled.

   Salamander offers three flavors at the moment - Original Hot Sauce, Tropical Hot Sauce and Strawberry Hot Sauce. And as I said, I was lucky enough to try all three.
The Sauces:

      In constructed this review, I felt compelled to give all three sauces a whirl on a complete meal. I did so within the framework of utilizing them on dishes I felt they would absolutely compliment.

      For the Original Hot Sauce I'd chosen to make Oyster Fritters as an appetizer and use it as a dipping sauce.

      For the Tropical Hot Sauce, my entree would be Lamb and Mango Kabobs with Mint Marinade.

      And lastly, I just needed to taste the Strawberry Hot Sauce as dessert.

So here's how it went:
     Ironically, the sauce I decided to start off with was actually the hottest of the three. But that didn't matter much in the case of the Original Hot Sauce. You see, I'll equate your typical above average hot sauce with going to a rock concert - you walk in, lights go down, you're hit with a wall of sound. You think, "Wow, that was awesome!" but usually forget about it by the following week.
Salamander Hot Sauce Review • Foodidude.com
Spicy Oyster Fritters • Photograph by Len Boccassini
     This sauce is more akin to walking into a Jazz Club at midnight in New Orleans - you walk in, the lights are low and the air is smokey. There's a vibe that becomes part of you and before long, you know it's a night you'll remember forever.

     With a full-bodied orange color, there's a depth of flavor and complexity to this sauce that climaxes in one long, smooth, spicy finish. It's hot, no doubt, but the habaneros and jalapenos dance amongst the recipe, instead of encompassing and completely devouring the other ingredients. This sauce is a winner in my book.
Salamander Sauce Review • Foodidude.com
Lamb and Mango Kabobs with Mint Marinade
   The Lamb & Mango Kabobs I'd chosen as my entree was the perfect foil for Tim's Tropical Hot Sauce.

    I sought a recipe that was bold, bright and screamed exotic. And there was no dipping here as with the appetizer. Nope. I poured it on as an actual component of the dish. And I'm glad i did.

     Ultimately, this was my favorite sauce of the three I reviewed. Ironically, it also packs the least punch heat-wise. But that doesn't mean it's weak by any means. After all this is a hot sauce.
     There is so much going on within this bottle of Tropical Hot Sauce - Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Kiwi, Banana, Grapefruit, Lime, and Orange are just a few of its ingredients. This cacophony of flavors continuously ebb and flow amidst a vibrant habanero and jalapeno undertone, intermingling and dancing within your mouth, ending with a long sharp finish on the back of your tongue. I cannot sing high enough praises for this particular sauce. For me, this is nearly as perfect as a sauce of this type can get.
     Dessert was something I could not wait to get to. If for no other reason than I couldn't imagine what this Strawberry Hot Sauce would taste like.

   Surprisingly, I immediately found it to be hotter than the Tropical Hot Sauce. Not surprisingly, it excelled on every level.

    I first tried it on Vanilla Ice Cream with a fresh mint leaf. Wow! It actually changed the entire delivery of the dessert for the better. It gave a perky, spicy element to the ice cream, yet the coldness of the vanilla dessert magically took the edge off the heat. Amazing flavor combination.

   My second dessert was simply a bowl of ripe watermelon, upon which I squeezed fresh lemon and a dot of sauce on each cube. With a fresh mint leaf, this simple presentation displayed an air of elegance and I could absolutely see this being served in Martini glasses at a cocktail party.

   So in retrospect, these are perhaps three of the finest hot sauces I've ever tasted. Salamander Sauce Company may be the new kid on the block, but they're going to be around a long time. Kudos.
Salamander Sauce Review
Salamander Sauce Review • Foodidude.com
13 Comments
Jim at HotSauceAddicts.com link
7/19/2013 02:08:26 pm

Hi Len,

Great post and review of Salamander Sauce Company's new line of hot sauces. I, too, share some of the same remarks in my review. You're right--Tim and his family are passionate about bringing high quality products to the hot sauce community and I am confident those products will make a positive impact.

Here's a link to my reviews: http://http.www.hotsauceaddicts.com.tag.mobifyproxy.com/salamander-original-hot-sauce-review.html

Jim

Reply
Len (Foodidude)
7/20/2013 12:07:15 am

Thank you, Jim. I did indeed read your review and enjoyed it immensely. I saw we did share some thoughts and insights, so I guess the voting is indeed closed - LOL!!

I followed you on FB as well and I look forward to keeping up with your Hot Sauce reviews!

Len

Reply
Jane Parson
7/20/2013 12:55:03 am

Fantastic article! Your way with words makes everything so colorful and is a true gift. The recipes here are an added bonus! Incidentally, where can I buy the strawberry hot sauce?

Reply
Salamander Sauce Company link
7/20/2013 02:05:14 am

Hi Jane,

Thank you for checking out Len's amazing review, and for your interest in our sauces! Please go to our Kickstarter campaign page where you can make a contribution in exchange for perks--namely, the sauces! $15 and up gets you a bottle (or more!) of your choice.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1018516434/salamander-hot-sauce-bringing-flavor-and-fire-toge

Thanks again,
Team Salamander

Reply
Gregory B.
7/20/2013 01:24:46 am

You're absolutely one pepper short of a chilihead! Seriously, nice take on one of my favorite topics!

Reply
Salamander Sauce Company link
7/20/2013 02:07:17 am

Hi Gregory,

Thank you for reading Len's awesome review about our sauces. If you're interested in learning more about our story, or in trying the sauces, please check out our Kickstarter campaign here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1018516434/salamander-hot-sauce-bringing-flavor-and-fire-toge

Thanks,
Team Salamander

Reply
Salamander Sauce Company link
7/20/2013 02:03:14 am

We are absolutely blown away by your review, Len! The dishes you paired the sauces with have our mouths watering. Plus, you really "get us"--our philosophy of bringing Flavor & Fire Together--and its so great to have this kind of response. So thank you!

-Team Salamander

Reply
Len (Foodidude)
7/20/2013 02:25:22 am

You're quite welcome! I do get your philosophy and I can appreciate the passion you bring to doing what you love most... after all, we share that quality!

Reply
Mary Jenarelli
7/21/2013 11:42:43 pm

Love love love it!!!

Reply
Billy Delaney link
7/22/2013 08:02:59 am

This hot sauce is some tasty stuff! I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars!!!

http://youtu.be/MpoLF22ouWk

Reply
Abidur Rahman link
7/22/2013 10:11:21 pm

Since NORTH EAST INDIA has a vast variety of other organic products to offer, slowly we have expanded our expertise to spices and aromatic oils for which NORTH EAST INDIA is best suited as well as famous for. Apart from that, we are also focusing on pineapple and rice, which are again the best grown in NORTH EAST INDIA, with special qualities and better taste.

We are Bhut Jolokia growers from Assam. As you would be aware that the Bhut Jolokia is a naturally occuring hybrid native of the Assam region of North Eastern India. It is extensively cultivated in North Eastern Region of India especially in the states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. The Guinness World Records has recognized it as the hottest chilli in the world.
We are one of the leading exporters of Bhut Jolokia from Assam.

We have the following: -
World Hottest chilli: -
A. Bhut Jolokia Oven Dried Pod
B. Bhut Jolokia Oven Dried Powder
C. Bhut Jolokia Oven Dried Flakes
D. Bhut Jolokia Smoke Dried Pod
E. Bhut jolokia Smoke Dried powder
F. Bhut Jolokia Smoke Dried Flakes
G. Bhut jolokia Mash (with 15% salt)
H. Bhut jolokia Paste (natural)

Bird eye chilli:
Bird Eye Chilli are grown mostly North Eastern India.
Bird Eye Chilli Dried Pod - (with stems)

Reply
Hannah Litchkin
7/25/2013 09:10:27 am

Great article & recipes and the sauces look great too!

Reply
Salamander Sauce Company link
8/21/2013 04:53:05 am

Hi Hannah,

Thank you for checking out Len's amazing review, and for your interest in our sauces! Please go to our Kickstarter campaign page where you can make a contribution in exchange for perks--namely, the sauces! $15 and up gets you a bottle (or more!) of your choice.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1018516434/salamander-hot-sauce-bringing-flavor-and-fire-toge

Thanks again,
Team Salamander

Reply



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