Hot Sauce #3 – The Honey Hot Sauce Review
Hot Sauce #3 on the trip to 10,000 is The Honey Hot Sauce and it has a great story behind it. You are going to love the Hot Sauce Boss.
Hot Sauce #3 – The Honey Hot Sauce from the Hot Sauce Boss
Last summer I was up in Chicago for the Chicago Comic Con Wizard World Convention. We went up a couple of days early, because we just LOVE Chicago.
I was wandering around alone down in the Loop, under the El on Wabash Ave. (I believe at the corner of Monroe, but don’t quote me on that.) I saw a slick-looking guy selling something out of his shoulder bag on the opposite side of the street. It looked like hot sauce. In fact, it looked enough like hot sauce that I had to go over and check.
By the time I got to the other side, he was gone. But I was too intrigued to be stopped now — and I really had nothing else to do — so I started looking around for him. It took about 45 minutes, but I found him in a natural foods store.
Of course, it was hot sauce he was selling.
And, of course, I bought some. 🙂
Hot Sauce #3 – The Honey Hot Sauce
His name is Malik Jamal and he is a super cool, sweetheart of a guy. His business card lists his company as Almighty Imperial and him as “The Hot Sauce Boss.” which is also his website – http://www.thehotsauceboss.com
I knew I was gonna like this guy when I saw that he had bought a Bruce Cost Unfiltered Ginger Ale (my favorite.) You can see it in his right hand.
In his left hand is the only bottle of hot sauce he had left for the day – The Honey Hot Sauce.
I got lucky.
But also unlucky. He makes 3 kinds of sauces, the other two are Spicy Guava and Lime Juiced.
You know that I would have bought all three.
We talked for a very enjoyable 20 minutes, I took his picture, promised to put him on this blog (it took a while but here it is) and then I walked off with my new sauce in my pocket and a smile.
Not Quite as Enjoyable or as Sweet as Malik
I really, really, REALLY REALLY wanted to love this sauce.
Malik is so sweet and enjoyable to talk to. And I love to discover new and exciting unknown sauces — and to support local producers.
But…
I only like it.
It’s not that it is bad. Not by any means. It’s all natural and you can taste that. There are no cloying artificial tastes and no oily feel on the tongue.
Some people are going to love this sauce I am sure.
(UPDATE – I was sooooo right — and I am glad. See the first comment below for a very nice “opposing” point of view.)
Unfortunately there just isn’t really much to the sauce. You get a very slight sweet taste right at the beginning and then a huge explosion of heat (it is made with scotch bonnet peppers after all.) But, unfortunately, that is it. There is no honey taste, just sweet, and no pepper taste, just heat.
There’s no complexity.
I just can’t imagine why I would eat it. Or what I would eat it on. It’s not sweet enough to stand on its own on a biscuit or bagel. It’s hot — but so are dozens of other sauces.
I will keep trying, though.
I really hope I see Malik again. He is such a fun dude and I would love to try his other 2 sauces.
My Ratings:
Taste: — Heat Level: — Usablility:
Information:
Selected Ingredients: Scotch Bonnet Peppers, Honey, Citric Acid and Salt
Where I got it: I got mine straight from Malik on State Street in Chicago (which I hope to do again on my next trip to the Windy City.) It’s also available on his website. I might end up ordering from there, but I hope I see Malik again this year. That is so much more fun.
Their Website: http://www.thehotsauceboss.com/
All Photos of all the nonsense on this page are by Mark. And you should see the shots of the ComicCon I didn’t include. Seriously.
The Hot Sauce Book
Recipes for Making Your Own Hot Sauces and Cooking With Them
Want to learn how to make your own signature hot sauces that will blow your friends and family away?
This is the book for you.
Simple, easy to follow recipes for whipping up your own hot sauces as well as a whole host of recipes for cooking with your new homemade sauces.
Not only is this book packed full of hot sauce recipes, it’s also got alcohol infused sauces, garlic infused sauces and fruity sauces with a hot twist. Learn the techniques behind making world famous sauces. Make your own signature sauces and then follow the simple breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes so that you are never short of meal ideas again.
Every recipe is simplified, with all the confusing culinary terms removed, so that anyone can follow along.
A Few Random Chicago and Chicago Comic Con Wizard World Convention Photos from 2012 for you to enjoy.
If you have never been to a large comic convention, you should put it on your Bucket List. But it must be one of the big ones (Chicago, San Diego and Toronto are good ones.) You’ll have a blast. Even if you have no interest at all in comics.
The same goes for visiting Chicago. Only more so.
By the way, on Friday night we walked up to Graham Elliot’s sandwich shop, Grahamwich in the River North neighborhood and had a really good light dinner. The sandwiches were excellent. I also enjoyed the chips and the pickled veggies.
Mark
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Then Please be sure to leave a comment to tell everyone what YOU think of this Hot Sauce.
Herbert Wills
July 5, 2012 @ 1:14 pm
We don’t just like The Hot Sauce Boss in Chicago, WE LOVE THE HOT SAUCE BOSS IN CHICAGO! I happen to have bought all three flavors from the Boss of the Sauce himself and I must say it is the absolute best hot sauce I have ever had in my life. The flavors are absolutely amazing and all natural. That means you never get a stomach ache or heartburn with this hot sauce( a common side effect of most hot sauce). I used to receive a bad case of acid reflux with every other hot sauce, which is why I stopped eating hot sauce. Then everybody in the streets starting telling me about this guy. He’s like a legend from the South Side. Like everyone else I went on my hunt and found The Boss, on that great street State Street. He is probably one of the coolest guys you’ll ever meet. I started with the Honey Hot Sauce then worked my way up to the Spicy Kush Lime Hot Sauce which is my favorite(Love That KUSH! ;-). I urge every hot sauce connoissuer in the world to experience this sauce. It’s a very good chance it will be your favorite hot sauce IN THE WORLD! Thanks Hot Sauce Boss!
A.j. Drew
March 18, 2015 @ 6:42 am
Have been reviewing hot sauces with my daughter. Of the many reviews, the sauces with honey seem to be our favorite. There is something about the combination of hot peppers and honey that brings out the flavor of the pepper more than sugar or other sweet substances. Kind of balances even the super hots.
Our reviews are here if you would like to take a peak. Like you, love comments.
http://www.peppersbymail.com/category/chilihead-reviews/