For my first review I'd like to do something a little different.
I was at the RealFood Festival in London on Sunday and went to see Mr Vikki's stall - nice chap called Adam from Cumbria. Bought several of his sauces, as I'd heard good things and to be fair to him - everything I tried was top notch.
One thing stood out a bit though because it was so different. Many of you lot have probably tried it but it was a new one on me, as I'm such a newb!
I refer you all to:
Mr Vikki's HHH Heaven Hot Habanero (batch II)
It is a jam, but Adam told me that it was different to his other jams etc because it was sugar-based. You'd expect it to be very tart...
...especially given the consistency which glistened with the sugar syrup.
It is a bit thicker than normal strawberry jam - deep and unctuous. Lots on the lid - you can see that it isnt oily like a sauce.
First taste is a blinder - the richness hits you straight off. Its like a lovely deep, rich chilli taste working very nicely with the sugar - you'd have thought it would be too tart and too sweet but it isnt. The savoury taste of the chillis and a pinch of salt offsets the sugar and it works. It has an almost creamy finish to it, but then the Habs hit. The heat is impressive.
I'd have thought the chilli heat would be too much for most people who have chilli jam instead of chilli sauce - it it hot enough to make it unsuitable for all but the hardened chillihead, and I think that's what I love about it. The heat of the red Habs just keeps on coming in characteristic Hab style - it isnt in the class of heat of the Nagas or Bhuts but it is a different burn. Wave after wave hits and each one has a stunning taste - i think Adam's been a bit clever here because more heat than that and the heat would overpower the taste, whereas less than that and it might taste a little starchy. For me, he's got it nailed on.
What would i use this for?
Its very sweet and that might put some people off from using it with a lot of things, but actually, it is impressively versatile. I dont eat cheese but i bet it is the absolute Daddy on a cheese sarnie. It comes into its own I think not just as a jam but as a dipping sauce. Anything you'd use Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce on - this is a million times better. Not because its a lot hotter (and it really, really is!) but because it is thicker, more flavourful beast altogether. I reckon you could bake a blinding foccaccia bread with it, perhaps with some sundried tomatoes. Grilled chicken skewers? Hell yeah!
Put it this way - i've just made myself a peanut butter sandwich (fresh bread from Asda, buttered to the edges, thick spread with extra chunky peanut butter) and smeared loads on the other side of the bread, finishing with a butterflied grilled chicken breast. Seriously, it was so nice it compelled - nay DEMANDED - that I do this review
My stomach is smiling!!
It isnt a chilli sauce but all of us here have dozens perhaps hundreds of those. It is nonetheless something you should have - everyone should have this jam. It is already an unmissable member of my collection.
Taste - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Packaging/Label - 4 out of 5
Heat Accuracy - 5 out of 5
4.5 out of 5 - Blinding.
I was at the RealFood Festival in London on Sunday and went to see Mr Vikki's stall - nice chap called Adam from Cumbria. Bought several of his sauces, as I'd heard good things and to be fair to him - everything I tried was top notch.
One thing stood out a bit though because it was so different. Many of you lot have probably tried it but it was a new one on me, as I'm such a newb!
I refer you all to:
Mr Vikki's HHH Heaven Hot Habanero (batch II)
It is a jam, but Adam told me that it was different to his other jams etc because it was sugar-based. You'd expect it to be very tart...
...especially given the consistency which glistened with the sugar syrup.
It is a bit thicker than normal strawberry jam - deep and unctuous. Lots on the lid - you can see that it isnt oily like a sauce.
First taste is a blinder - the richness hits you straight off. Its like a lovely deep, rich chilli taste working very nicely with the sugar - you'd have thought it would be too tart and too sweet but it isnt. The savoury taste of the chillis and a pinch of salt offsets the sugar and it works. It has an almost creamy finish to it, but then the Habs hit. The heat is impressive.
I'd have thought the chilli heat would be too much for most people who have chilli jam instead of chilli sauce - it it hot enough to make it unsuitable for all but the hardened chillihead, and I think that's what I love about it. The heat of the red Habs just keeps on coming in characteristic Hab style - it isnt in the class of heat of the Nagas or Bhuts but it is a different burn. Wave after wave hits and each one has a stunning taste - i think Adam's been a bit clever here because more heat than that and the heat would overpower the taste, whereas less than that and it might taste a little starchy. For me, he's got it nailed on.
What would i use this for?
Its very sweet and that might put some people off from using it with a lot of things, but actually, it is impressively versatile. I dont eat cheese but i bet it is the absolute Daddy on a cheese sarnie. It comes into its own I think not just as a jam but as a dipping sauce. Anything you'd use Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce on - this is a million times better. Not because its a lot hotter (and it really, really is!) but because it is thicker, more flavourful beast altogether. I reckon you could bake a blinding foccaccia bread with it, perhaps with some sundried tomatoes. Grilled chicken skewers? Hell yeah!
Put it this way - i've just made myself a peanut butter sandwich (fresh bread from Asda, buttered to the edges, thick spread with extra chunky peanut butter) and smeared loads on the other side of the bread, finishing with a butterflied grilled chicken breast. Seriously, it was so nice it compelled - nay DEMANDED - that I do this review
My stomach is smiling!!It isnt a chilli sauce but all of us here have dozens perhaps hundreds of those. It is nonetheless something you should have - everyone should have this jam. It is already an unmissable member of my collection.
Taste - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Packaging/Label - 4 out of 5
Heat Accuracy - 5 out of 5
4.5 out of 5 - Blinding.
