I had a great time at the first annual NYC Hot Sauce Expo and the adjacent Smorgasburg. I must apologize in advance for all of the vendors that I didn't purchase from and mention here. When my bag grew heavy and my wallet light, it was time to go home.
I woke up and saw it was 52 f outside, expected to rise to 57. To advertise my book, Tanya's Predicaments, I wore a Tanya's Predicaments T-shirt without a jacket over it. I was comfortable, UNTIL I arrived at the site, which is located on the banks of the East River. It was cold and very windy, but if I get a few sales for my efforts, than the suffering was worth it. Even thought it was cold, I got a lot of color in my face form the sun.
The friendly atmosphere began right away—At the free entrance to the food area, I was given a free can of a Strawberry Kiwi flavored nawgain alertness beverage.
Near the entrance was a Hot sauce vendor. I purchased a bottle of Queen Majesty Scotch Bonnet & Ginger Sauce. I couldn't find Johnny's Pit Beef Booth right away, but while walking around, I stopped by The Brooklyn Oyster Party and enjoyed a delicious appetizer of an assorted collection of 8 northeastern oysters. The vast assortment of food vendors all had delicious looking and smelling offerings, but I was saving my appetite for one of Johnny's Pit Beef sandwiches. I was not disappointed! I had the basic sandwich, filled with a generous portion of grilled beef, seasoned with horseradish paste. I passed on the white onion toppings. I washed it down with 2 bottles of the 1776 Beverage company's delicious all natural white peach Ginger Ale. The soda was good and oily, which left a lingering flavorful reside in my mouth.
I picked up a bag of Granola Labs Cranberry Cashew Compound.
I then exited the food area to enter the main event—The Hot Sauce Expo. The well publicized event was very popular, as there was a long line to get in. The process was well organized, and I didn't wait more than 10 minutes to get in. While on line, I chatted it up with a newbie chile-head, giving him some wisdom and bragging about my grow. I was flattered, when event staff "carded" me, as beer is sold on the premises. I had a "21 and over" paper bracelet tied to my wrist. I then paid $12.00 for general admission. I didn't complain at the time, as I wasn't 100% sure, but I just checked the "admission" page at http://www.nychotsau...om/tickets.html, which clearly state that general admission is $10.00. I just used a form to email the expo folks, asking for an explanation. After paying, I had another bracelet affixed to my wrist. This allowed me to go back and forth between the food area and hot sauce area, using a path that was not blocked off.
On my way to visit the heartbrekingdawns booth, I stopped by a number of other vendors, all of whom offered free samples of their products. I purchased some hot and delicious Zombie Apocalypse sauce from torchbearer sauces, along with a bottle of their hotter, but slightly less flavorful, The rapture.
I then purchased a bottle of Rocky's Lime Hot Sauce. This is a mild sauce, but very tasty, with a delicious concentrated citrus flavor.
I then purchased a bottle of Original Garlic Lime Hot Sauce from Hot-Cha WAA-Cha Sauce + Spice Co. Made with Habanero's, this had more kick than the Ricky's Sauce - not deadly but good heat, and also delicious.
I then visited Puckerbutt Pepper Company, and after a number of samples, I purchased a bottle of yellow fever and a bottle of I Dare you Stupit. Both of these were tasty, but far from deadly. I forgot his name, but the guy behind the counter said that Stupit Hot was made with Carolina Reapers. He did acknowledge that, in spite of the title, the sauce wasn't deadly. The bottle itself rates the heat index at 5. The Yellow Fever has an index of 3. I do need to point out a minor criticism: Both bottles have the same ingredients listed on the labels: Vinegar peppers, Xanthan Gum. With our specialized genre, why on earth, don't they list the types of peppers that they use? Especially for the I Dare you Stupit sauce, as PuckerButt works hard to define their Carolina Reaper as the world's hottest. While I was at the counter the sales guy mentioned that a lot to prospective customers. To their credit, on the I Dare You Stupit label, they do state, "This is one of Smokin' Ed's experimental capsacin amalgams. These peppers tested at over 1.4 million Scoville at a leading university..." That still is no excuse for not putting the type of peppers on the label. Both sauces are delicious and hot, with the heat building a little, but I would have preferred hotter versions, with at least twice the number of pods per batch.
I picked up some good and hot Diablo Beef Jerky from The Jerky Connection.
Then, on to the best. I stopped by the heartbreaking dawns booth and hung out with Johnny for a while. He sent me to one of his affiliates, occupying the booth next to him. I picked up 2 bottles of Bad Brains F.V.K. 7 Pod Extreme Sauce. This is delicious with a good burn that built up. Then, back to heartbreakingdawns to pick up some bottles of their hottest stuff, and one of my favorites, Mauvais Sang, along it's slightly weaker but sweeter cousin, Nuit en Enfer, along with bottles of 1498 Trinidad Scorpion Sauce and 1498 Cautherizer.
I hope this was the first of many more NYC annual hot sauce Expos to come. A Good time was had by all! Here are some pics for you to enjoy:
http://s774.photobuc.../slideshow/Expo
I woke up and saw it was 52 f outside, expected to rise to 57. To advertise my book, Tanya's Predicaments, I wore a Tanya's Predicaments T-shirt without a jacket over it. I was comfortable, UNTIL I arrived at the site, which is located on the banks of the East River. It was cold and very windy, but if I get a few sales for my efforts, than the suffering was worth it. Even thought it was cold, I got a lot of color in my face form the sun.
The friendly atmosphere began right away—At the free entrance to the food area, I was given a free can of a Strawberry Kiwi flavored nawgain alertness beverage.
Near the entrance was a Hot sauce vendor. I purchased a bottle of Queen Majesty Scotch Bonnet & Ginger Sauce. I couldn't find Johnny's Pit Beef Booth right away, but while walking around, I stopped by The Brooklyn Oyster Party and enjoyed a delicious appetizer of an assorted collection of 8 northeastern oysters. The vast assortment of food vendors all had delicious looking and smelling offerings, but I was saving my appetite for one of Johnny's Pit Beef sandwiches. I was not disappointed! I had the basic sandwich, filled with a generous portion of grilled beef, seasoned with horseradish paste. I passed on the white onion toppings. I washed it down with 2 bottles of the 1776 Beverage company's delicious all natural white peach Ginger Ale. The soda was good and oily, which left a lingering flavorful reside in my mouth.
I picked up a bag of Granola Labs Cranberry Cashew Compound.
I then exited the food area to enter the main event—The Hot Sauce Expo. The well publicized event was very popular, as there was a long line to get in. The process was well organized, and I didn't wait more than 10 minutes to get in. While on line, I chatted it up with a newbie chile-head, giving him some wisdom and bragging about my grow. I was flattered, when event staff "carded" me, as beer is sold on the premises. I had a "21 and over" paper bracelet tied to my wrist. I then paid $12.00 for general admission. I didn't complain at the time, as I wasn't 100% sure, but I just checked the "admission" page at http://www.nychotsau...om/tickets.html, which clearly state that general admission is $10.00. I just used a form to email the expo folks, asking for an explanation. After paying, I had another bracelet affixed to my wrist. This allowed me to go back and forth between the food area and hot sauce area, using a path that was not blocked off.
On my way to visit the heartbrekingdawns booth, I stopped by a number of other vendors, all of whom offered free samples of their products. I purchased some hot and delicious Zombie Apocalypse sauce from torchbearer sauces, along with a bottle of their hotter, but slightly less flavorful, The rapture.
I then purchased a bottle of Rocky's Lime Hot Sauce. This is a mild sauce, but very tasty, with a delicious concentrated citrus flavor.
I then purchased a bottle of Original Garlic Lime Hot Sauce from Hot-Cha WAA-Cha Sauce + Spice Co. Made with Habanero's, this had more kick than the Ricky's Sauce - not deadly but good heat, and also delicious.
I then visited Puckerbutt Pepper Company, and after a number of samples, I purchased a bottle of yellow fever and a bottle of I Dare you Stupit. Both of these were tasty, but far from deadly. I forgot his name, but the guy behind the counter said that Stupit Hot was made with Carolina Reapers. He did acknowledge that, in spite of the title, the sauce wasn't deadly. The bottle itself rates the heat index at 5. The Yellow Fever has an index of 3. I do need to point out a minor criticism: Both bottles have the same ingredients listed on the labels: Vinegar peppers, Xanthan Gum. With our specialized genre, why on earth, don't they list the types of peppers that they use? Especially for the I Dare you Stupit sauce, as PuckerButt works hard to define their Carolina Reaper as the world's hottest. While I was at the counter the sales guy mentioned that a lot to prospective customers. To their credit, on the I Dare You Stupit label, they do state, "This is one of Smokin' Ed's experimental capsacin amalgams. These peppers tested at over 1.4 million Scoville at a leading university..." That still is no excuse for not putting the type of peppers on the label. Both sauces are delicious and hot, with the heat building a little, but I would have preferred hotter versions, with at least twice the number of pods per batch.
I picked up some good and hot Diablo Beef Jerky from The Jerky Connection.
Then, on to the best. I stopped by the heartbreaking dawns booth and hung out with Johnny for a while. He sent me to one of his affiliates, occupying the booth next to him. I picked up 2 bottles of Bad Brains F.V.K. 7 Pod Extreme Sauce. This is delicious with a good burn that built up. Then, back to heartbreakingdawns to pick up some bottles of their hottest stuff, and one of my favorites, Mauvais Sang, along it's slightly weaker but sweeter cousin, Nuit en Enfer, along with bottles of 1498 Trinidad Scorpion Sauce and 1498 Cautherizer.
I hope this was the first of many more NYC annual hot sauce Expos to come. A Good time was had by all! Here are some pics for you to enjoy:
http://s774.photobuc.../slideshow/Expo
