I believe that supporting local is better for your body and the environment. Plus, it’s more fun to shop outside at a Farmer’s Market than inside under fluorescent lights! In celebration of #NationalHotSauceDay, I'm going to introduce you to my favorite locally made hot sauce brands around Baltimore— their backstory, ingredients and differentiators.
First up: Saucier Willy! Saucier Willy is all about selecting fresh ingredients and retaining bold flavors! The Founder uses his years of experience from The Milton Inn and passion for savory things in life to start Saucier Willy. My favorite Saucier Willy product is the Strawberry Inferno Hot Sauce. They handpick sun-ripened strawberries at Shaw Orchards during peak season and add habanero peppers, apple cider vinegar and cane sugar. They also source other produce from Shaws Orchards, like peaches, blueberries and raspberries.
If you love the farm to table movement, you’ve probably heard of Woodberry Kitchen. Many believe that Spike Gjerde put Baltimore on the slow food movement map by making decisions like only sourcing ingredients that can be grown in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This means that you won’t find lemon in your water or olive oil on the table when you dine at any of his concepts -- but you won’t be missing anything, considering the food is so good!
One of their most well known products is Snake Oil, made from Chesapeake fish peppers that are ground, aged in oak barrels, and brewed following chef Spike Gjerde’s circa-2009 recipe. The vintage looking label reads: “Begin with a dash; add more as needed for Excellent Digestion. Fish peppers, cider vinegar, sea salt. According to their website: “Fish peppers, popular among African cooks who brought them to the Mid-Atlantic, were a nearly forgotten crop until Spike learned about them from food historian William Woys Weaver and encouraged local farmers to cultivate the seeds. Denzel Mitchell, then of 5 Seeds Farm, was the first to heed Spike’s call, bringing a case of the spicy red heirloom peppers to Woodberry Kitchen in 2009, which became Snake Oil Batch No. 1." Their growers include: Chesley Farm, One Straw Farm, Heritage Acres and Talmar Gardens. (Source)
I saved the best for last: B’More Saucy! B’More Saucy makes Bayside Pepper Sauce and Little Pearl Hot Sauce. The recipe for their signature product, Bayside Pepper Sauce, is inspired by a household hot sauce family recipe. It’s made from tomatoes, peppers and over 10 unique spices and goes well with everything. Their newest product is Little Pearl Hot Sauce and you can learn about how purchasing this sauce can help save the bay here. It's been a joy to work with this team and I can't wait to see what they accomplish this year.
So, what are your favorite local hot sauces in Baltimore and beyond? Or, do you make your own? Share and tag #pacelovefood for a chance to be featured!