Sweet Southern Heat...

So, my first bottle of Speedy's #44 Hot Sauce arrived in the mail from Virginia Beach early this week, courtesy of that expertly-inked southern ruffian turned condiment cuisinier, Dr. Jimmy of 2Drunk2Shift fame. I say "first" bottle because after tasting this nuclear nectar, I fully intend to purchase more for the holidays.

Why? Simply put: FLAVOR! This stuff possesses that rare perfect blend of sweetness (peaches! carrots!) and fire (habaneros!) that lends itself so well to so many different foods, converting the mundane to the magnificent with just a few dashes.

Let's start with the label, a nicely rendered drawing of a skeleton on a scorcher, leering skull emblazoned with colorful tats and streaming flames engulfing bike and biker alike. A fitting image, it's at once wicked and whimsical, redolent of those hot-rod trading cards you'd get (along with a stale stick of gum) for a couple of coins as a snotty-nosed kid. On the back, the all-natural ingredients list (buy a bottle and read 'em yourself), along with contact information¹ for future purchases.

I first sampled this lava largesse on a carne-asado burrito I picked up from WholeFoods. Though it was a relatively large burrito, I think the amount of sauce I used—as evidenced in the pic below—still accurately conveys my opinion of this fine salsa del diablo.

Like an expertly crafted IPA that meshes malt and hops in a heavenly union, the sauce strikes a delicate balance between flavor and heat. Too many hot sauces are either blazingly hot for hot's sake out of some misguided machismo association, or (equally disdainful) skimpy on the scovilles so as not to offend the faint of gut. Any fool can dump a ton of scotch bonnets into the mix and blister the skin on the roof of your mouth, or use a callow jalapeno that leaves you craving something with a bit more ass to it. But it takes real skill to make the angel and devil dance nicely together. Jimmy appears to have done just that. Doubtless, Old Nick himself would approve.

Hmm, wonder how it tastes on oatmeal?

1. Want a bottle for your very own? Shoot an email to the following address (substitute @ for the AT--the sauce don't go well on that kind of SPAM): rooster790cc AT yahoo.com