Hot Shots Blog

Hot Sauce Fun Fact - Jail House Fire Hot Sauce

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- Some Florida minimum-security inmates want to know: Can you handle the heat?

Hot sauce heat, that is -- Jail House Fire Hot Sauce, cooked up by inmates at the Hillsborough County Jail and now offered for sale. The idea to make Jail House Fire Hot Sauce came from a Cuban former inmate who thought food in the big house was bland.

Allen Boatman, the head of the jail's horticulture program, remembers what his former trusty said: "We're growing these peppers. Why don't we use them?" Peppers are grown as part of the jail's horticulture program, which is voluntary and offered only to minimum-security trusties. The inmates learn about growing plants, ornamentals, trees, herbs and vegetables -- including more than 1,200 varieties of peppers.

"I thought that was a great idea, so I started doing research on some of the recipes," says Boatman. The research led to a variety of hot sauces that can be bought for $7 a bottle at the jail in Tampa, Florida, or online at www.jailhousefire.org.

There are three different sauces for sale:

"No Escape" -- This is the hottest of the hot, with a warning on the hot sauce's Web site: "It's not for the faint of stomach."

"Smoke" -- This is the sauce that inmate Marshall Deline recommends. "It's not as hot," Deline says, "it's more of a smoky flavor."

"Original" -- This is the favorite of customer Bill Bradley, who has used hot sauce on his foods for 49 years. "All three are distinctive," says Bradley, who considers himself somewhat of a hot sauce expert. "The 'Smoke' is a chipotle type, the 'Original' has a good bite but has a little bit of a fruity taste. And, of course, the 'No Escape' is on fire."

Orders for the Jail House Fire sauces have come in from as far away as Germany, England and even Australia. The inmates make no money from this product. The money goes back into an inmate fund that pays for things like the greenhouse where the peppers are grown. The horticulture program pays for itself, says Boatman, so no taxpayer money is used.

Several times a year the program hosts a sale of its ornamentals, shrubs and trees, and the locals turn up to support the program. The money raised is used to purchase necessities like fertilizer and soil. A green thumb is not the only thing that inmate and program member Deline is developing, he says. "We learn a lot about professionalism, respect, teamwork, ya know -- all that helps," Deline says. And working in the fields is good for the inmates' self-worth, Boatman says.

"They actually see something growing that they've been involved in. It gives them a lot of sense of pride and accomplishment," says Boatman. "Possibly that'll give them some momentum when they are released to go and get a job and start being a productive member of society."

Boatman doesn't just wish his trusties a good future; he gives them an opportunity. When the inmates are released, they are given a certificate of completion in vocational horticulture. This certificate comes from the school board, with no mention of the program behind bars. Deline hopes this will work in his favor when he starts looking for a job. "Florida is full of a lot of landscaping [and] landscaping companies, a lot of nursery companies," Deline says. "Maybe I can use the experience to better myself in the future."

Chile Pepper Fun Fact - The Tallest Pepper Plant 

This could be Jack and the Pepper-stalk... 

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Laura Liang of Irvine, California, grew a pepper plant, which when two years old in the Spring of 1999, reached a height of 4.87 m, 16 feet tall. 

Pepper plants grow well in areas with mild climates, and they need full sun life during the day. Some types of pepper plants can be treated like annuals while others can live for years. What is the average height of a pepper plant? The answer may depend on which variety you are talking about.

Pepper plants typically grow between 20 inches and 6 feet tall, but there are a few varieties that can grow taller than 9 feet and some that only grow 6 inches big. It’s important to choose the right variety of pepper for your garden. If you have a lot of space, then you can grow taller varieties. But if you’re limited on space, then you’ll want to choose a short or medium variety.

There is a huge range from the smallest pepper plant that is around 6 inches tall and the biggest pepper plant that can grow up to 10 feet.

Chile Pepper Fun Fact - Fire Up Your Chile Peppers 

How do you eat your Chile Peppers? 

Chile Peppers obviously can be used and eaten in more ways than just making sauces and salsa. Jelly and Jams are options as well...

Here is a quick reference chart we came across and thought it had some good information and yummy ideas!

1. Blistered Shishito Peppers:

Instructions

Heat a large cast iron skillet to high heat. Add the peppers to the dry skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and blistering, about 6 to 8 minutes. As you work, try to keep the peppers in a single layer so that they make consistent contact with the hot pan.

Drizzle the peppers with sesame oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds. Serve with tamari and peanut sauce, for dipping.

2. Grilled Peppers

Instructions

• Preheat a grill for medium-high heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate.
• Place the pepper pieces onto the grill with the inside facing down. Cook until slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn peppers over, and place jalapeno slices onto them. Top with some mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle with a bit of oregano. Grill until cheese melts, then remove to a plate and serve.

What are your favorite easy recipes

Hot Sauce Fun Fact - Dry Hot Sauce 

Hot Sauce in Powder Form? Can it be true? Actually, it is and it's pretty easy to do...

Spread sauce on the dehydrator trays, covered with non-stick sheets or parchment paper. Dry at 125F/52C for 8-10 hours until brittle. Brake down hot sauce bark into smaller chunks; then grind them in a coffee grinder or food processor into a powder. 

Use hot sauce powder in any food product that calls for a spicy, pungent and complex flavor profile. Hot sauce powder adds not only heat, but that unique aged pepper flavor we all love. Use as a natural flavor enhancer in dishes to make it pop with flavor, seasoning mixes, and more.

There are actually a few companies out there marketing their dry hot sauces.

Hot Sauce Fun Fact - Tabasco Themed Wallpaper

The ‘Hot Sauce House’ from ‘Fixer Upper’ Season 4...

It may be located right outside Waco, Texas, but this stunning dream home is straight out of Italy. And now, the former “Fixer Upper,” which Chip Gaines called “the best of our career” during the fourth season of the hit HGTV series, is officially on the market for $645,000, realtor.com reports.

If you’re a fan of the HGTV show, then you may recall Gaines referring to the two-story home as the “Hot Sauce House,” because of the startling Tabasco-themed wallpaper in one of the rooms. On the episode, the Ignacio family paid $315,000 for the property, and had $119,000 for renovations. Chip and Joanna made massive changes to the home, which was originally built in 1992, and transformed the space into a 3,577-square-foot rustic Italian estate on six sprawling acres of natural Texan beauty.

Hot Sauce Fun Fact - Fun Ideas for Hot Sauce 

5 Ways You Probably Never Thought to Use Hot Sauce from the Food Network

1) In Caramel Sauce:

Yep, you read that right. A little bit of Sriracha is the perfect addition to any homemade caramel sauce. Simply stir it in at the end, after your sugar has caramelized and you’ve added your cream. Whether you drizzle it over popcorn or use it as a topping for ice cream, this sweet-and-fiery sauce will completely change your mind about what a dessert should be!

2) In Waffle Batter:

When you think “spicy chicken and waffles” you might assume that the hot sauce is added to the maple syrup (which, for the record, would be delicious as well) but, for this recipe, it’s the secret ingredient in the waffle batter. Genius!

3) In Cocktails:

There’s something truly magical about an ice-cold drink that’s laced with just a little bit of spicy heat. Choose a milder green hot sauce for this cocktail and you’ll have the perfect balance since Bobby incorporates some fresh Serrano chile pepper as well.

4) In Deviled Eggs:

It’s not easy to improve on a classic like deviled eggs but you’ll find that the addition of a few dashes of hot sauce will make this version into your new favorite.

5) In Honey Sauce:

If you haven’t hopped on the hot honey bandwagon yet, this is your chance. It is very easy to make your own from just honey, butter, hot sauce and some spices. You’ll find that this sauce is great for more than just fried chicken — make sure you try it with cheese, too.

Hot Sauce Fun Fact - Hot Sauce Fountain Anyone?

Pinch me, am I dreaming? I know what I'm doing at my next party! Who's in?

It all started harmlessly enough. Mid-century American families loved their chocolate fondue so much, they started serving it in single-family-sized fondue pots as dessert on special occasions.

Flash forward through decades of excess and unbridled food experimentation, and you have behemoth-sized, towering tiers of condiments for every occasion. Now hot sauce from a tower fountain IS a thing! There is a God!

For those who carry a bottle of Frank’s, Tabasco or Cholula with them. True hot sauce lovers would find different ways to use this fountain daily. Best with: Sandwiches, vegetables, meat, mac & cheese, scrambled eggs, pretty much anything…

Chile Pepper Fun Fact - De-seed Me

Take out the seeds they say, they are hot they say... But

Did you know that hot pepper seeds aren’t actually the source of the pepper's hotness? A pepper’s heat actually comes from capsaicin— a colorless, pungent crystalline compound produced in the veins/ribs of a pepper. The seeds may seem ‘hot’ but that’s because they are coated in capsaicin oil, not because they are hot themselves. The ribs and membranes are up to 16x as hot as the rest of the fruit and because the pepper grows from the stem, it tends to be hotter at the base then it is at the tip. Be careful where you bite!

Chile Pepper Fun Fact - The "HOLY TRINITY" of Mexican Cuisine

The delicious blend of the three core chile peppers in Mexican cooking... 

Three particular dark, sweet, and relatively mild chilies hold a place of particular prominence in Mexican cooking, especially when it comes to their use in the various and famous mole sauces of the region. These dried peppers are often referred to as the "Holy Trinity" of Mexican chilies. They feature prominently in many Mexican dishes, including the aforementioned moles, as well as in soups and sauces. In fact, all three of them are sometimes used together in order to achieve a particularly rich and complex flavor. 

Ancho Chilies are dried, ripe Poblano peppers. Ancho chilies, like fresh poblanos, are generally low in heat, with a distinctively sweet and raisin-like fruity flavor. Ancho chilies are extremely popular and are often given a starring role in dishes. Like all of the Holy Trinity peppers, they feature in many moles and sauces, but they are also very popular across a broad range of Mexican, Tex-Mex, and fusion dishes. 

Mulato Chilies, are dried variety of Poblano pepper, picked when very ripe. Mulato chilies are moderately hot, with a sweet, fruity, slightly smoky flavor.  They're highly appreciated for the distinctive chocolate/cherry/licorice notes that they impart to a dish. Mulato chilies are generally the hottest member of the Holy Trinity, though Pasillas can sometimes approach the same level of spice.  Mulato chilies are extremely popular in Mexico but are not as well known outside of the country. 

Pasilla chilies, (aka chile negro) is a dried, ripe, Chilaca pepper.  Pasillas are elongate, thin, and tapering, with wrinkled, nearly black skin.  Their flavor is fairly similar to that of an Ancho chili, with raisin and coffee notes.  They also tend to be a little hotter than Ancho chilies. Pasilla chilies are the victims of frequent mislabeling and are often confused with Anchos and (oddly) fresh Poblanos.  True Pasilla peppers can be a little harder to find than some of the other peppers on this list. In my experience, if the packaging is labeled 'chile negro' however, they're less likely to be misidentified. 

Hot Sauce Fun Fact - A Brief History of Hot Sauce

It's like a quick walk down hot sauce memory lane... 

Hot sauces have been around since ancient times. It can be traced back to Aztec civilization as far back as 7000 BC - when someone discovered how good it is. Most likely, the first hot sauces were likely mixtures of water and peppers. And through time, humans started breeding pepper plants to get the most suitable traits of their peppers. 

In the United States, the history of hot sauce can be traced around 200 years ago. So, here’s how it all went down. 

Chili peppers are native to the Americas, and they spread throughout the continent through birds as most birds cannot taste the spiciness of chili peppers. When Christopher Columbus arrived in America, the chili peppers went global. And people from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean started developing their own spicy food and spicy sauce. 

Around 1807, the first bottle of cayenne sauce appeared in Massachusetts 1807. Around the 1840s, the first seeds of tabasco pepper made their way in America from Mexico. And in 1849, the first recorded plantation of Tabasco chilis was in New Orleans owned by Colonel Maunsell White. He started bottling and selling hot sauces made of chili peppers. 

Edward McIlhenny got seeds from White and started to grow peppers in Louisiana where he started his tabasco sauce and paved the way for the growth of hot sauce in America.