Livin' Large by Default: Hot Sauce Part 1: Sriracha

Meet Fumin' Ku, the Island God of spicy goodness..

Fumin' Ku will serve as our ongoing guide to all things spicy and tasty. Despite what I or others may like, the ultimate test requires me to place the item on Ku's head, as a offering to appease his fiery spirit. If the sun continues to shine, birds sing, etc, after the offering is placed on his head, you have chosen wisely. However, if volcanoes erupt, lightening strikes, or or my bourbon mysteriously curdles or turns into soy milk, I know that I have made a poor choice.

Today, we will look at Sriracha Hot Sauce (the branded product, not the generic family of hot sauces). Sriracha is often seen on tables at just about every Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, or Thai restaurant. Also known as "Rooster Sauce", it is recognized by its bright red color with a green cap, text in five languages (Vietnamese, English, Chinese, French and Spanish) and the rooster logo.

In Dec. 2009, Bon Appétit magazine named Sriracha "Ingredient of the Year" for 2010, and in their December 2012 magazine, they listed it as one of the 50 items that should be in every pantry, therefore earning the "Bon Appétit Seal of Approval." Interestingly, it was created and is made in the good ol' USA, and differs from its Asian counterparts.

What I like about Sriracha is the flavor/heat balance it provides. The chilies have a nice level of heat and a slightly smoky flavor which blends well with the garlic. The second flavor you get is sweet, which comes through immediately after the initial heat. Interestingly, the heat varies from bottle to bottle. I’ve read it described as "a kind of a Russian roulette style hot sauce."

In honor of this post, I created THE CUBAN COMMIE COCKTAIL