Q: Dave,Several years ago at the Fiery-Foods Show in Albuquerque, during the "Short Cut to Making Hot Sauces" seminar, you suggested that I should find a recipe that utilizes ripe jalapenos. Do you have a year-round source? Any source? Regards, Fred GraySparkling River Pepper Company, LLC A: Hello Fred:I don’t think that there is a domestic source of ripe jalapenos year-round, …
Considering Farming Chiles
Q: Dave,I am considering farming chiles, but I need to know where I can sell them. Do buyers contract with growers? If yes, for certain types? How do I reach the buyers?–Lex Pruitt Arkansas A: Hello Lex:In New Mexico, most farmers contract with processors or produce buyers before they plant their chiles. Over a hundred years, an industry has developed here …
Red Chiles vs. Bleach
Q: DD:Red chiles have an intense color, which is especially powerful in extract hot sauces like "Dave’s Insanity." A friend had the mishap of a hot sauce rack falling from the kitchen wall, with bottles spilling sauce on a light-colored countertop. Any idea what helps get rid of the stains?—HZA: HZ:The bleach worked on my test stain!—DDA: DD:My theory is …
How to Ferment Red Peppers in Salt
Q: Dear Dave,I’m looking for a method to ferment ground sweet-to-medium red peppers in salt. When fermented, the stuff is stored in bottles with a bit of olive oil poured over the top. I tasted this in a Portuguese household here in Canada–the people who make it (and use it in everything) came to Canada from the Azores, so it …
To Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate?
Q: Hello Dave!I’m a beginning chilehead and have found many of your resources and books very helpful in my quest to learn about and experiment with flavorful fire. However, the answer to one seemingly simple question has eluded me: How should I decide whether or not to refrigerate a particular hot sauce? Some sauce bottles say, "refrigerate after opening,” but …