There are so many hot sauces available commercially, and if you've ever been to one of the Pepper Palace locations, you'd know that it's difficult to walk away with just one sauce. The number of products available here is breathtaking. If you were ever unsure of how addicted you were to all things spicy, you can definitely tell by how hard it is to buy just one hot sauce.
So we bought four. We know. We have a problem.
Today in the spotlight is Pepper Palace's "This is the Sauce" hot sauce (or TITS... actually, let's not use that abbreviation). Below is a detailed rundown of Cooking with Demons' first impression:
It's said that as humans, we eat with our eyes first, so let's go over the visual details of the sauce and its bottle. The bottle itself is clear-- which is definitely appreciated as it's somewhat unnerving sometimes to not be able to see your food-- with a black plastic twist-off cap. The label itself is pigmented with "hot" colors and is otherwise pretty simplistic compared to some of the over-the-top hot sauce labels on other products. Now, onto the sauce; the sauce is reddish-brown in color with noticeable flecks of black pepper and pepper seeds. By swirling the bottle a little bit, it's clear that the sauce has a nectar thickness that may make it easier for the sauce to cling to food.
Taking off the cap, we can get that first smell of This is the Sauce. The first thing noticeable is predominant garlic and onion fragrances which is then accompanied pleasantly by a vinegary sourness and finished off with a hint of smoke. Many cheap, generic hot sauces tend to smell like vinegar is the main ingredient and this sauce does not have that quality.
With our initial review complete, we get to finally taste This is the Sauce. It features a pleasantly balanced palate, and as the scent hinted, the vinegar in this sauce does not overpower the rest of the flavors. It is garlic and black pepper forward which gives it a nice flavor profile. Unfortunately, it's not as smoky as it smells and lacks some kind of sweetness to balance the saltiness and tartness, which is a little bit of a downer.
Finally, let's look at the spice factor! On a scale of 1 (weakest) to 10 (strongest), This is the Sauce for us is a 4. It's definitely noticeable, but unless you have trouble handling your spice, it shouldn't be overwhelming. The main spice component of the sauce is cayenne, which gives it a mild to medium heat that hits the back of the throat first and then migrates to the tip and sides of the tongue.
So we bought four. We know. We have a problem.
Today in the spotlight is Pepper Palace's "This is the Sauce" hot sauce (or TITS... actually, let's not use that abbreviation). Below is a detailed rundown of Cooking with Demons' first impression:
It's said that as humans, we eat with our eyes first, so let's go over the visual details of the sauce and its bottle. The bottle itself is clear-- which is definitely appreciated as it's somewhat unnerving sometimes to not be able to see your food-- with a black plastic twist-off cap. The label itself is pigmented with "hot" colors and is otherwise pretty simplistic compared to some of the over-the-top hot sauce labels on other products. Now, onto the sauce; the sauce is reddish-brown in color with noticeable flecks of black pepper and pepper seeds. By swirling the bottle a little bit, it's clear that the sauce has a nectar thickness that may make it easier for the sauce to cling to food.
Taking off the cap, we can get that first smell of This is the Sauce. The first thing noticeable is predominant garlic and onion fragrances which is then accompanied pleasantly by a vinegary sourness and finished off with a hint of smoke. Many cheap, generic hot sauces tend to smell like vinegar is the main ingredient and this sauce does not have that quality.
With our initial review complete, we get to finally taste This is the Sauce. It features a pleasantly balanced palate, and as the scent hinted, the vinegar in this sauce does not overpower the rest of the flavors. It is garlic and black pepper forward which gives it a nice flavor profile. Unfortunately, it's not as smoky as it smells and lacks some kind of sweetness to balance the saltiness and tartness, which is a little bit of a downer.
Finally, let's look at the spice factor! On a scale of 1 (weakest) to 10 (strongest), This is the Sauce for us is a 4. It's definitely noticeable, but unless you have trouble handling your spice, it shouldn't be overwhelming. The main spice component of the sauce is cayenne, which gives it a mild to medium heat that hits the back of the throat first and then migrates to the tip and sides of the tongue.
Overall, This is the Sauce is a pretty solid 7/10. Its flavors are clean, easily distinguishable, and well-balanced. However, this sauce is aching for a smidge bit more smokiness or sweetness-- perhaps some fire-roasted bell peppers-- to provide an added dimension to the flavor profile.
Have you tried This is the Sauce yet? You can order it directly from Pepper Palace's website or visit one of their locations. Try it for yourself and tell us what you think! Also, let us know which one of your favorite spicy foods we should try next in the comments!
(Cooking with Demons is not affiliated with Pepper Palace, but we damn well support anybody who can make a hot sauce like this!)
Have you tried This is the Sauce yet? You can order it directly from Pepper Palace's website or visit one of their locations. Try it for yourself and tell us what you think! Also, let us know which one of your favorite spicy foods we should try next in the comments!
(Cooking with Demons is not affiliated with Pepper Palace, but we damn well support anybody who can make a hot sauce like this!)
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