THINGS ARE HEATING UP!
HOT & SPICY
By Susan Irwin
Things are really heating up in the Kawarthas. But I must confess, I’m in for an education because I don’t like hot and spicy. I’m the bland meat and potatoes kind of girl. So, I posed the questions, is it the spice you are looking for, or the heat? And what is the difference? We headed out to speak to local businesses who have vast knowledge on the subject and were willing to share.
So what is the difference between hot and spicy? I spoke to John Rufa, owner of Kawartha Country Wines, who sells many different hot sauces. He says, ‘Hot means Hot. Pepper, nutmeg and salt are a spice but they’re not hot. Spices tend to link more flavour to the food. Hot sauces lend heat with flavour being a secondary consideration. Food with a lot of heat loses on the flavour side.’ He continued, ‘What we try to do is, we have a variety of sauces for everybody. Right up to extremely hot, but we try to specialize in getting sauces that are really flavourful and different. We have sauces made with our own wines and vinegars. (Shroom of Doom, Hillbilly Hick Up, DO Fear the Reaper and Berried Alive). They really give a distinctive taste. Something that’s unique and you can’t get anywhere else.’
The Food Shop hot sauces
Chef Brian Henry, ATOTK Food Editor, owner of Angle Iron Kitchen in Lakefield and The Spice Co. says, ‘Spices are either the bark or the seed. They have more intensity and aren’t always hot. Some give heat – peppers, cayenne and cinnamon stick contain heat. We want to be able to taste our food and balance with a subtle amount of heat coming in. If you get too spicy, all you will get is a bunch of heat and won’t be able to taste your food. And remember that spices can burn on both ends after you eat them,’ he laughs. The Spice Co. have a variety of spices from Reggae Rub, Italian Stallion, Kick Ass Cajun, Mexican Kitchen Cartel, Plate O’s Greek plus more. Anthony Lennan, owner of The Food Shop in Peterborough, says, ‘I personally love them. They are a great addition to every meal because we have it locally.’ His hot sauces are from local companies. ‘All my producers either have farms that grow or they grow the hot peppers themselves.’ The Food Shop sells locally packaged spices, creating their The Spice Co. spices Page 16
