HOT & SPICY

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.’

Kawartha Country Wines have hot sauces made specifically for them

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.

The Spice Co Spices

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 own blends. The Hottest spice blends they sell is the Twisted Tongue and Spice of Life Million Plus Pepper Hot Sauce.

The Food Shop hot sauces

The Food Shop hot sauces

Glen Ford, owner of Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine, grew up in Trinidad. He says, ‘I don’t think most people like hot and spicy. From a Canadian’s point of view, they ask Is it spicy? But Spicy means full of seasoning. Canadians mistake spicy food for hot food. I can make it hot, but it is the different spices that make it feel hot. I like a bit of heat that enhances the flavour, but I don’t like to burn my tongue. The spices Glen uses are coriander, onion, cumin, green seasoning (curry), cilantro, garlic, hot sauce and a few more. They blend it together for their magic seasoning. Island Cream also sell their own special blend of hot sauce in their restaurant. Terry & Phred from Jus’ Jellin’ say, ‘People just love that heat experience with their foods. In a jelly form (their Hot Pepper Jelly), it’s something that hasn’t been explored much. There are red and ghost peppers our jellies. The ghost pepper gives you that little bite in the back of your throat after you eat it. It’s not really, really hot. It’s good to pair with cheese or use in cooking or as a condiment.’ They have recipes on their website, www.jus-jellin.com. Why are people drawn to hot sauces? John Rufa says, ‘It has a subculture of people that are just absolutely fascinated and enthralled with hot sauces. There are two things they are looking for. First, they want heat. Nobody comes in and says what’s mild or what’s medium. They always ask what is the hottest sauce. Then in confliction with this, they ask what’s the most flavourful’. (he laughs)

Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine’s famous Oxtail Dinner

A lot of businesses are making their own brand of hot sauces. But I get confused cooking with spices - things can go very wrong, very fast. Thankfully, help is just a click away - The Spice Co. YouTube Channel is very helpful and has recipes you can use with their spices. You can link to their channel directly from their website, www.thespiceco.ca