The geniuses behind America’s prefered brand of distinctly flavored red spooge.
Siracha way predates Huy Fong, and it was a really common Thai ingredient well before we noticed it.
Get better siracha. Huy Fong isn’t particularly good, and it’s the sort of stinging hot that’s not always pleasant. Real Asian siracha has a lot more flavor going on. It’s a milder and more pleasant kind of spicy. And texturally it’s a lot less spoogey.
Nope. “boring ubiquitous hotsauce” is all “Louisiana” style vinegar based, while Sriracha does not vinegar up your food. It’s funny the myths about Sriracha from people that don’t use it, one friend said he thought it was too tomatoey. There are no tomatoes in it. There’s certain foods I don’t mind LA style on, but far more often I prefer Sriracha, powdered chipotle or plain cayenne.
Well, then recommend a better sriracha, smart guy.
Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle.
Which is actually kind of a bad thing. American food lacks for acid to balance it out. We tend to accomplish that with condiments and sides. Pickles, hot sauce, mustard, ketchup for the truly sad.
Yeah but the most common complaint about Huy Fong vs real siracha is that it’s very ketchupy or tastes like it contains tomato. Also that it lacks for acid. I don’t know why since it’s almost entirely chilis but it definitely tastes like it’s got some tomato in there, and it’s a lot more tomatoey than siracha should be. Stuff is pretty distinct from the Asian sauce it’s based on.
I like Shark, and many people seem to consider it the best.
There’s also one with a baby or something on the label I liked better. The name wasn’t in English so I can never remember what it was. Usually when it comes up here somebody points me at the baby flavored siracha, so I’m just gonna wait patiently now.
A lot of the Western brands are just knocking off Huy Fong, so poking around an Asian grocery is the best bet.
I think that’s the point. The popular history is that it really doesn’t have much to do with any Asian sauce, that it was invented here in the US.
I dunno that I buy that explaination though. Before that was the marketing line and accepted “interpretation” all the coverage of the company was about how the owner explicitly set out to manufacture the traditional sauce for the American market.
And while it doesn’t really much resemble traditional siracha it does closely resemble several cheap, mass market versions. Including some meant for and originally sold in the Asian market.
Always struck me as an after the fact attempt to spin it’s short comings or explain why it’s more popular than Asian brands. Kind of like how American mass market companies often claim to have invented something that vastly predates them. Or nationally available products like Kraft Singles come off as a weird immitation of real deli grade American cheese.
I genuinely don’t much like the stuff. It’s decent stirred into soups though, and really good on raw oysters. But I don’t find much use for it overall. Their Sambol is really good though.
This. It is basically spicy ketchup which is fine and I find it to be great on my scrambled eggs or breakfast sandwich.
I’m more of a Tabasco sauce person. Where do I get my tacky merch?
Similarly, a niche cycling accessories company sold a (much nicer) sriracha water bottle a few years ago for as long as they could before they got the C&D. I’m not surprised to hear that they did basically the same thing shirt-wise.
https://theradavist.com/2012/08/gage-desoto-hot-sauce-water-bottle/
Some years ago I came back from Cambodia with my bag full of hot sauce. The heat varied significantly from bottle to bottle, partly because the bottles were filled sub-regionally, not quite town by town, but just about. It was so good. It was fruity, and sour, and a little salty and had just the right amount of heat(well that varied), and after I saw it being made and put into a bottle I realized I need to take a bottle home. The long I stayed the more I bought, until, I quite a few bottles.
Upon re-entering the states I was of course singled out by agricultural control. My bag was exr-ayed and as I stood at the counter with my ex standing frustrated at the end of the causeway a few more officers showed up.
My memory has changed the exact conversation, but the short version went a little something like this:
Gruff Irritated Officer- “What’s in the bag? Snake wine? Oil?”
Me- “No hot sauce. I put it on my declaration. I even have receipts, well sort of. Because…”
Gruff Irritated Officer- “You know it’s a felony to import snake wine or oil into the”
Second Officer - “Hey you should look at this?”
Three officers peer into my bag and the second officer pulls out a poorly packed bottle.
Second Officer - “You really like this hot sauce? Nobody brings back hot sauce. Is it good?”
Me- “Yes. It’s soooo good. You should try it on fries.", I pointed to his lunch. ,"Want some?”
Second Officer- “No. But”
Gruff Irritated Officer- “Do you have any live fruits, plants, or other contra band?”
Me- "No. Err - I have a pack of durian gum I forgot that I had in my pocket. "
The other two officers behind the desk start to laugh. The two behind me, that I didn’t pay any attention to call into their mics and start to leave.
My former love yells (complete with interrobangs), “Seriously‽ Do you have to talk to everybody‽”
Gruff Irritated Officer-“Welcome to the United States.” Some sort of stamp was applied to a pice of paper. “Enjoy your hot sauce.”
I get hot sauce love. People who love something sometimes like to show the love.
That said, I generally don’t advertise for product or service unless they are paying me, or unless it’s too much work to debrand an object. That said, I’d totally have worn a t-shirt to promote that hot sauce, that I will never find outside of Cambodia, just because it was soooooo good.
Also, I like the weird Sriracha label. It’s like the branding/philosophy of Braggs products, Dr. Bronner’s soap, and YKK zippers.
I’ve had the Rogue Sriracha beer, still have the bottle. The taste of the beer itself is pretty decent actually, i think it’s a dark porter or stout and taste wise its dark chocolatey with a pleasant heat in the aftertaste
Side note: That Sriracha water bottle is pretty good. Would probably own one for lulz if given the chance.
But you can’t make spicy mayo with anything other than Sriracha.
I eat Sriracha. I put it on everything.
I put it in the shape of an inverse pentagram and I say over my food;
“Satan’s own (whatever it is).”
And I do let the kids on my lawn.
These things, I find them amusing.
AGREE. Wordy, old fashioned-lookin labels appeal to me, especially when with 3 or more fonts. I’ve read entire Dr. Bronner labels in the shower without understanding why. I picture the Dr Bronner camp/commune/family, beyond rationale, conjured in my mind solely by that weirdass label.
" Also, I like the weird Sriracha label. It’s like the branding/philosophy of Braggs products , Dr. Bronner’s soap , and YKK zippers "
Your kink, found it!
I’ve met Patricia Bragg She volunteered for me a few times when I worked at a non-profit. I even have a picture of her holding one of my kids as a baby because she offered out of the blue, unasked- I ran into her at a nursery. She’s a walking art piece. Always dressed amazing, and kind as can be. Her purse is also bottomless and filled with company nutritional tracts, and sometimes product.
I also met some grand child of Dr. Bronner, who was into free hugs, if I remember correctly. I felt uncomfortable. There is a good documentary that helps explain the weirdness of the labels. Good soap though. My kids preschool used the mint one as a way to double check that the kids washed their hands before snack, lunch, and other events. I use it the same way at home.
I have been thinking about the aesthetic and it needs a name other than, “bat shit crazy”, as I have heard it called by a few design friends.
I wouldn’t mind one of these shirts, personally.
A cock on one’s sock. Clearly, an invitation to THE dance of dances.
