NYC Hot Sauce Expo 2015 Page 4

NYC Hot Sauce Expo 2015 Page 4

High River Sauces Presents The 3^rd Annual NYC Hot Sauce Expo

April 25 & 26, 2015

Brooklyn Expo - 79 Franklin Street - Brooklyn, NY

Defcon Sauces:

It is always a memorable experience speaking to John “The Creator” Dilley and his wife again this year. Defcon has been a blog friend for years, and swept the Chicken Wing Sauce category winning all 3 awards. Hailing from Millburn, NJ Defcon makes great wing sauces of various heat levels for fans of wings, or just as spicy dippers. Defcon also makes seasonings and rubs in addition to the superior horseradish sauces they create. Allen has been a big fan of Defcon’s “Contaminated Soil” pepper seasoning for over a year since its debut. Defcon also premiered their Curbstomp sauce this year at the Expo. We purchased the medium Defcon #2 sauce this time to make wings for the blog. In the past, we used the milder version Defcon #3 to make wings and decided to kick it up a notch. I would love to try and use the Curbstomp wing sauce in the future on our blog. We thank John for doing an advance vendor interview for this year’s Expo.

Defcon Creator John Dilley sweeps the chicken wing awards 2015

Defcon Booth

Defcon products

Tom’s Roid Rippin’ Hot Sauce:

We stopped by and said hello to Tom of Tom’s Roid Rippin’ Hot Sauces. He has a great lineup of 8 or so hot sauce products with various heat levels. It was good to see Tom again in NYC. Some of Tom’s sauces names are "Ouch, My Roids" Habanero Sauce, Crimson Reaper, and Scorpions Shadow. Tom's Roid Rippin' has a heat scale from medium to hot to Rippin' Hot. On the website, Tom offers “Sweet Mesquite” BBQ Sauce with Red Habaneros. Based in Stratford, CT, the company motto of "Let One Rip!" fits the flavors of his tasty yet bold hot sauces.

Tom’s Roid Rippin’ Booth

Tom of Tom’s Roid Rippin’, letting one rip, LOL

CaJohn’s:

Westerville, OH based CaJohn’s had a big booth with both the retail line of his amazing hot sauces as well as the Infamous Execution Tasting Station (extreme tasting). I congratulate John Hard for his induction into the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame at the Expo. I tried to get a picture with both John and Vic Clinco, but they were both busy every time. The times I went to the booth, I just saw their friendly staffers. We are big fans of CaJohn’s and order his sauces online regularly. Try the Chupacabra Hot Sauce and the Bourbon Infused Chipotle Habanero Hot Sauce for some true flavor with heat.

CaJohn’s Booth and Execution Station 

CaJohn’s more excellent products

Torchbearer Sauces:

I stopped by the Torchbearer Sauces booth and took a look around. I still have some of their sauces that I recently purchased at a former local event. I love the flavors of PA based Torchbearer Sauces and a Two Frys favorites is “Oh My Garlic”. I recently have been using a lot of Smokey Horseradish Sauce, it is tasty with a little kick. Torchbearer also makes the face melting Zombie Apocalypse Hot Sauce that was one of the hotter sauces I tasted years ago. Torchbearer has a great staff, and I spoke to Vid briefly in line at the V.I.P. BBQ grill line. Torchbearer Sauces are brimming with great flavors and offer excellent hot sauces for the more extreme heat seekers.

Torchbearer Booth

Torchbearer - Zombie Apocalypse and Rapture super hot sauces

Bonfatto’s:

It is always great to see our friend David Letterman and his staff from Bellafonte, PA based Bonfatto’s/Spice Cream. I spoke to David for a few and took a cool picture of him. Bonfatto’s sauces are full of flavor and great for all your BBQ and condiment needs. Bonfatto’s have been on Two Frys before and we have been corresponding with them for years. The first time we met was in NJ at a Food Festival. Allen owns, Apocalips, which is one of his fave extreme hot sauces. The Apocalips is an amazing hot sauce that delivers the heat. Bonfatto’s have around 10 BBQ, Wing and Hot Sauces to date. Bonfatto’s offers a variety of heat in their sauces from No Heat all the way up to Dragon Heat. Sophia loves the Spice Cream selection which offers different heat levels, and the combination of heat and ice cream together is a wonderful treat.

Our buddy David Letterman

Bonfatto’s Apocalips Hot Sauce 

Bonfatto’s Booth

Bonfatto’s Spice Cream contest and Steve Seabury with contestants

Chesterville Pepper Co.:

From Moores Hill, IN Chesterville Pepper Co. was in attendance again this year with a great spread of hot sauces, salsas and BBQ sauces. This small batch company makes tasty sauces with lots of love. We love some of Chesterville’s sauce names like “Fistful of Pineapple” (Dorset Naga Pepper Hot Sauce) and “Burn Out Hot Sauce” (Made with Smokin Ed's Carolina Reapers).  

Chesterville Pepper Co. tastings

Chesterville Pepper Co. hot sauces and salsas

Southern Belles BBQ:

We spoke with Jacqueline Brooks from Southern Belles BBQ about her sauces. Her table was nicely set up with samples in teacups on saucers, which gave her booth a unique look and Southern flair. We look forward to using Southern Belles BBQ products on Two Frys in the near future.

Jacqueline Brooks from Southern Belles BBQ

Nice display from Southern Belles BBQ

Plenty of tasty sauce available at Southern Belles BBQ Booth

Saint Lucifer:

From Royersford, PA Saint Lucifer had a booth again this year and were showcasing and offering spice tastings. St. Lucifer is a dry spice, not a liquid hot sauce. St. Lucifer is great as a table spice like salt and pepper, yet hot on the palate. The combination of the spice ingredients would compliment veggies, rice, soups, seafood and meat dishes. St. Lucifer Habanero pepper spice provides a good way to add some heat to your food and recipes. 

Saint Lucifer Booth

Saint Lucifer product

Puckerbutt:

It was great to see our buddy and heat maker Ed Currie from Puckerbutt. Ed was personally doing samplings of his Famous extreme Carolina Reaper Peppers products, as well as his flavorful toned down yet still hot sauces and condiments. Great and hard working Puckerbutt staffers knew all about the different products they make. Ed was sampling a super hot concoction to some extreme hot heads. This was so hot Ed even wore rubber gloves just to dish out the samples. Based in Fort Mill, SC Puckerbutt has a large line of goods available and they also had an outdoor sampling booth. I spoke to Ed and took a picture of him holding his infamous Reaper Squeezins, that they had a special show price of 2 bottles of Squeezins for $50.00. Ed is the current World Record holder for creating the world’s hottest chili pepper, the Carolina Reaper. Ed had seeds available for sale for people to grow their own peppers. Puckerbutt has great names for the sauces they make like Born Stupit Wing Sauce, Reaper Sauce, iZombie, and Shoot That's Hot. These heat levels go from Mild to Stupit Hot. I suggest you buy seeds from Ed’s Puckerbutt website to make sure your seeds are legit and not imposters. Puckerbutt offers great products for heat seekers. We even saw a young boy puke at the Puckerbutt booth. What was that kid thinking!

Puckerbutt Booth

Puckerbutt Booth banners

Puckerbutt Booth Reaper Sauces and more

My friend Puckerbutt's Smokin' Ed Currie with Reaper Squeezins

Frog Bone:

It was awesome to finally meet Keith "Boudin Man" Jenkins from Frog Bone Cajun Sauce face to face. I have corresponded with Keith on social media for some time now. Several of their BBQ and Hot Sauce products have been reviewed on Two Frys. All the Frog Bone Sauces go for full flavor, not just heat. A big a fan of their Cajun Pepper Sauce, I received some great news from Keith about a new, all natural and their first extreme hot sauce, called "Bone Reaper". I hope to see more of Frog Bone up here our way in the future.  

Frog Bone Cajun Sauces new Bone Reaper hot sauce

Allen's friend Keith Jenkins of Frog Bone Cajun Sauces

The Murph’s:

We saw our friend Stephen Murphy and talked with him at his booths. He had a vendor setup as well as a sponsor table in V.I.P. area. Stephen “The Murph” is the maker of Murph’s Famous Bloody Mary Mix. He has a regular and a hot and spicy mix that is hotter. His products are very flavorful and can be used for cooking not just drinks. In sampling the mix, we really enjoyed the texture and spiciness of his mix. This mix is great with pickled green beans, pickled onions and fresh veggies like celery. If you wish to partake, add a shot of your preferred liquor or just enjoy it ice cold with crushed ice. After you have Murph’s you will never want plain old veggie or tomato juice again. Murph’s is available in supermarkets all over America and their headquarters are in Long Island, NY. As the Murph himself says “One Sip, One Believer!” I plan to make The Murph's Bloody Meatloaf (recipe on Murph’s website) and also make some shrimp soon with the hot and spicy mix.

Our friend “The Murph” and his famous mix

Tahiti Joe’s:

Based in sunny West Palm Beach, FL Tahiti Joe’s had a colorful booth and cool spread of flavorful hot sauces. This was the first time we had seen them at a local NYC Expo. I must mention they have good branding with colorful labels on their sauces. Tahiti Joe’s have an impressive line of hot sauce flavors. We look forward to covering their products in the future on Two Frys.

Tahiti Joe’s Booth

Some of Tahiti Joe’s nicely branded product

Baron’s International Kitchen:

We visited Hudson Valley, NY based Baron’s International Kitchen booth and are big fans of their West Indian Caribbean Hot Sauce. We also enjoy the delish, Portuguese Repolho Relish. We will be making some chicken soon with Baron’s Jerk Sauce. Baron’s makes really great sauces for your Jerk chicken needs. I was happy to talk to the staff again at the Expo this year. The Jerk Sauce has an original and a hotter version. Our Chilihead friends must try the West Indian Caribbean Hot Sauce. Baron’s International Kitchen sauces are made with love and it shows in the flavors. I hope to see them at another event this summer.

Baron’s International Kitchen staff

Baron’s International Kitchen Booth

Jersey Barnfire:

It was great to meet my new friend John Sauchelli and at least see Austin D’Almeida hard at work with tasters and customers. John and I spoke in detail about the company, growing peppers, and recipes. Based in Sparta, NJ Jersey Barnfire started around 14 months ago. They have gone from the hot sauce semi-newbie to a great competitor and even sauce award winner at the Expo. We will be cooking with their Jersey Barnfire Black Garlic Hot Sauce in the near future, and look forward to future products from them. John was very polite and communicative that will help them rise even higher in the hot sauce biz.

Jersey Barnfire Banner

Jersey Barnfire Booth

Jersey Barnfire staff John Sauchelli and Austin D’Almeida

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