Hot Sauce, Hot Sauce, Hot Sauce!!!

I can't believe it. I have been writing this blog (admittedly intermittently) for three years, and I have not posted on hot sauce.

I first tasted Bajan hot sauce when my friend The Curmudgeon brought some over to dinner—oh, about twenty years ago now. Coming as I do from Southeast Asia, with its fiery sambals and curries, tom yums and laksas, I thought "Yeah, whatever." But as soon as I tasted some, well, I literally ran around my kitchen whooping for joy.

This picture was taken surreptitiously in a Holetown supermarket. As you can see, Barbadians take their hot sauce (sometimes called pepper sauce) SERIOUSLY. Over the years, we have found that an excellent way to break the ice with Bajans (who can be a little shy) is to ask them which brand they like the best. We have tried several kinds—Delish (meh), Aunt May (meh to good), Country Boy (pretty good), S-Bend (pretty damn good).

The Curmudgeon's Mum (bless her heart) likes Windmill. We always buy her a bottle, but have never tried it ourselves. We're sure it's great.

And then there is the off-label, home-made kind that some restaurants commission from their own private suppliers. I'm sure you could write an entire book about those.

But our favourite brand of hot sauce deserves a post of its own ...