Baron West Indian Hot Sauce

"I've got something I think you'll really like." my neighbor Aaron stated as we were discussing hot sauce. (note; most of my discussions eventually become about hot sauce.) "I picked this up when I was in St. Lucia, and it's really good." Aaron continued as he handed me a bottle of Baron West Indian Hot Sauce. I'm quickly learning that when you tell people about your fascination with hot sauce they sometimes just give you some of their favorite ones to enjoy. That's a pretty good deal. Spending the last several days with this bottle of hot sauce has only confirmed what I realized the instant I popped the cap and tasted my first sample. Aaron was right on both counts. This hot sauce is really good, and I really like it.

Baron West Indian Hot Sauce is produced by Baron Foods Ltd., an award winning gourmet sauce and food condiment manufacturer headquartered in St. Lucia. They offer a wide variety of exotic culinary products many of which prominently feature notable spice and flavor characteristics of Caribbean cuisine.

Baron West Indian Hot Sauce is a mustard-based chili pepper sauce featuring the potent Scotch bonnet, the chili pepper of choice for spicy and flavorful Caribbean cooking. The sauce is of a deep yellow-orange color and has tiny pieces of Scotch bonnet pepper suspended throughout every bit of the purée, assuring the consumer that this bottle is literally packed with heat. And on that count this sauce does not disappoint.

Perhaps lesser known than its widely popular habanero cousin the Scotch bonnet chili pepper features a moderate capsicum potency as well as a bright pepper fruit taste that Baron West Indian Hot Sauce uses to great effect. The heat sensation starts with a mild burn that quickly spreads across the palate while slowly building intensity, lingering in the mouth like a bee sting but in a good way. The pepper is complemented with an unsparing infusion of mustard flour (also known as mustard powder or dry mustard), giving this sauce a powerfully distinctive 1-2 punch of hot, sour piquancy, and if that's your thing you'll love this. It is deliciously addictive.

I am not a mustard fanatic but there are some dishes that I feel are best enjoyed with mustard as a preparation ingredient or an added condiment. These include the standard burgers and hot dogs as well as the occasional bowl of chili. (Yes, mustard in chili is amazing!) It is also a vital "secret ingredient" for irresistible fried chicken breading.

During my testing with this hot sauce I used it in place of mustard for every dish in which actual mustard would otherwise have been used. Baron West Indian Hot Sauce won me over with every drop every time. I highly recommend trying it poured over grilled bratwurst on a bed of sautéed onions. Perhaps not the best combination for cordial social settings but the resulting profusion of intense flavor elements made for a memorably delicious meal.

While it is certainly not a mustard and is not marketed as a mustard condiment (spicy or otherwise) I found Baron West Indian Hot Sauce to be not only be an excellent alternative to mustard in general (especially for spicy food enthusiasts) but in fact it is now my preferred "mustard" of choice. As such it has earned a place on "My Short List" of favorite hot sauces to be kept on hand any time its unique characteristics can be called upon to elevate a dish in need of West Indies culinary flair.

So, what my neighbor Aaron said to me I now say to you. "I've got something I think you'll really like." If you want to try Baron West Indian Hot Sauce for yourself or buy a bottle to share with a hot sauce enthusiast in your life you can purchase it by clicking here or via the Amazon Affiliate link below. To find out more about this hot sauce or about Baron Foods Ltd. you can find them online at www.baronfoodsltd.com.