At any fiery rate, this hot sauce isn't bad, but I don't get what all the hoopla & ballyhoo is about. It is just red chili peppers (or red jalapenos) mixed with a bit of sugar, salt, garlic, and vinegar, more or less. I know that most great hot sauces are relatively simple to make and generally consist of very few ingredients, but this one seems to be gaining a little extra steam in the U.S. lately.
As for the heat, it isn't really "hot" or anything, but when compared to others, it would be considered "middle of the road" for most hot sauces. For example, when using average Scoville units to determine heat, Louisiana Hot Sauce has several varieties, but most are listed between 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville units, Sriracha at 2,200, Tabasco at 3,700, and the Louisiana Habanero sauce was in the range of 3,000 to 4,000. Of course, there are a lot more hot sauces on the market, but I was just listing a few popular ones for comparison. Now, if you're seeking higher Scoville units, you'd be better off eating fresh peppers from a much hotter variety. But back to the "what's up with the latest Sriracha craze"...
Going by what I've read, Sriracha sauce (a.k.a. "rooster sauce") was first created in the 1980s. Some sources say 1980, some say early '80s, so not sure of an exact date. Some guy named David Tran immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam. He landed in California, and I think the city he ended up at was Los Angeles. I guess he didn't like the varieties of hot sauce in America, so he began experimenting with the ingredients and so on, while making his own. He used to make hot sauces in Vietnam, so he was no stranger to the game. After he was satisfied with the formula, he began selling it to the locals. I think he sold various types, but this one really took off. Well, it didn't take long for a big business to develop from it, so here we are today. Outside of the name itself, the reason for such a craze might be because it is unique, versatile and, possibly because of the thickness. Unlike most hot sauces, this stuff almost has the consistency of ketchup, which is pretty neat.
Personally, even though it is one of the main ingredients, I'd like the rooster sauce better if they left the garlic off or at least toned it down. Garlic can make some foods taste better, but it seems to conflict with the yummy pepper taste, in my opinion. The added sugar is a plus, though. I think it would be best if the sriracha hot sauce was mixed with ketchup and used as a dipping sauce replacement for certain foods (seafood, fries, etc.) You know, some people do mix this with mayo, as well. Overall, I'd still give it a decent rating, but it just seems to be a bit overrated. Perhaps it's the name that's fueling most of the fire. I guess it sounds more cool to say, "pass the Sriracha" as opposed to saying, "hand me the hot sauce." I don't know...
Image Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sriracha_Hot_Sauce_Bottles_Freshii_Restaurant_Family_Dinner_Downtown_Grand_Rapids_June_27,_2014_1_(14552677466).jpg
---End of Post "What's up with the latest Sriracha Hot Sauce Craze?"
Semi-related Post:
http://random-twaddle.blogspot.com/2015/02/making-jalapeno-poppers-without-breading.html
Going by what I've read, Sriracha sauce (a.k.a. "rooster sauce") was first created in the 1980s. Some sources say 1980, some say early '80s, so not sure of an exact date. Some guy named David Tran immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam. He landed in California, and I think the city he ended up at was Los Angeles. I guess he didn't like the varieties of hot sauce in America, so he began experimenting with the ingredients and so on, while making his own. He used to make hot sauces in Vietnam, so he was no stranger to the game. After he was satisfied with the formula, he began selling it to the locals. I think he sold various types, but this one really took off. Well, it didn't take long for a big business to develop from it, so here we are today. Outside of the name itself, the reason for such a craze might be because it is unique, versatile and, possibly because of the thickness. Unlike most hot sauces, this stuff almost has the consistency of ketchup, which is pretty neat.
Personally, even though it is one of the main ingredients, I'd like the rooster sauce better if they left the garlic off or at least toned it down. Garlic can make some foods taste better, but it seems to conflict with the yummy pepper taste, in my opinion. The added sugar is a plus, though. I think it would be best if the sriracha hot sauce was mixed with ketchup and used as a dipping sauce replacement for certain foods (seafood, fries, etc.) You know, some people do mix this with mayo, as well. Overall, I'd still give it a decent rating, but it just seems to be a bit overrated. Perhaps it's the name that's fueling most of the fire. I guess it sounds more cool to say, "pass the Sriracha" as opposed to saying, "hand me the hot sauce." I don't know...
Image Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sriracha_Hot_Sauce_Bottles_Freshii_Restaurant_Family_Dinner_Downtown_Grand_Rapids_June_27,_2014_1_(14552677466).jpg
---End of Post "What's up with the latest Sriracha Hot Sauce Craze?"
Semi-related Post:
http://random-twaddle.blogspot.com/2015/02/making-jalapeno-poppers-without-breading.html
Side Note: After buying a bottle of this stuff, it has sat in my fridge for several months now. It seems that the only time I use Sriracha sauce (instead of traditional hot sauce) anymore is when I'm putting the finishing touches on the burgers I fry occasionally. Just as I'm about to put some hot pepper cheese on the sizzling (already done) patties, I will squirt a good bit of Sriracha on one side of 'em, then place the cheese on top of it, cut the stove off, and let it all melt together. Now, that is one particular use from rooster sauce that I can actually say is very tasty and actually enhances the flavor of what I'm eating. As for what's up with this ongoing sriracha hot sauce craze, it's still up for debate; ha!
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