Celery

Wiltshire Chilli Farm Coffee Spiked BBQ Sauce

by Thelurch on January 8, 2012 · 1 comment

in Product Reviews

The Wiltshire Chilli Farm - Coffee Spiked BBQ Sauce

The Wiltshire Chilli Farm - Coffee Spiked BBQ Sauce

As a reviewer you know when you have a good, tasty sauce. My usual routine when I receive a product to review is to open each sauce and have a quick taste before storing in the fridge to do the review a bit later. Well with this BBQ sauce, I didn’t just stop at the initial tasting, I kept using it on sandwiches, meats etc. It was only when I had less than a third left that I suddenly remembered that I needed some left to write a review! Now that’s a sign of a good sauce.

Anyway, on to the sauce itself. The bottle is the familiar shape of their standard range, giving 140ml of sauce per bottle, the labelling keeps the familiar branding by showing a picture of the Chilli used in the recipe.

My only criticism is that the labelling doesn’t tell me what exact chilli it uses, not exactly a problem for the average customer who thinks a Chilli is a Chilli, but I like to know and don’t always recognise the Chilli from the picture. Other sauces in the range do mention the Chilli variety but this one doesn’t. I’m informed by Jamie that in this case, it’s Naga.

The sauce itself is brown which isn’t a surprise due to the molasses; the sauce has a ketchup thickness to it but has slightly more texture to it, meaning it pours smoothly on to my spoon. Upon opening the bottle, I can smell tomatoes, onion, the sweetness of the molasses, and the cider vinegar. None of these overpower the other, all too often a sauce can be ruined by too much vinegar. I can’t make out the scent of coffee even though I know it’s there.

Putting the spoon in my mouth, I get an immediate sweetness which soon gives way to a savoury flavour, swiftly followed by the Naga burn which is strong but not uncomfortable. Then the subtle coffee comes through and fades leaving a pleasant burn throughout the mouth.

Ingredients: Tomatoes, Onion, Sugar, Red Pepper, Celery, Cider Vinegar, Coffee 6%, Molasses, Chilli, Salt, Spices.

Jar kindly supplied by Jamie at The Wiltshire Chilli Farm

As I mentioned earlier, I have been using this on all sorts of things but when I buy another bottle I will be trying it on chicken or ribs before Barbecuing.

So for £3.75 you get a great, different take on the standard BBQ sauce, it’s not sickly sweet which is a good thing in my opinion, and don’t be put off by the addition of coffee, it’s a background flavour which is subtle enough not to overpower. Go grab a bottle now!

Flavour
(9/10)
Heat
(8/10)
Packaging
(7/10)
Value
(9/10)
Overall
(9/10)

Possibly Related Articles:

Don't forget to enter our competition for a complete growing kit by Greenhouse Sensation

{ 1 comment }

Mr Vikki’s Hot Tamarind Chutney

by David Kelly on November 27, 2011 · 0 comments

in Product Reviews

Being a long time curry fan over the years I’ve become a lover of tamarind, a tart fruit used in Indian cuisine and other equatorial regions such as Latin American & Thailand. So it comes as no surprise then that I was very much looking forward to tasting this chutney from Mr Vikki’s.

Mr Vikki's Tamarind Chipotle

Mr Vikki's Tamarind Chipotle

For those not in the know, the tamarind tree produces (Arabic for ‘Indian date’) is long bean shaped fruit inside which is a sour pulp than can be processed to make a paste. Tamarind taste somewhat like a date (tamarind is actually Arabic for ‘Indian date’) but is much less sweet and more sour. The chances are that many Brits, be they a lover of Indian cuisine or not, have probably unbeknownst to them tried tamarind as it is a key ingredient in two great British sauces, namely HP & Worcestershire.

The labelling as with other Mr Vikki’s product is a minimalistic bright yellow label with the company name, product details & a 3 chilli rating. Mr Vikki’s use a heat rating system based on graphics of chillies on the front label to denote the heat level. Their current hottest product has a 8 chilli rating, so I wasn’t expecting this product to be about the heat.

With such a minimalist approach to labelling the contents of the jar can clearly been seen and the chutney has a deep brown treacle coloured interspersed with flecks of mustard seeds. Although not indicated in the labelling this chutney was a “2 star Great Taste Award Winner” back in 2010 so I was anticipating something special when I opened this jar and I wasn’t disappointed. Opening the jar releases a wonderful aroma – the combination of the smokiness of the chipotles with the underlying fruit tones of the tamarind & dates and traces of ginger, is a delight to smell.

Ingredients: Tamarind Pulp (40%), Dates, Sugar, Chipotle 15%, Fresh Ginger, Garlic, Vinegar, Mustard, Celery, Salt and Pepper.

The chutney’s rich brown colour comes from the tamarind pulp, and the natural stickiness of the pulp gives the chutney a thick jam like consistency. Tasting a generous spoonful of the chutney you get hit with the tartness of the tamarind, enhanced with the sweetness of the dates. Mustard seeds within the chutney add to the texture of the tamarind pulp. Underneath this initial hit, the flavour of the chipotles comes through leaving a pleasant lingering aftertaste. For me the heat wasn’t massive and more of a mild warmth but nonetheless it balances well with the other flavours present.

One of the serving suggestions on the jar is to serve it in a bacon sandwich, so I duly obliged and cooked some dry cured bacon, and placed between two slices of bread with a generous covering of the chutney therein. Biting into the sandwich did not disappoint and the taste was bliss! The natural saltiness of the bacon contrasts so well with the sweet/sourness of the chutney.

Although it’s a chutney and so easily works as a sandwich pickle I’d definitely use this to make a marinade or for basting on meats. The natural acidity of the tamarind pulp will help to tenderise any meat marinated in it. Whilst chicken goes good with tamarind, I think stronger flavoured meats such as pork or beef would work really well with this chutney. At only £3 from www.mrvikkis.co.uk I think the chutney is excellent value for money. Given that we’re entering the Christmas period I’d thoroughly recommend getting some of this chutney in time to accompany your Christmas cold meat cuts this year.

Flavour
(7/10)
Heat
(3/10)
Packaging
(5/10)
Value
(8/10)
Overall
(8/10)

Possibly Related Articles:

Don't forget to enter our competition for a complete growing kit by Greenhouse Sensation

 

{ 0 comments }

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s Devil’s Duel – The bottle’s too small for this American gold

by Patrick Garratt on September 29, 2011 · 0 comments

in Bar-B-Que,Product Reviews

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Devils Duel

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Devils Duel

Of all the sauces I received in my box from Hot Juan a few weeks ago for review, this is my favourite. It’s a Habanero-based effort from the US with a heavy vinegar note being the primary smell off the top of the bottle.

Whatever’s been used for vinegar, however, has a mellow flavour, with any bitterness removed. Well-placed celery and lime pull together with the Habaneros and vinegar to give a deeply savoury effect.

All the flavours and aromas are distinct, including the Habanero.

Ingredients: Water, Mustard (Mustard flour, Vinegar, Salt), Vinegar, Habanero peppers, Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Xanthan Gum (natural food fibre), Green bell pepper, Celery, Caramel colour, Lime juice, Spice extractives.

Bottle kindly provided by Hot-Headz

Mayonnaise-based salads – pasta, coleslaw, etc – love it, and I’ve found myself specifically making them just so I can eat more sauce. A good sign (unless you’re my belt).

As for heat, there’s just enough. It’s a straight-up hab burn on the back of the throat and the tip of the tongue. I’m guessing decent stock was used; the flavour’s unmistakable. As there’s no additive aside from the chillis themselves and the main ingredients are water, mustard and vinegar, the heat vanishes quickly in the main then lingers in the throat. The lower level of hotness means it’s perfect for everyday use.

The consistency’s thin and it’s easy to pour. A caramel colouring’s been used to make it browner, and you can see the pieces of chilli if you squint.

You’ll get a 148ml bottle for £3.99. The packaging features a T-Rex stabbing Satan, so it’s difficult to fault. Dinosaurs make everything better. You can purchase this sauce from Hot-Headz

The icing on the cake is a refusal to use anything artificial. For a “commercial” hot sauce this is pretty much brilliant.

My only real complaint is that I had the last spoonful as a reminder to write this review.

Flavour
(9/10)
Heat
(6/10)
Packaging
(8/10)
Value
(8/10)
Overall
(9/10)

Possibly Related Articles:

Don't forget to enter our competition for a complete growing kit by Greenhouse Sensation

{ 0 comments }

From Dorset with Love – Piccalilli

by Hot Juan on June 6, 2011 · 0 comments

in Product Reviews

From Dorset With Love - Piccalilli

From Dorset With Love - Piccalilli

From Dorset With Love is a new business, set up by Chrissy and Karl, who while visiting a Pub (Don’t all business start that way) noticed the pub served a chutney make with a rival brewers ale, so with a few bottle of the local ale they set off to make their own.

They source all their ingredients as locally as possible using pick your owns and farmers markets

We noticed then at the Sherbourne Castle Country Fair, they had a late booking and so did not have the best position, but the products all tasted fresh and well made.

We selected to review their Piccalilli first, while we know this has no chilli in it, it was an exceptional good when tasted in one of the only cold wet day we had this May.

The Piccalilli comes in a square 240g jar, on opening there is that nice confidence pop that shows the Piccalilli was packed when nice and hot. The smell is to die for, mustard and vinegar with hints of onion and turmeric.

The jar is packed with chunks of veg that are cut nice and small, but have retained their shape so are easily identifiable, a nice big spoonful and this is almost as good as it smells, the veg still has a nice bite to it, show that it has not been over cooked and the brining stage has not been rushed.

They have used a old family recipe from Chrissy’s Mum and it is a great start, I would add a little more mustard to give it a bit more warmth, and of course a little chilli would be good..

Ingredients: Cauliflower, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Tomato, Onion, French Beans, Courgettes, Calabrese, Pepper, Sugar, Cider Vinegar, Flour, Mustard, Salt, Turmeric.

At £3.50 for a jar it is good value, I have enjoyed this so much I have almost finished half the jar while writing this. We tasted a few of their other Jams, Jellies and Chutneys at the stall, and they all showed a great attention to getting the flavour and consistency right. You can order on-line at www.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk, do try the Piccalilli and we also recommend the Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar Jam and the Hot Bengal Chutney (Not yet hot enough, but very tasty).

They will be attending The Great Dorset Chilli Festival where they are bring some new hotter chilli products.

Flavour
(7.5/10)
Heat
(0/10)
Packaging
(7/10)
Value
(8/10)
Overall
(7.5/10)

Possibly Related Articles:

{ 0 comments }

Page 1 of 212