I never use thickeners either. If I want to add body to a sauce I usually add more chiles, onions, or carrots-depending on the type I'm making. When I get around to making a watery-Tabasco type sauce, I may experiment with using a thickener. Jeff Jeffro's Serious Sauces http://people.ne.mediaone.net/jeffroz/home.html Still have some bottles in stock!