[CH] Hot sauce collection
Alex Silbajoris (72163.1353@compuserve.com)
Sat, 14 Aug 1999 12:02:22 -0400
J asks -
>Does anyone else run into this problem?
I get constant hassles from friends and family about the number of hot
sauces I have. I was only half-joking when I wrote the lyrics about not
having any room left in the refrigerator door. When space becomes scarce,
furrowed brows frown at the amount of room taken by the bottles.
People ask me whether I will ever actually use all the sauces, or what
foods they could be good for (the flip side of "Are you going to put sauce
on THAT?"). Different sauces, I explain, have different uses just as do
different wines. I try to keep the stock in rotation, because I have no
use for a stale old bottle. Sometimes some nearly-finished sauce just gets
poured into a grilling marinade. And *sigh* to think of all the sauces I
did not buy, no matter how appealing, because I already had so many at
home.
As for the expense, I could have any number of interests that cost me more.
Not to pick any fights among the readership, but you won't see me putting
a personal watercraft on a sport utility vehicle to burn fuel for
entertainment. Hey, everyone can choose their own pursuits, and mine tend
to come in small bottles.
I would advise against hiding the collection. Then it looks like you're
concealing some secretive activity. Be brash, be open.
On another topic, I had good luck yesterday (yes, Friday 13) with a big
batch of chili. I made a sauce from some dried pasillas and anchos, which
along with a bit of canned chipotles became the rich red heart of the
batch. I added beef and pork and red beans. At first the broth was
sharply hot, but I let it simmer long and slow (Lodge cast iron dutch oven)
and by the time the flavors had mixed, the result was just just hot enough,
with a really rich flavor. Then I had to make cornbread biscuits...
Alex Silbajoris 72163.1353@compuserve.com
Culinary Compulsive Syndrome is treatable - but why?