Comments for The Hot Zone Online http://www.thehotzoneonline.com As hot as it gets! Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:50:06 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy food awards, part 2 by Tina Brooks http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/02/04/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-food-awards-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-673384 Tina Brooks Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:50:06 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5669#comment-673384 People have been eating ED Smith pie filling since I was a little girl!!! Ha, the award goes to .... Drum roll Alex, CANADIAN BIG FOOD!!! No biggie, but a little transparency would be nice. BLECH, anyone read the ingredients list??? To the credit of the real producers out there, my respected colleagues should not have to compete with themselves. That's just weird. People have been eating ED Smith pie filling since I was a little girl!!! Ha, the award goes to …. Drum roll Alex,

CANADIAN BIG FOOD!!!

No biggie, but a little transparency would be nice. BLECH, anyone read the ingredients list???

To the credit of the real producers out there, my respected colleagues should not have to compete with themselves. That’s just weird.

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy food awards, part 2 by parker394 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/02/04/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-food-awards-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-673382 parker394 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:27:36 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5669#comment-673382 Excellent read Joe, Damn I miss the HSB....lol Excellent read Joe, Damn I miss the HSB….lol

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy food awards, part 2 by Smokin Joe http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/02/04/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-food-awards-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-673381 Smokin Joe Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:38:14 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5669#comment-673381 I been watching the stuff on facebook, I been to the Pepper Palace many times. Been going for years. I remember when they got Wingmaster sauces in, the sales girl told me they were really the same as Wing Time. Same with Ring of Fire, said they were the biggest buyer of it so they let them put there own label on it. I saw a show on History channel this week and I saw Morehouse Foods atomic horseradish on the show, sounds just like nasal napalm. I know my hotsauces pretty well, and I know some of theirs taste like other sauces from other people. Only they don't carry sauces from other people that taste like theirs. Kinda funny? The big guy who used to work there said they changed who did their hottest sauce in the world/universe. He never said they make it now. I have been past their warehouse and it ain't that big to have a big kitchen in it and have all the space he says he needs too. I really don't understand all this stink, but someone definitely cut a BIG one! I been watching the stuff on facebook, I been to the Pepper Palace many times. Been going for years. I remember when they got Wingmaster sauces in, the sales girl told me they were really the same as Wing Time. Same with Ring of Fire, said they were the biggest buyer of it so they let them put there own label on it. I saw a show on History channel this week and I saw Morehouse Foods atomic horseradish on the show, sounds just like nasal napalm. I know my hotsauces pretty well, and I know some of theirs taste like other sauces from other people. Only they don’t carry sauces from other people that taste like theirs. Kinda funny?

The big guy who used to work there said they changed who did their hottest sauce in the world/universe. He never said they make it now. I have been past their warehouse and it ain’t that big to have a big kitchen in it and have all the space he says he needs too. I really don’t understand all this stink, but someone definitely cut a BIG one!

]]> Comment on Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce by Dave’s Gourmet by Istuke http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2009/12/16/butternut-squash-pasta-sauce-by-daves-gourmet/comment-page-1/#comment-673379 Istuke Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:29:01 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=3648#comment-673379 We love this sauce. But I don't serve it like other pasta sauces. We usually love LOTS of sauce on our pasta. But we found that 1/2 a jar is plenty tossed with a pound of pasta. Also, we add sweet Italian sausage to the sauce and pasta. The little bit of heat and savory sweetness of the sausage really compliments the sauce. Finally, the pasta we like best is a thicker pasta, such as penne -- something with a bit of "tooth" to it. Enjoy! We love this sauce. But I don’t serve it like other pasta sauces. We usually love LOTS of sauce on our pasta. But we found that 1/2 a jar is plenty tossed with a pound of pasta. Also, we add sweet Italian sausage to the sauce and pasta. The little bit of heat and savory sweetness of the sausage really compliments the sauce. Finally, the pasta we like best is a thicker pasta, such as penne — something with a bit of “tooth” to it.
Enjoy!

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy industry awards by Craig http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/01/30/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-industry-awards/comment-page-1/#comment-673378 Craig Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:59:45 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5655#comment-673378 Joe, Why am I being censored? My previous post pertaining to corporations and their involvement is valid. As an owner of "Mega-stores located in nine locations throughout the United States", I might be able to provide some insight for you, certainly I can at least contribute to this conversation. Also, please remove your post pertaining to Pepper Palace. It is knowingly inaccurate and therefore SLANDER (A malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report). Get my drift? Joe,
Why am I being censored? My previous post pertaining to corporations and their involvement is valid. As an owner of “Mega-stores located in nine locations throughout the United States”, I might be able to provide some insight for you, certainly I can at least contribute to this conversation. Also, please remove your post pertaining to Pepper Palace. It is knowingly inaccurate and therefore SLANDER (A malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report). Get my drift?

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy industry awards by ChileHeadEd http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/01/30/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-industry-awards/comment-page-1/#comment-673377 ChileHeadEd Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:54:38 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5655#comment-673377 Interesting question that I have heard brought up before. I think the slippery slope of this is Co-packers, as most "succesfull" small sauce makers will eventualy grow to the point where they either need to "build a large processing plant (slightly tongue in cheek)" or hire a co-packer to make and bottle THEIR RECIPE. If I perceive this article correctly, SOME sellers merely buy another companies product, slap their own label on it and call it their own and these are the products that some feel should not be allowed to enter? As a small time producer and "self packer" I have had the pleasure of winning several industry awards and have in fact been contacted (as a result of publicity from these same awards)to sell my sauce to a marketer who labels my sauce as his own and sells it as such. I personaly do not care if they call it there own or were to enter it in a contest and win. The more they market it, the more they sell, the more they buy from me! as a side note to this, my personal experience also is that I grew too large to be able to handle the volume of production I needed to maintain and needed to either find a co-packer or another alternative, I personaly downsized as this is a "second job" for me and I am not ready to turn hot sauce into "Job numero uno".....not yet anyway for many good reasons. Interesting question that I have heard brought up before. I think the slippery slope of this is Co-packers, as most “succesfull” small sauce makers will eventualy grow to the point where they either need to “build a large processing plant (slightly tongue in cheek)” or hire a co-packer to make and bottle THEIR RECIPE. If I perceive this article correctly, SOME sellers merely buy another companies product, slap their own label on it and call it their own and these are the products that some feel should not be allowed to enter? As a small time producer and “self packer” I have had the pleasure of winning several industry awards and have in fact been contacted (as a result of publicity from these same awards)to sell my sauce to a marketer who labels my sauce as his own and sells it as such. I personaly do not care if they call it there own or were to enter it in a contest and win. The more they market it, the more they sell, the more they buy from me!
as a side note to this, my personal experience also is that I grew too large to be able to handle the volume of production I needed to maintain and needed to either find a co-packer or another alternative, I personaly downsized as this is a “second job” for me and I am not ready to turn hot sauce into “Job numero uno”…..not yet anyway for many good reasons.

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy industry awards by Pepper Palace http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/01/30/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-industry-awards/comment-page-1/#comment-673376 Pepper Palace Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:56:35 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5655#comment-673376 cor·po·rate/ˈkôrp(ə)rit/ Adjective: Of or relating to a corporation, esp. a large company or group. Noun: A corporate company or group. Synonyms: joint - collective - common "The role of corporate ownership in certain entries which have been brought into question". Corporations like Pepper Palace Inc or Cajohns Fiery Foods Company or Gardener Resources, Inc. (Blair's) or Captain Thoms' Chile Pepper Company or Mcaby Media Llc (Chile Pepper Magazine)? What corporations are we questioning? cor·po·rate/ˈkôrp(ə)rit/
Adjective:
Of or relating to a corporation, esp. a large company or group.
Noun:
A corporate company or group.
Synonyms:
joint – collective – common

“The role of corporate ownership in certain entries which have been brought into question”. Corporations like Pepper Palace Inc or Cajohns Fiery Foods Company or Gardener Resources, Inc. (Blair’s) or Captain Thoms’ Chile Pepper Company or Mcaby Media Llc (Chile Pepper Magazine)? What corporations are we questioning?

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy industry awards by Joe & Linda http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/01/30/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-industry-awards/comment-page-1/#comment-673374 Joe & Linda Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:13:20 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5655#comment-673374 It is not the process of judging that this article takes issue with, but rather the criteria. This blog has had an excellent relationship with Chile Pepper Magazine and its writers have been asked numerous times in the past to participate in judging the Fiery Food Challenge, so we are fully informed about its process. However, it is the CRITERIA of the judging and the role of corporate ownership in certain entries which have been brought into question. These issues are far from new to these competitions, and to the industry, even if many people within the industry are reluctant to discuss them. No fraud or collusion was stated or implied, to answer Dennis' assertions. It is not the process of judging that this article takes issue with, but rather the criteria. This blog has had an excellent relationship with Chile Pepper Magazine and its writers have been asked numerous times in the past to participate in judging the Fiery Food Challenge, so we are fully informed about its process. However, it is the CRITERIA of the judging and the role of corporate ownership in certain entries which have been brought into question. These issues are far from new to these competitions, and to the industry, even if many people within the industry are reluctant to discuss them.

No fraud or collusion was stated or implied, to answer Dennis’ assertions.

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy industry awards by Dennis Reid http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/01/30/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-industry-awards/comment-page-1/#comment-673373 Dennis Reid Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:17:26 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5655#comment-673373 Reva Foods is a small company consisting of my wife and I working hard at what we believe in most - getting a great, healthy product into the hands of our customers. Food is my passion and it humbles me to think that people like my products enough to give me formal recognition for them. We were lucky enough to take home four awards in the latest Fiery Food Challenge, including the Golden Chile Award for our Habanero Ketchup - HOT. Since we are such a small company, there is no way we could afford to buy all of the equipment required to produce our products legally and safely. Our products are produced by a copacker using recipes that I created and are done to my exacting specifications. My copacker will be the first to tell you that I am constantly looking over his shoulder to ensure the high quality and great flavor of my products is there in every bottle/jar. As far as what products to enter, I would never enter someone else's product that I private label into a competition because it's not my recipe and I shouldn't get any credit or award for it. As far as the judging and integrity of these competitions, the are all blind taste tests. Each product is assigned a number and that's all the judges know. Anyone who isn't fully informed about the judging process really doesn't have any right to imply some sort of fraud or collusion. Know the facts before making accusations on that subject. The sponsors and promoters don't make money on these competitions. The folks at Chile Pepper Magazine are all above board people and as Heather Chancellor said in her reply, "you can buy an ad but you can't buy an editorial" hits the nail on the head. The bottom line is that if you make a good product, you're going to win awards. If others win more awards than you, it's not because of some sort of conspiracy theory, it's because their product is better. Lastly, do I make money on the awards? Hell Yes! That's the biggest reason for entering the competition! People buy award winning products and you're not going to be an award winner unless you have a great product. Reva Foods is a small company consisting of my wife and I working hard at what we believe in most – getting a great, healthy product into the hands of our customers. Food is my passion and it humbles me to think that people like my products enough to give me formal recognition for them. We were lucky enough to take home four awards in the latest Fiery Food Challenge, including the Golden Chile Award for our Habanero Ketchup – HOT. Since we are such a small company, there is no way we could afford to buy all of the equipment required to produce our products legally and safely. Our products are produced by a copacker using recipes that I created and are done to my exacting specifications. My copacker will be the first to tell you that I am constantly looking over his shoulder to ensure the high quality and great flavor of my products is there in every bottle/jar. As far as what products to enter, I would never enter someone else’s product that I private label into a competition because it’s not my recipe and I shouldn’t get any credit or award for it. As far as the judging and integrity of these competitions, the are all blind taste tests. Each product is assigned a number and that’s all the judges know. Anyone who isn’t fully informed about the judging process really doesn’t have any right to imply some sort of fraud or collusion. Know the facts before making accusations on that subject. The sponsors and promoters don’t make money on these competitions. The folks at Chile Pepper Magazine are all above board people and as Heather Chancellor said in her reply, “you can buy an ad but you can’t buy an editorial” hits the nail on the head. The bottom line is that if you make a good product, you’re going to win awards. If others win more awards than you, it’s not because of some sort of conspiracy theory, it’s because their product is better. Lastly, do I make money on the awards? Hell Yes! That’s the biggest reason for entering the competition! People buy award winning products and you’re not going to be an award winner unless you have a great product.

]]> Comment on Integrity of hot and spicy industry awards by Mike Rigsby http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/2012/01/30/integrity-of-hot-and-spicy-industry-awards/comment-page-1/#comment-673370 Mike Rigsby Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:19:43 +0000 http://www.thehotzoneonline.com/?p=5655#comment-673370 Wow. Sounds more like someone didn't get enough awards this weekend! I have news for you, I have taken a tour of the Pepper Palace kitchen and I can tell you, they make their own sauce. And to think all this time I've been telling my kids that when they get out of school, all the playground drama will go away. Congrats to Cajohn and Pepper Palace for great products that win awards. Wow. Sounds more like someone didn’t get enough awards this weekend! I have news for you, I have taken a tour of the Pepper Palace kitchen and I can tell you, they make their own sauce. And to think all this time I’ve been telling my kids that when they get out of school, all the playground drama will go away. Congrats to Cajohn and Pepper Palace for great products that win awards.

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