This year I’m trying to minimize my life and cause less clutter around me. (I know, I’m so on trend) For Hanukkah and Christmas this year my husband and I tried to give gifts that fell into the “Usable & Consumable” category. Experiences or consumable goods that brought more “in-the-moment” joy and less “oh that’s so cool! Once the initial excitement has worn off it’ll sit in the corner and never see the light of day again!”
One of the highlights for me was a hot sauce subscription. I get two bottles quarterly for a year. I’m stoked because:
- A. I smother everything I eat in hot sauce and have tried to expand my hot sauce palette and collection for some time now.
- B. In terms of being “usable & consumable” it’s on point.
To hold me over while the first shipment arrives I was gifted two bottles in the Siete hot sauce line, Chipotle and Habeñero. I’d seen these brands before but had never took the plunge.
First up, Siete Habeñero, obviously. The first thing that jumped out at me about this hot sauce was the texture. It’s a creamy, thick sauce that isn’t as viscous as most other hot sauces. At first taste I was pleasantly surprised. I love when a hot sauce has a good kick that doesn’t overpower the flavor. The more I tasted it the more “healthy” it tasted so no surprise when I swiveled the bottle to read the ingredients. Water, apple cider vinegar, golden beets, carrots, dates, sea salt….to name the first few ingredients. Very natural. I also see it is a “Whole 30” approved hot sauce if you’re into that. I would consider putting this sauce on something like a rice bowl or salad with your choice of protein (mine is usually shrimp or tofu). Essentially substituting any dressing with this sauce. One issue I have with this one is that it doesn’t seem to age well. Once open, it didn’t seem to age well in the fridge. I started picturing all the veggies I’ve let wilt and rot in the back of my crisper drawer. Perhaps that guilt is what gave me hints of not so fresh produce the next few times I tried it. So, use it quickly!
Siete Habañero
Flavor score: 2
Spiciness level: 3
Overall: 2
Next up: Siete Chipotle. I’ll start with the fact that it’s normally rare for me to find a chipotle I love. Sometimes the smokiness is overpowering and sometimes it’s too sweet. I do like smoked flavors but don’t enjoy the smokey-sweet pairing that a lot of chipotle sauces offer. A mild smokiness and a minimal level of sweetness is optimal.
Siete Chipotle
Flavor score: 2 (a little too sweet for me)
Spiciness level: 2
Overall: 2
Spicy Dog 