A cup of good coffee, a nice book, and birds singing in the background are all that an old man needs to live a good life. And while I was invested in my activity, I faintly heard my room door open and close, the sound of it clearly signaling who the intruder was.
“Grandpa, I bought you something interesting.” My nephew said in his all-time exciting voice.
Now, ‘interesting’ is definitely a very ‘interesting’ word that seems to be misused a lot by today’s young generation. Heard some sarcasm, “Interesting.” Something caught your attention. “Interesting.” Encountered some stupidity, “Interesting.” These days, it’s more like a filler word with trust issues.
“I bet you have been missing this your whole life.” He put the boxes carefully on the table as if they contained something delicate.
“I reckon”, I started, “Your exaggeration needs to be toned down. And I have already tried several so-called interesting things from your side to not believe you on this.”
He ignored this and continued to take out bottles, jars, and little vessels of every color existing on Earth.
“This,” he said, holding up a bottle, “is jalapeño hot sauce.”
Which, without any prejudice, appeared to me as ‘green chutney,’ but somehow, I waited for him to introduce the other bottle.
“And this,” he practically thrust the bottle in my lap, on my book, “is red hot sauce.”
Dangerous and enthusiastic.
“Well, you’d better keep me out of it. I clearly remember the last time a disaster.”
I shook my head aggressively, forgiving my taste buds once again for that brutality.
“This is completely different; in fact, it brings back the taste from old, authentic Afghani-Persian cuisine.”
That had my ears perked up in curiosity.
Thanks to my niece and nephews, we have a lot of sauces tasting like rotten mangoes and vegetables, acting like a loud neighbor for meals, as in arriving uninvited, causing drama, and then leaving you regretting your life choices.
So, regarding this new guest, suspicion was normal.
I raised an eyebrow. “Different, is it? They both look like they’d burn a hole through a table.”
He grinned the way only someone with a reckless tongue can. “You just wait.”
Dragging me to the kitchen, he started off with jalapeño hot sauce; he poured a modest amount onto a spoon and handed it to me like a mother giving medicine to her child.
Keeping my skepticism active, I took that spoon, expecting an assault that never came.
In fact, it was civilized. Fresh, green, and cheerful.
The first thing that I noticed was how slowly the heat crept in, warming the tongue, preparing it for the next taste, which I reckon was quite similar to green chutney.
Sharp? Yes
Overwhelming? No.
A perfect balance to awaken one’s taste buds, but not smoky or aggressive enough to overpower the food’s natural taste.
“How was it?” He urged, already knowing he won this time.
“Well, it’s not bad. More civilized than I expected.”
“The good part is it works with everything.” And I hate this phrase from the core of my heart because it ruins the specialty of meals.
The less, the better.
But, despite my insistence, he drizzled it over grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, my innocent boiled eggs, and even soup while I was contemplating how to teach him to balance the product that the product is offering so naturally and perfectly.
“You’ll love it.” The damage was done, so all I had to do was give in, which I did, except the damage was quite delicious in taste.
“You know what, Grandpa, my friend wasn’t lying when he said I won’t stop recommending this brand.”
He chewed on the chicken, licking his fingers on the side.
“Which brand?”
“Homa Foods, from which I bought this. It’s an Afghani-Persian brand offering authentic, homemade taste. Their best-selling products are trending; I bought only these two to give them a try.”
“How about trying the other one?” I tried my best to hide my curiosity, but couldn’t.
“Someone’s in a hurry. Good to see. In fact, if I ever meet the owner of Homa Foods, I am going to personally thank them for living up to my grandfather’s expectations.”
He laughed it off while I ignored his remark.
“Okay, our second guest of honor for today is Red Hot Sauce.”
He announced dramatically, while the bright red color had me gaping in horror at how spicy it would be.
“I think you should skip this, Grandpa, not good for your health.”
He warned like a teacher, which I took to my heart like a student.
“My child, it’s better if we stick to our roles. Don’t try in vain to become my grandfather.”
I took that bottle and opened the cap myself.
“Careful, it might burn your hand. Dangerous chemical, you know.”
I glared at him, which he rubbed off with a wink in return.
The strong and sharp aroma struck first, and then the bright red had me re-thinking my earlier claim.
But an old man backing off, that too, in front of his nephew, was definitely not on my list.
So, I gave it a try.
Unlike the jalapeño hot sauce, it entered the conversation confidently and boldly.
The heat prepared the tongue first, followed by a deeper flavor of garlic, red chili, pepper, and something that allowed it to stay long after the heat was gone.
Having it, I realized how subtle the goal is not always.
“It’s the real spice, one that your mother always stops me from, but this hot sauce, I am going to keep it. You can order yours if you want.”
That had him shocked, but I said what I wanted.
“Okay, but how about sharing some genuine reviews so I can post and let other people know what they are missing out on?”
He opened his camera right away while I fumbled to find the correct words.
“Truth be told,” I said, “I came into this expecting a box of snake oil and city talk. But what you’ve got here, these Homa Food products, is unique and delicious. Finally, a brand that offers value for money and food.”
He waited.
“It respects flavor,” I continued. “Doesn’t try to bully you with it, but doesn’t hide it either. Gives you choices. The green is for when you want peace. The red for when you want excitement. And enough in between to keep a man from getting bored.”
I smiled.
“And I reckon,” I added, “that if a thing can make a simple meal feel like it was prepared with care, then it’s worth having around.”
“So, do you recommend this, Grandpa?” He asked like an interviewer, while I just couldn’t help but think about how fast he gets into acting. Maybe I should send him to acting school.”
“Now, to be honest, I don’t often make recommendations. They tend to lead to expectations, and expectations are troublesome things. But I will say this: If you ever find yourself staring at a dull plate of food, wondering where your enthusiasm has gone, you might do worse than to invite a little boldness into the matter.”
He turned the camera to himself and added, “If you are interested, do check Homa Food’s best-sellers like pure saffron spray, Kashk, dried yogurt, green chutney, and much more. You will not be disappointed.” He turned off the camera, gave me a high-five, and then went out.
I enjoyed my meal and went back to reading, grateful to have some people who treat food like food and keep trying to make it better and tastier.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are jalapeños good for hot sauce?
They are a favorite pepper for hot sauce recipes, salsas, and pickles because they provide a balanced heat level that improves rather than overpowers cuisine.
Is hot sauce and red chili hot sauce the same thing?
Although they are frequently confused, red chili sauce and hot sauce are not always the same. The term “hot sauce” refers to a vast array of sauces prepared from various pepper species. Conventional hot sauces, such as Louisiana hot sauce, red hot sauce, green hot sauce, and spicy chipotle sauce, have a thin, liquid texture. On the other hand, the texture of Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha is richer and thicker. The red chili sauce’s meaty chili pepper chunks are what make it different.
What does red hot sauce taste like?
Depending on the type of chili, it might be savory (cayenne), fruity, or earthy. It is usually vinegar-forward and quite hot.
What does jalapeño sauce taste like?
It is frequently characterized as bright or savory due to its crisp, vegetal, and acidic flavor.
What is the common ingredient of hot sauce?
A type of chili pepper is the single common ingredient. Chili peppers serve as the foundation for many hot sauces, which can be as easy as adding vinegar and salt. In other sauces, a base of fruits or vegetables is combined with chili peppers to add heat.