Tips for Handling

Info and User Tips for Handling Hot Sauces and Extremely Spicy Chilli Products

Not all of our products are super spicy! We have something for everyone – we don't want to scare anyone, and so far no one has died from hot sauce. We want everyone to be satisfied and enjoy spicy and delicious food. For this reason we have compiled a few tips. We've all seen it: the guy who claims he can handle all manner of spicy food - and condescendingly ignores all warnings – makes a run for the bathroom after the first bite, his face burning red. But even though it may serve for entertainment for some, we shouldn't underestimate the effects of chili. Eating hot sauce should be fun, and the food should taste good! So here are a few tips:

1. Taste and try

Some of our products are extremely spicy. Since everyone has their own concept of what constitutes spicy, previously unknown products should be approached with caution. Start by trying a small drop. Professionals test hot sauce with a toothpick. Products from the “extract area” and our hand-dried habaneros should not be consumed in pure form! They're intended for use with cooking, to achieve a high percentage hotness. Many mix extract sauces with their favourite barbecue sauce or ketchup to create a sauce which matches their own spice preferences. The same applies for cooking and mixing: test your way to appropriate hotness slowly, drop by drop. Cockiness can often lead to a delicious meal landing in the trash.

2. Responsible use of hot sauce

Spicy products should always be used and kept out of reach of children! The same applies to animals. Nobody wants their pet to suffer! Do not feed leftovers of a spicy meal to your pet. Animals are more sensitive to the spiciness than we are. You should also be sure to keep hot sauce away from the eyes, the skin and other sensitive body parts. Hot sauce can strongly irritate these. If this should happen, rinse only with cool, clear water. In serious cases, consult a doctor.
Playing a prank on a hot sauce novice is not only inconsiderate, but also grossly negligent. Nobody knows how well someone else can handle spicy food, or whether the person has allergies through which the spices would trigger a reaction. This especially applies to extremely hot products. These products should not be consumed in pure form!
If you buy hot sauce or other spicy products as a gift, it is your responsibility to inform the recipient of the hotness, appropriate use and risks. That's what this info sheet is for!

3. Estimating the degree of hotness

Not all manufacturers indicate the exact Scoville Units in their sauces. They frequently simply state the “felt” hotness, but this value is determined through different methods and does not conform to a norm. We generally use the manufacturer's specifications. If “practised” clients disagree with the given value and we reach the same conclusion after conducting our own tests, we will change it and the product description accordingly. All in all, everyone should be able to find a suitable sauce and avoid unpleasant surprises by following the advice in the first section.