Hot Stuff!

I am not sure how many of you are from the South or not, but if you are I am fairly sure you will recognize what is in the picture.  For the rest of you let me explain. This is a jar of what we call pepper sauce, not to be confused with the red stuff that we call hot sauce. This is one of those condiments you will see on the table at every "meat and 3" joints in town.  For those of you unacquainted with the term "meat and 3" it refers to restaurants or diners that serve an entree plus 3 side vegetables. (For the uninitiated, mac and cheese, rice, and cooked apples are all "vegetables". For reference I am copying and pasting the veggie menu from Mary Mac's in Atlanta.  It is one of the South's best known "meat and 3's".)

Side Items

Extra vegetable or side $3.50 each

* Indicates one of our Vegetarian Friendly Items.

• Apple Sauce*
• Baked Potato*
• Black-eyed Peas
• Broccoli Soufflé*
• Brunswick Stew
• Butter Peas
• Carrot-Raisin Salad*
• Cheese Grits*
• Cheese & Vegetable Soufflé*
• Cream Corn*
• French Fries*
• Fresh Fruit*
• Fried Green Tomatoes*
• Fried Okra*
• Cole Slaw*
• Dumplings
• Collard Greens with cracklin’ cornbread
• Cornbread Dressing & Gravy

• Green Beans
• Hoppin’ John
• Macaroni and Cheese*
• Okra & Tomatoes*
• Pickled Beets*
• Potato Cakes*
• Potato Salad*
• Pot Likker
• Rice and Gravy
• Spiced Apples*
• Squash Soufflé*
• Vegetable Soup*
• Whipped Potatoes*
• Steamed Cabbage*
• Steamed Carrots*
• Sweet Potato Soufflé*
• Tomato Pie*
• Turnip Greens
• Vegetable Medley*

On this menu you will notice, black eyed peas, collard greens, turnip greens and pot likker.  All of these are rather bland or bitter cooked as is, but add a healthy dash of pepper sauce and you are in food nirvana.

You can purchase pepper sauce at any grocery store here, (The most popular brand is Texas Pete green pepper sauce)  but why buy a small bottle for nearly 2 bucks when you can make a quart for a dollar.

Wash a quart mason jar, (sterilize it if you want to be safe, unlike me who is willing to live on the edge) Pack with as many washed hot peppers* as possible in a quart mason jar.  Bring 2 1/2 cups of cider vinegar to a boil in a small pan.  Pour over the hot peppers, put a lid on the jar and let it cool for a bit.  Then put it in the refrigerator.  After sitting for a few days this is ready to enjoy liberally on your favorite veggies.

By summer's end I will have about 12 quarts of this made which I will can using the water bath method for longer storage.  When I return home from Oregon vegetables will be at their peak and I will get started processing! Can't wait?

* You can use whatever your hot pepper of choice is, but remember the hotter the pepper the hotter the pepper sauce! Caution, my friends!