The Get Saucy Logo
hand holding chile peppers fades in

The Central Coast Story

Over the past few years the global interest in tongue melting spice has been on the rise. In 2017 the hot sauce market was rapidly expanding, with projected annual revenues of over a billion dollars. In 2019, the global demand for fiery sauces has continued to skyrocket, and the variety of sauces available has become almost overwhelming. As the trend grows globally, new sauces appear on the market with inspirations from all over the globe, inciting cultural fusions never before seen in modern cuisine. These sauces vary wildly in flavor and heat, and are giving the world a glimpse into the characteristics of cultural cuisines from around the world. With the hot sauce trend showing no signs of letting up, it is important for Chiliheads to keep up with their local hot sauce industry.

Here, heat seekers can discover what atomic condiments the central coast has to offer.

The Process

From Plant to Pantry

The sauce making process can often involve thousands of peppers at a time when done on an industrial scale. Although many people do not know how their hot sauces are made, the Chilihead trend has inspired some to try their hand at hot sauce making, with varying levels of success.

Bundles of fresh serano peppers piled at a booth during the Saturday morning Madonna Famers market. Madonna Farmers Market 10/12/19 Mixed tubs of fresh picked peppers are pre-packed by the Chavez Family Farms before every market. Madonna Farmers Market 10/12/19 Francisco Velasquez (not pictured) says that the Jalapeños from his farm are “still good, but getting close to the end of the season.” Jalapeños are usually harvested through the end of October. Madonna Famers Market 10/12/19 Dried arbor peppers and diced onions are the first ingredients in a homemade Louisiana style hot sauce. Jaz Lail’s home kitchen in San Luis Obispo 10/20/19 Adding citrus to hot sauce helps to cut the flavor of the base, in this case carrot juice, leaving the chiles at the forefront of the sauce’s flavor. Jaz Lail’s (pictured) home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 After blending, the hot sauce is boiled in order to burn off water and concentrate the flavor and spice of the sauce as much as possible. Jaz Lail’s (pictured) home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 Once the sauce has boiled and sat, it just needs to cool before being served. Jaz Lail’s home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 'I enjoy making hot sauce because it allows me a creative yet fun outlet. Nashville s tyle sauce is unique because its one of the few sauces that can really give you a kick in the ass but has a touch of sweetness. It is also one of the thicker hot sauces so it goes with meats and other proteins better,' Jaz Lail said. Jaz Lail, Business Finance Senior, at his home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 Jaz Lail ensures that he keeps the seeds of these Jalapeños intact while chopping them. Jaz Lail, Business Finance Senior, at his home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 Adding fresh peppers to a sauce can improve both the flavor and the heat of the sauce. Jaz Lail, Business Finance Senior, at his home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 A sauce with fresh peppers in addition to dry peppers requires more time on the stove in order to cook down. Jaz Lail, Business Finance Senior, at his home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 A bottle of fresh-made Nashville sauce cools alongside an equally fresh bottle of Louisiana style sauce. Jaz Lail’s home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 For some, having a variety of hot sauces on the table is part of what makes a meal enjoyable. Jaz Lail’s home kitchen in SLO 10/20/19 Bon Temps in San Luis Obispo is no stranger to the positive impact hot sauce can have on food. Bon Temps Creole Cafe in San Luis Obispo 10/21/19 Bon Temps has two different sauces of their very own, a green and a red sauce. Both are made in bulk in Arizona and labelled in store by Bon Temps. Bon Temps Creole Cafe in San Luis Obispo 10/21/19 Bon Temps also makes their own Vinegar and Chile Seco sauce in house, which is used primarily on their collared greens. Bon Temps Creole Cafe in San Luis Obispo 10/21/19 Sheila Zarate, a server at Bon Temps, said that they “go through the red [sauce] a lot.” The recipe for both in house sauces has been the same since Sheila started 11 years ago. Bon Temps Creole Cafe in San Luis Obispo 10/21/19 Like any good restaurant, Bon Temps offers their customers a choice. If the house sauces don’t do it for you, there are a variety of name brand sauces to turn too. Bon Temps Creole Cafe in San Luis Obispo 10/21/19

The Sauces

The Central Coast Sauces

Paul Smith owner of Monkey Spit Hot Sauce, John Hanson from Splash Cafe, and Phil Lang owner of Bon Temps (Left to right) describe their hot sauces:
Click to hear about the staples of central coast hot sauce (Double-click to pause audio)

Monkey spit sauce selection rolls over into photo of Paul Smith /> Raucous daucus sauces roll over into photo of John Hanson /> Bon Temps sauces roll over into photo of Phil Lang />

The Story

A Raucous Tale

Joanne Currie is one of the founders of Splash Cafe and the creator of Raucous Daucus carrot pepper sauce. Both the restaurant and the sauce have become classics of central coast cuisine. This is how the sauce came to be:

The Map

Find Your Sauce