A fast-casual, contemporary Vietnamese restaurant in Montrose that my occasional, but always charming, dining companion likes has bottles of seemingly fancier and pricier brand of the sriracha hot sauce on its tables. Not quite as fancy nor nearly as attractively packaged, at times with take-out from Vietnamese or Chinese restaurants, little packets of sriracha are to be found in the bag amidst the utensils and napkins. I’ve found all these versions much less interesting and complex, much less enjoyable than what comes in the ubiquitous, rooster-emblazoned bottles of Huy Fong sriracha that I use almost daily.
Made with piquant red chile peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt and sugar, at least, it is “not heavily fermented, it’s not acidic,” which is how top local chef Bryan Caswell was quoted about it a while ago in a very informative piece by John T. Edge in the New York Times and why he used it so readily at Reef. The Huy Fong is sufficiently spicy, and I’d add that it is also balanced and has a depth of flavor that the other versions don’t have. It livens up my frozen foods, adds spice to soups, and it the best accompaniment to scrambled eggs, better than freshly shaved truffles – though the latter can be incredible, too. Some of my disappointment with the rooster-less version is certainly due to my long familiarity with the Huy Fong brand and expectation for a certain flavor profile, but it’s also that Huy Fong is just so tasty compared to other similar condiments for my palate. And most palates, it seems.
There is now a shortage of Huy Fong sriracha due to a drought in Mexico, where Huy Fong’s peppers are grown. The shelves at my local Kroger have been bare of it for a while now. This could be tough for me if this predicament continues. Thankfully, I purchased a big bottle last time. We are not alone.
Climate change has also caused something similarly distressing: a Dijon mustard shortage in France. I use that, but more sparingly, though.
Where Huy Fong sriracha needs to be at Kroger recently.
Made with piquant red chile peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt and sugar, at least, it is “not heavily fermented, it’s not acidic,” which is how top local chef Bryan Caswell was quoted about it a while ago in a very informative piece by John T. Edge in the New York Times and why he used it so readily at Reef. The Huy Fong is sufficiently spicy, and I’d add that it is also balanced and has a depth of flavor that the other versions don’t have. It livens up my frozen foods, adds spice to soups, and it the best accompaniment to scrambled eggs, better than freshly shaved truffles – though the latter can be incredible, too. Some of my disappointment with the rooster-less version is certainly due to my long familiarity with the Huy Fong brand and expectation for a certain flavor profile, but it’s also that Huy Fong is just so tasty compared to other similar condiments for my palate. And most palates, it seems.
There is now a shortage of Huy Fong sriracha due to a drought in Mexico, where Huy Fong’s peppers are grown. The shelves at my local Kroger have been bare of it for a while now. This could be tough for me if this predicament continues. Thankfully, I purchased a big bottle last time. We are not alone.
Climate change has also caused something similarly distressing: a Dijon mustard shortage in France. I use that, but more sparingly, though.
Where Huy Fong sriracha needs to be at Kroger recently.
