Sweet Spicy Girl Medium Hot Sauce from Davez Foodz

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Sweet Spicy Girl from Davez Foodz

The first sauce out of the kitchens of Davez Foodz is Sweet Spicy Girl. All natural and handmade in small batches, Sweet Spicy Girl features fresh picked peppers. Owner David Ridderbusch has crafted a beautiful bright red sauce that has a nice balance of sweet with heat. Not too sweet, the light burn is pleasant and mild. Sweet Spicy Girl is aptly named.

Marilyn joins me on this review with her thoughts and comments. But first…

I spoke with Dave by phone because the first thing I wanted to know was which peppers he was using in this sauce. I think it’s important for sauce makers to list the peppers. Simply saying “red chili peppers” is not enough information. Dave told me he is using red cherry peppers and red serranos in Sweet Spicy Girl. He promised to list these on the next version of his label – speaking of which, he also told me he has a graphic designer working on the new label, so expect the bottle to look quite different soon.

Ingredients: red chili peppers, water, vinegar, onion, garlic, brown sugar, salt, lime juice, spices

Texture & Appearance:

Bright red color

Brian: Bright red in color, this sauce is slightly chunky, with small bits and pieces and is fairly thick with a nice cling factor. It’s appearance says “Eat Me!”. With a nice mouth feel, it has a very satisfying texture.

Marilyn: This is definitely one of the thicker hot sauces I’ve seen lately. It pours slowly and holds its shape on the spoon. There’s no separation of liquid from the dollop of sauce.

Another view of the sauce

Taste Straight Up:

Brian: I can smell the freshness of the peppers, along with garlic – the vinegar smell takes a back seat to the other scents. The initial taste, to me, is of pickled peppers only in a thicker sauce. I get the sweet taste right off, with just a little burn in the mouth and down the throat. Obviously the serranos are doing their job. And kudos to Davez Foodz for using one of my favorite chiles, the red serrano, in this sauce.

Marilyn: When I saw the bright red bits of pepper, I was expecting a huge, almost bitter hit of heat. Thankfully the fresh peppers, tempered with just the right amount of garlic and vinegar, gave just enough heat to satisfy my palate. The sweetness of the sauce was very much like that of the Datil pepper (and I love me the Datil!).

Heat Level:

Brian: The label says “Medium Hot Sauce” but I would put this at a mild heat level. It really is not at the “medium” level by any scale.

Marilyn: I would give this a low to medium heat level, a 2 out of 5 stars. This is a pleasantly warm sauce, with just enough heat to let you know it’s there, and enough to brighten most foods that you would even consider putting a hot sauce on.

Label/Graphics:

Simple label… for now.

Brian: A very simple label and graphic adorn the Sweet Spicy Girl bottle. The graphic itself resembles a chile pepper with sexy legs. It’s odd and understated. I have my suggestions for Davez Foodz as to the label, but I will discuss these with them privately. After all, your color-blind host is not a designer by any means. But I know what I like!
As I mentioned above, Dave is working on a new label as you read this. I can’t wait to see what it will look like.

Marilyn: I love the dancing pepper girl, and the color contrast of the red pepper against the white background really stands out. I have to admit that the additional pepper on the right side of the graphic, seemingly intruding on “her” personal space, was a little disturbing. Dude, get your own label, OK? Sheesh!

Overall Rating (Taste on Food, Final Thoughts):

Delicious on pizza

Brian: Nevertheless, the sauce inside is what matters, and this is one sweet, simple, flavorful and slightly spicy sauce. Think of a thick, pourable version of “hoagie spread” or pickled red peppers – you know, the Philly sub style wet red hot peppers. For the timid out there, it’s just right. For the hard-core chileheads, well, maybe you might like this change of pace and pour this delicious sauce over tacos, nachos, and pizza slices.

Marilyn: I think this sauce goes way beyond any hoagie spread. It does not have the harsh vinegar edge, it has a much fresher flavor than anything made with dried crushed peppers, and I can taste that there are way more uses of this sauce than on a hoagie or sub. I had this on a ham and cheese omelette yesterday morning, and can tell you that this was a perfect acccompaniment. Mac and Cheese? I’m in. Slathered on a cheese quesadilla? Oh yeah. My only problem is with the bits of pepper skin, which tend to cling to the roof of your mouth. But hey, that’s the nature of fresh peppers. Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars, and a permanent place in our fridge door.

Heat Level: