Could Sriracha see an untimely demise?

[Fire Me Boy!]

I'm a big fan of sriracha, so this would make me sad...

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smar...ut-down-panic/

In Irwindale, California, nose-y neighbors, sick of the supposedly strong chili smell emanating from the factory where Sriracha hot sauce is made, want the Huy Fong Foods factory shut down unless the odor can be abated. The city has filed a public nuisance lawsuit, says the Associated Press, “seeking temporary closure of the factory until Huy Fong submits a plan to minimize the smell.” CBS:

“The odors are so strong and offensive as to have caused residents to move outdoor activities indoors and even to vacate their residences temporarily to seek relief from the odors,” according to the suit.

Living next to a food processing plant is always a scented existence, and Huy Fong Foods has denied there’s a problem. But if the injunction goes through, it could spell bad news for hot sauce lovers everywhere.

The factory in Irwindale where Sriracha is now made opened just last year. At 650,000 square feet, says Quartz, the company can pump out up to 7,500 bottles of hot sauce each hour. Huy Fong Foods was started 33 years ago by Vietnamese refugee David Tran, and the company, says Quartz, has never raised its wholesale prices. If the Sriracha factory is shuttered, supply and demand may do what Tran never did. Canada might have a strategic maple syrup reserve, but if Sriracha goes out of production, there’s no emergency warehouse waiting to be tapped.

If the price of Sriracha skyrockets, where will the heat-seeking foodie turn? For the New Yorker, Lauren Collins details how chili sauces have grown into a massive industry.

Chilis have become an attractive business. According to a report by IBISWorld, a market-research firm, hot-sauce production is one of America’s ten fastest-growing industries, along with solar-panel manufacturing and online eyeglass sales.

Unfortunately, it seems, based on Collins’ account, the so-called “chiliheads” driving the hot sauce boom have been in a bid to best each other on one metric alone, Scoville units, a measure of hotness. With manufacturers racing to abandon taste for sheer burn, we can only hope the city of Irwindale and Huy Fong Foods can work out their differences before our bottle is empty.

[The Franchise]

Better than Tapatio?

[hometeam]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Better than Tapatio?

Tapatio is nothing.

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Same here.

Is it good on other $3it as well?

Say, burgers or tacos or whatever?...

Yes, I put that shit on everything

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by hometeam

Its good on everything.

I put it in my chili, my eggs, on burgers, on turkey melts, in my queso dip.

I mean, its hot enough, but its kind of sweet and.. its just good.

this

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Same here.

Is it good on other $3it as well?

Say, burgers or tacos or whatever?...

It has a distinct flavor. It's not just heat.

Personally, I love it on some things but prefer other hot sauce on other things.

[Fire Me Boy!]

It's makes a good ketchup, too.

1 cup your favorite ketchup
1-2 tablespoons sriracha

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by jspchief

It has a distinct flavor. It's not just heat.

Personally, I love it on some things but prefer other hot sauce on other things.

This. It's not just hot, it's got real flavor.

[Frosty]

I like the flavor of it but I suddenly can't tolerate the heat. It's the weirdest thing. Anything spicy is too hot for me now when I used to not have any problem. I had some of the Lays Sriracha chips recently and they were too hot. I had them before and had no problems. I hope it switches back soon.

[ChiefGator]

It's okay.. it's sort of become a real craze, and the flavor is only good on some things. I started shying away from Tabasco since it had a real strong, overpowering flavor, and to get my food hot enough with Sriracha, that's almost all I taste.

If I'm going to go with a mild sauce, I'ld rather a different flavor. Something like Datil peppers or something.

Never bought a bottle, never will.

It's the reason when I am out at restaurants I now ask for Louisiana or Mexican hot sauce.

[unlurking]

Mac 'n Cheese topped with pulled pork and Sriracha is awesome! I'm a lazy bastage and use it to spice up cheap store bought BBQ sauces.

[ChiefGator]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

It's makes a good ketchup, too.

1 cup your favorite ketchup
1-2 tablespoons sriracha

I do like this.

[sedated]

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Better than Tapatio?

Yuck. Try Valentina. It's kind of like Tabasco:

[|Zach|]

I can't get into any kind of hot sauce at all personally but it is pretty amazing how much it has exploded...those bottles are everywhere.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I use it in my stir fry rice. Just a tad to give a little heat.