Maine Couple Spice it Up with Hottest Sauces in the State
Are you ready to burn your face off? An Aroostook County couple is hoping so, as they have created the hottest chili pepper sauces in Maine.
According to the Bangor Daily News, Jennifer and Jason Grass, own The Hill Gardens, a hot sauce company in Fort Fairfield. The company was founded in the spring of 2021, and already have found success in and outside of the state.
The Bangor Daily News reported that 16 sauces are already licensed by the FDA. However, the goal is for a total 36 to have a license. That is simply an enormous number of sauces. For reference, the very popular Tabasco brand has a total of nine.
The Hill Gardens also boasts the three hottest sauces in the state. According to the Bangor Daily News, the sauces named Phoenix Fire, The Grim and Stupid Hot Buzzard's Breath all measure over 2 million units on the Scoville Scale. The Scoville Scale measures the level of capsaicin, which is the chemical compound that creates the heat sensation in the mouth. For example, a jalapeno is 2,500 to 8000 units. These sauces are legit over 2 million.
According to the Bangor Daily News, these sauces utilize incredibly spicy ingredients, including the notorious scorpion chili pepper. The scorpion pepper is one of the hottest on record, ranging from 1.2 to 2 million Scoville units.
The Hill Gardens joins an already well-established list of Maine hot sauce companies. And, as the Bangor Daily News points out, utilizing local ingredients with no added sweeteners and chemicals is a big bonus for folks hoping to live a natural lifestyle.
I honestly can't wait to try these hot bad boys. While I don't have the best tolerance for heat, it never deters me. I love a good hot sauce that puts you in your place, but also still satisfies the taste buds. All of the hot sauce descriptions sound incredible, and extra points for the creativity and use of local products.
Ready to test your hot sauce tolerance? You can order from Hill Gardens here.