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I used to love this hot sauce made in Costa Rica called Tipica. It had a hint of pineapple and was great on pork. I don't think they make it anymore. If anyone knows of a similar sauce please let me know. I guess you could say it tasted like Tabasco steak sauce with pineapple.

Mrs. Fury wrote:I used to love this hot sauce made in Costa Rica called Tipica. It had a hint of pineapple and was great on pork. I don't think they make it anymore. If anyone knows of a similar sauce please let me know. I guess you could say it tasted like Tabasco steak sauce with pineapple.

Mrs. F, I remember looking around for that hot sauce for you.
If you email me, I will ask my cousins in CR if that is still avail over there.
Or did I already do that? Didn't it have a toucan on the label or a parrot?

Sambal Oelek. A paste of ground chilis found in Asian markets. A little goes a very long way. I even put it on hotdogs.

Isabella Maja wrote:Mrs. F, I remember looking around for that hot sauce for you.
If you email me, I will ask my cousins in CR if that is still avail over there.
Or did I already do that? Didn't it have a toucan on the label or a parrot?

Yep you got it! Click the link & scroll down a few.

http://books.google.com/books?id=yfP0um ... &ct=result

Thanks Isa.

Mrs. Fury, dawlin', the local distributor for Tipica sauce was Quetzal Foods on Iberville Street. That was AK (Ante-Katrina). They may have relocated since then.

Mrs. Fury wrote:Yep you got it! Click the link & scroll down a few.

http://books.google.com/books?id=yfP0um ... &ct=result

Thanks Isa.

Ok, dawlin! I'll check in to it. That book reference will help very much!

And you're welcome!

There are many shops in the French Quarter that have many different types of hot sauces. Check out Belle Louisiana and Aunt Sally's Praline Shop both located in the French Market.

Interesting how few locals rate Tabasco as their favorite.

Chris Kimball of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated did a taste test of hot sauces not too long ago. They didn't think much of Tabasco, either. Their top choice was Frank's Red Hot. It's not easy to locate, but I found it at some local store, and I like it quite a bit. Hot, but not too hot, with a good vinegar bite.

I like Frank's b/c of its different pepper flavor from most other hot sauces. They use cayenne peppers. A must for chicken wings. I have some in the pantry that came from Zuppardo's on Vets, and a couple big bottles that I think came from Super Walmart.

Blue Cross Sux wrote:Interesting how few locals rate Tabasco as their favorite.

BCS,
I don't think it's that locals don't like it, I think it's more of the fact that it's too easy to obtain and we've gotten used to it since we've had it all of our lives.
Personally, I like Tabasco for cooking because it's easily controllable heat, and various other sauces depending on what I'm eating. I really like Crystal sauces and use the standard and garlic infused versions for red beans, although I haven't seen the garlic version for a while.