Focus on Chilli Crisps

 

We tried a LOT of chilli snacks whilst setting up the Devil’s Garden (what we wouldn’t do for the chilli cause!) and setting up a list of quality spicy snacks reflecting what is currently available in the UK market while bearing in mind people’s tastes and chilli pain threshold.
In performing this intense search we discovered great products such as LapSnack Chilli Puffs, Dave’s Insanity Popcorn, Hot Headz Satan’s Nuts, but then found the ultimate chilli snack that soon became part of our bestsellers.

And what can this top spicy treat be other than Blair’s Death Range of chilli crisps? We have introduced these crisps to chilli beginners as well as hardcore chilli fans and absolutely everybody loved them! Although named “Death Rain”, the range is rather medium to hot but still packs a real punch! The great thing about Blair’s crisps is that whatever you feel like at the time you can be sure to find a flavour that suits you.
For an everyday treat our tastebuds usually lead us to Blair’s Cheddar crisps. Instead of that chemical processed cheese that leaves an oily film around your gums and teeth you get real flavour that lingers long after you have eaten it but in a subtle and enjoyable way. Blair’s chilli crisps are also much appreciated for their crunchiness. It might seem obvious but this is a feature we often find disappointing in mainstream crisps. Blair’s version look and feel like proper potato slices toasted in the oven.
We were utterly crushed to hear that Blair’s discontinued their Habanero crisps which were definitely worth storing by the crate! Fret not though as Blair’s Buffalo Wings crisps are a very good alternative. Just hot enough and with a wonderful chicken flavour, these crisps are for those that crave a substantial snack in the middle of the afternoon or after a hard day’s work.
Blair’s Death Rain Chipotle crisps are quite unique. People seem to have a love/hate relationship with these but even the most reluctant go back to find out what makes these crisps so wonderful. Is it the smoky flavour and underlying heat? Is it the fact that as you get to the bottom of the pack, things get more and more pungent and intriguing? We still haven’t made up our minds and don’t intend to as we feel it’s a losing battle they are that good!
Our bestseller’s  flavour of crisps by Blair’s by far is the Habanero. These are definitely not for the faint-hearted and many a customer found themselves in an impossible position of wanting to finish the bag as the habanero flavour is so wonderful but really struggling to handle the heat which makes the whole reputation of habaneros. We often have to sell these by bags of 5 or 6 as people can never get enough.
We cannot wait for Blair’s to develop its range of chilli crisps but you can be sure to have good basics already available at the Devil’s Garden with Cheddar, Buffalo Wings, and Habanero

Mad Dog Collector's Hot Sauces

Mad Dog Collector's Hot Sauces

If there is one thing that the Mad Dog brand has taught us it’s to definitely not mess around with it! Having started making hot sauces in his own kitchen, David Ashley, the man behind the brand, has now made a very honourable name for himself in the chilli world as well as the general public. With infamous chilli sauces such as Liquid Fire, Ghost Pepper or Green Amigo, Mad Dog hot sauces are not for chilli beginners unless you have a good resistance to chillies... and/or have a death wish!

Mad Dog is particularly known for its range of collectors’ sauces, the most famous one being Mad Dog 357 Collectors Hot Sauce. Made with a mere 6 million Scoville Unit of chilli extract, this is a heat you have to experience to believe. It is so potent that Mad Dog provided a miniature sampling spoon that looks more fit for Lilliputians to use rather than actual humans! Despite its heat though you can definitely taste the fresh habanero chilli peppers that have been used as a base to this great chilli sauce.

Mad Dog 357 Silver Edition Hot Sauce is slightly different in the sense that cayenne chilli peppers have been introduced along with habaneros to form a tantalising mix that will leave you panting if you are still alive of course after being hit by Mad Dog’s 6 million SHU chilli extract! This is a whole new league of chilli heat and one that should never be underestimated! Again this bottle of hot sauce comes with the iconic bullet-shaped keyring containing the sampling spoon.

Although not technically Collectors’ hot sauces, Mad Dog’s Inferno Reserve Hot Sauce and Mad Dog’s Revenge are well worth mentioning as these are some of the bestsellers at the Devil’s Garden and with good reason.

Mad Dog’s Inferno Reserve Hot Sauce is as subtle as a machine gun and will hit you full on... with pleasure as much as with pain thanks to the mix of habanero chilli extract and Jalapeno chilli pepper whilst Mad Dog’s Revenge is just plain silly when it comes to heat as it is made with 1 million SHU chilli extract, enough to make your kitchen counter smoke if you spill a drop on it! (let it be clear that we are not advising you to try that out by the way!).

 

If you want a tamer Mad Dog go for the Mad Dog Green Amigo ad be transported south of the border.

Mad Dog is and will remain one of the top players in the chilli world for a long time to come thanks to a wide range of fantastic hot sauces that in our point of view should all be made collectors’ items.

Chilli Jellies

Chilli Queen - Chilli Jellies

Chilli Queen is one of these brands that might not be at the foreground of the chilli world but you can definitely see at a glance why they are still around after nearly 30 years of trading. Not only have they got a wide range of die-hard fans but they also have one simple quality: it is a brand which believes in its products and knows better than to follow the whims of fashion.
We first met the man and woman team behind the brand at West Dean chilli festival back in 2010 and were impressed by their success but soon understood why so many people were keen to gorge on their samples. The first thing we tried was Chilli Queen's Sundried Tomato & Balsamic Vinegar Chilli Jelly which to this day is still on top of our shopping list apart maybe from the Brown Sauce that is just out of this world and is probably our favourite chilli brown sauce ever thanks to the amazing flavour and zing brought on my the use of Scotch Bonnets chilli peppers.
Chilli Queen is known for creating chilli jellies rather than hot sauces and don't we like them for it. Yes of course we are hot sauce fiends but it is nice sometimes to divert from too often troded paths and go on a bit of a taste adventure. And that is what Chilli Queen is as a brand, an adventure. Take one of our bestsellers for example. The Coriander and Shallot Chilli Jelly is one of the items that we were really keen to try and boy were we in for a treat. We right away saw the potential of such a chilli condiment and now use it on a weekly basis in stir-fries, curries or as a marinade smeared on good quality chicken or turkey.
The Devil's Garden team is managed by a man who thinks that Trinidad Scorpion chilli peppers should be consumed over breakfast so we have to admit that Chilli Queen's Extra Hot Chilli Jelly gets used quite a lot although it is by no means the hottest of chilli jellies out there but just provides a nice kick that will fix any chilli craving you might have. This is a hotter take on Chilli Queen's Original Chilli Jelly that brought on their success and won Great Taste Award Silver Medal not so long ago. This is simply a chilli jelly you can use as an everyday condiment, to spice up your mayonnaise or enhance your cheese platter.
One of the jellies that is also very popular with our customers is the Ginger and Lime one. Just try and picture this golden goodness melting slowly in couscous or risotto or flavouring your stir-fry and you can even add it to stuffing to bring the best out of the meat! We know quite a few people that also like smearing it all over a chicken before roasting. The lime tends to make the skin really crispy while the ginger adds a whole other dimension to this great traditional dish.
And talking about traditional, why not try Chilli Queen's Cranberry Chilli Jelly? We brought it to our respective families last Christmas and not a morcel was left in the jars after they had had their ways with them! The mild chilli kick and cranberry sweetness are like no other and you really find yourself getting spoon after spoon of the stuff out of the jar without realising it!
The last but certainly not least of Chilli Queen's jellies is the notorious Mint one. I mean, come on, where would we be without a bit of mint condiment from time to time? How would we cope having slow cooked lamb if we couldn't add a touch of chilli minty wonder right at the very end? We have even added Chilli Queen's Mint Jelly in gravy so that you get all of the greatness in just one lift of the arm!
May we add as a bottom note that all of Chilli Queen's jellies are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs, a fact that has been appreciated by many of our customers who have been struggling to find anything chilli related that suits their dietary requirements.
All in all we love this brand for the sheer fact that it is and will remain a constant in our lives, a brand that will carry on giving a good name to the chilli world and bring a lot of pleasure to the general public.