Haico Krijgsman loves hot sauce. He loves hot sauce so much he started making his own after moving to Canada and finding the hot sauces here lacking. This led to the creation of Haico's Hot Sauce, a small batch crafter that has gained a positive reputation both locally and internationally. After discovering that he is taking part in an eating contest for charity, I had to learn more about this chili head and fellow chicken wing connoisseur. Here's what he had to say:
FRANKLIN on FOOD: Is there such a thing as "too hot" for you?
HAICO KRIJGSMAN: I am not sure if there is anything too hot. For me all hot sauces I make myself are about flavour and heat. I may find things not appetizing since they do not have the flavour I am looking for in spicy condiments. Of course, I have been "burned" by things that are much hotter than they first appear. As long as the food is spicy and flavorful I am quite happy.
FoF: How did you get involved in a chicken wing speed-eating contest?
HK: I have always been able to eat big amounts of food and even though I am no competitive speed eater, I decided to join and raise money for charity whilst having some fun eating way too many spicy wings. The charity's donation will be determined. I am part of a group called Sons of Fire - Canadian Chapter and we donate to charities on a regular basis.
FoF: Who are the Sons of Fire?
HK: Sons of Fire is a global chili club that does spicy chili challenges to raise money for charities and those in need. Our Canadian Chapter was formed last year in June and since then we have donated over $3500 to several charities and people in need.
FoF: And the Ring of Fire?
HK: The Ring of Fire is what you usually suffer from the day after a competition of eating too spicy food... No seriously, the Ring of Fire is the name of all the challenges that will take place during the Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo in London (Ontario) on May 28 and 29.
FoF: Are you doing any special training for the eating contest?
HK: I am currently eating a lot of spicy food (which is not that abnormal from what I usually do) but I have been eating more and more spicy wings in bigger volumes.
FoF: What makes a good hot sauce?
HK: As I mentioned before, for any great spicy food and/or condiment in my book, it needs to have heat and flavour. Not just one or the other. When I started Haico's Hot Sauce 8 years ago, that was the goal I had. We are in a lucky position in Canada where we have a ton of great hot sauce makers that will all be highlighted at the Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo and at Heating Up The Capital in Mountain (close to Ottawa) on August 27, 2022
FoF: How long does it take to make a bottle of Haico's Hot Sauce?
HK: This is a good question since the longer a hot sauce is being made by us, the shorter it takes. In order to make a hot sauce, you have to develop a recipe initially, so that requires some experimenting. Once the recipe has been approved and accepted, production goes a lot quicker. We can make a batch of around 100 bottles in an hour and a half.
FoF: Do you grow all the peppers for your hot sauces yourself, or do you rely on local farmers for your produce?
HK: Between 85 and 95% of the peppers I use are grown by us. We actually use a lot of uncommon peppers that we use in our sauces like Madame Jeanette, Rimmerhus Fumstrain, and also a lot of super-hot peppers which are hard to source. This is the reason why I started growing peppers in the first place. That and because growing the ingredients and being able to present a product from farm to table is very rewarding. That being said since we are in Ottawa I do have contingency plans in place if our crop does not work out. I know several other growers, local and in more southern parts of Ontario, that can provide me with peppers in my time of need.
FoF: Other than yourself, who makes a hot sauce people should try?
HK: There are so many amazing Canadian Hot Sauces that are worth a try. You can find a good collection at www.TOCHSS.ca (The Online Canadian Hot Sauce Store closed as of 2023-02-04), which is a website that solely focuses on Canadian hot sauces. It provides a one-stop-shop for people interested in Canadian hot sauces. You are able to save on shipping and get a huge selection of Canadian hot sauces.
FoF: Haico's Honey Mustard (Not Just) BBQ sauce won 3rd place at the 2019 Hot Sauce Awards - will you be adding to your trophies with an entry at the 2nd Annual Hot Sauce Expo?
HK: Haico's Hot Sauce will not be entering the YOW awards for the Heating Up The Capital hot sauce expo since we are closely associated with the event. We do not want there to be the potential perception of any bias when the YOW awards are being judged and handed out. We do indeed to enter other competitions every now and then, but with the past two years having been what they have been, we did not enter a lot of competitions. Haico's Hot Sauce did enter two categories at the Eternal Flame Awards in London this year, so we keep our fingers crossed!
FoF: What role did you play in creating the Heating Up The Capital hot sauce expo?
HK: It was a joint decision in 2019 by both Angela, (my wife and partner in the business) and me that it was way overdue to have a hot sauce expo in Ottawa. Being on Farmers' markets and fairs we noticed there are a lot of pepper heads and hot sauce lovers living right here on our front doorstep, but no one had ever organized a hot sauce expo here. Since we know a lot of people and makers in the Hot Sauce community we decided to take on the responsibility. The original date of the expo was planned for May of 2020. We all know what happened. The world shut down and we had to revise our plans. After two more postponements due to the pandemic and a change of location, we held Heating Up The Capital, Ottawa's First Hot Sauce Expo last Sept 4, 2021, at Smokie Ridge Vineyard in Mountain. Even though I am part of the organization, my wife does most of the behind-the-scenes work. She is as I often say the Brain and the Beauty behind it. I am just the Brawn and the Face.
FoF: Seeing how you're a member of BBQ Ottawa, what's your go-to meat when you fire up your grill, and what sauce you are using?
HK: I actually enjoy BBQ-ing and smoking meat a lot. I make my own bacon in the smoker, love good chicken Sateh (marinated and served with peanut sauce), A good rib steak (Canadian Smokesman dry rubs are the best), or a nice fatty pork chop (BBQ sauces from all over, lately I have been dabbling in JR and the Kid who has amazing sauces). So to answer your question, there is not one sauce in particular I lean towards. I like variety in my cooking and sauces.
FoF: Where can people buy your hot sauces?
HK: We are available through www.HaicosHotSauce.com. When you order three bottles or more, you get free shipping in Ottawa (shipping will be refunded due to the system not recognizing Ottawa as a region). For any order anywhere else in Canada free shipping comes with orders over $17.50. We are also available through www.TOCHSS.ca and we sell a lot directly to the public during Farmers' Markets and fairs You can see on our website where we will be each week and there is also a list of retail locations where we are available. One of the latest additions to the retail locations is the Ottawa Artisans at St Laurent, Bayshore, Tanger Outlets, and Place d'Orleans
FoF: What do you say to people who say they can't handle the heat?
HK: When people tell me that at markets I explain that our sauces are available from Mild to Wild and that there is something for everyone. Angela did not like hot sauce when she met me, but over time I have been able to convince her that there definitely is a place in cooking for Hot Sauce. She has started using some of the sauces in recipes she makes. It is all about the dosage as well. If you use it properly and sparingly, it will open your palate and you will experience more flavour of all the food. I do have a "gateway hot sauce as well. My Canadian Jerk is really focused on flavour and it only has a little zing in the back. The last thing I tell people about my sauces is: Start with a drop! You can always add, it is much harder to remove it afterward!
UPDATE: (1) Haico's Hot Sauce's Devils Brew won Best Sauce, Extreme Category at the Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo. (2) Haico was "...three wings away" from winning the chicken wing speed-eating eating competition.
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