Ken Alexander

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Hot Sauce…Fa La La La La La La La La!

By Ken Alexander, It’s a Fiery World

It’s that time of year where thoughts go to snowmen, Santa, Dreidels, Christmas Trees, Holiday Parties, and all things fa la la la la! So of course you’re gonna be asked to bring something to the party. What better time could there be to get creative with your favorite hot sauce? Since I’m not the creative chef type who makes amazing sauces and spicy fare, I find ways to use other people’s creations and always bring something spicy and fun to Christmas parties. So I thought it was appropriate and timely to share a couple of my favorite party time recipes!

A Collection By Any Other Name
By Ken Alexander, It’s a Fiery World

“I collect Hot Sauce!” I hear this all the time and see evidence of different versions and illustrations of hot sauce collections on Facebook, Pinterest, etc. To personalize the observation, I love to tell people that my hobby…no…my passion, is collecting and blogging about hot sauce, spicy food, and the community surrounding the Chilehead industry. So what is a collection, really?

To some, a collection isn’t a collection unless they have shelves full of wax-covered bottles, signed and unopened. They proudly display their spicy treasures in display cases, shelves, etc. and wouldn’t dare dream of opening any one of them for fear of devaluing their worth. They look up to and envy the likes of my good friend and buddy, Vic Clinco, who boasts the largest privately owned collection of hot sauce in the world, pushing towards 8,000 individual, discrete products. What a testimony to spicy and cool! A collection so large, so unique, so over-the-top that it’s been featured on national television and is world renowned. If you haven’t seen pictures, just search Google Images for it and see what pops up.

by Ken Alexander

What Makes a Chilehead?

When Buddah asked me to be a contributing columnist for his new vision, “Chilehead Monthly”, I almost said no since I already struggle to make time to write for my own blog. But Buddah gave me my start in the community, and has become a close, honored friend, so how could I say no? So, in true Buddah whip cracking fashion, I got my first copy deadline (tonight! LOL) and he asked me what my theme would be each month. “Theme? I need a theme?” I asked. So I told him that my theme would be original, op ed type random musings from my Chilehead brain. And he was good with that (thanks, Buddah), but he told me that I should include an intro of sorts, so this month will be just that….my intro. The “About” section on my blog, It’s a Fiery World (www.fieryworld.com) does a good job of providing a brief bio, so I’ll give that to Buddah to use as he sees fit. But the real intro is my reflection on what makes a true Chilehead.
Of course, to the casual observer, the obvious answer is plain as day. A Chilehead is someone who loves hot and spicy cuisine, hot sauce, hot peppers, and fiery flavors of all kinds. But that’s just the surface. I’ve discovered that a Chilehead is much, much more. Not only are they someone with a strong tolerance for pain and an asbestos stomach. And they are not just a thrill seeker who wants the endorphin rush that follows the spicy flame that makes their nostrils flare, their blood pressure rise, and their pores open into rivers of delightful sweat. Don’t misunderstand…they are indeed all those things, but that’s still not what defines them as a true Chilehead.