It goes without saying that I’m a big fan of made-from-scratch, homemade goodness, but many times, I’m pinched for time. I’m always on the lookout for shortcuts that don’t sacrifice the pure-pepper flavor that I crave. When I stumbled upon The Chili Lab Chili Salts and Chile Butter, I knew that I had found a very good thing indeed.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, The Chili Lab sources all-natural ingredients from all over the globe to bring you standards like the habanero to lesser-known chiles like the Aleppo. Chili Salts, an anything-but-simple blend of sea salt and dried chiles, allow you to easily shake spice into virtually anything. For moderate heat, go for the Chipotle or Pri Pri, but turn to the Pequin for a serious dose of fire.
And perfect on bread, in sauces, as a dip and more, Chili Butters, a combo of roasted bell peppers, butter, chiles and spices, couldn’t be more handy. On the mild side, The Garden Blend is balanced with brown rice syrup and lemon and features the aleppo and pepperoncini, the medium, citrusy The Grove Blend has ahi amaryllis, and super-spicy, smoky The Forager’s Blend mixes green and wire wire.
Salts start at $12 and Butters at $12.75. Go to www.thechililab.com for more information.
