MEET THE MAKER: Q&A WITH HEARTBEAT HOT SAUCE
Ever since they landed on the scene in 2015, Heartbeat Hot Sauce out of Thunder Bay, Ontario, has been taking names and winning hearts with their perfectly balanced and versatile hot sauces featuring fun flavors (pineapple! blueberries! beer! pickles!) and food-friendly heats.
Interview with Heartbeat Hot Sauce co-founder Nancy Shaw:
Have you always loved spicy food? What’s your earliest memory of eating something spicy?
My brother used to dip sour patch kids in Tabasco and trick me into eating them when I was little. It was a nightmare at the time but I believe it developed my palate at a rapid pace. Love ya, Dave.
How did Heartbeat get its start?
The local pepper farmer that supplied the restaurant Al and I worked at sold us the remainder of his crop at the end of the 2015 season. We spent the majority of that fall and winter learning to ferment as a means of preservation. We really fell in love with the red habanero and the sauce we made with them. Soon we realized we were into something more than a hobby!
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve put hot sauce on?
For a stint in the summer we were filling raspberries with hot sauce, like little sauce bombs. You start seeing food as a vessel. Bugles also work well for this purpose. At some point, you just start eating sauce off the back of your hand, which is when you know you really have a problem.
What should every hot sauce lover try at least once in their life?
Whichever peppers your favourite hot sauces are based on! It gives you a real respect and understanding of how much flavour comes in these tiny packages. Also, we can’t say enough about our Habanero sauce and peanut butter sandwiches, so please try that too.
TEAM HEAT EDITOR’S NOTE: Heartbeat Blueberry Habanero is also excellent on a PBJ!
Now you can get all their greatest hits in one pack:
Maker’s Collection | Heartbeat Hot Sauce 6-Pack | $66 for 6
Whether your heart beats for Heartbeat or you’re just looking to try something new, this pack is a sure bet with its wide range of craveable flavors and heat levels. You’ll be covered for every meal!
Sauce up with the Heartbeat Hot Sauce Maker's Collection here.