Those that really know me, know that I love spicy foods and sauces. So much so, that people don’t ask me how spicy something is because, what I consider “not that spicy” is often too spicy to the person that asks. I also must be cautious about how spicy I make a meal for other people, because I tend to add a little too much crushed red pepper, or spicy element to the dish, that most people don’t like. Because of my tolerance for the heat and spiciness, I have yet to find a sauce, or dish, that is too spicy for me. I know they exist. I just haven’t come across one yet.
Spicy food for me gives me an unexplainable rush. If you’ve been on a rollercoaster, that rush is about as close of comparison as I can think of. It oddly enough makes me happy. It’s almost as if I must dedicate my focus on trying to get through the pain, and everything else becomes not as important. And not only do I get a thrill out of trying to survive the heat, I also get a strange thrill watching others trying to fight through the temporary pain, all while craving that feeling.
I recently came across a YouTube show called “Hot Ones” where the host sits down with celebrities and eats 10 chicken wings all with different sauces. These sauces range from Sriracha, which they consider mild and often start with, to insanely hot. So hot that the sauces often caution users to start off by dabbing just a little as to not overwhelm the dish or heat tolerance. The show is very unique and funny at times, because some people cannot handle the heat and must stop.
The most interesting thing about the show, at least to me and from a marketing stand point, is the influence it could have on a brand. All the sauces that are used are available across the country and when a celebrity says that they really like the hot sauce it could have a huge impact on anyone who loves hot sauces. It brings a candid side to the celebrity that is not often seen. I know I have bought a couple hot sauces that have been featured on the show, just to see how hot they really were.
Adam Cole 