HEATONIST has seen it all from the very beginning.
Back when foods were blander.
Back when simple pepper sauces satisfied your everyday American. When sauces like Tabasco — made merely from red pepper, salt, & vinegar — dominated the market.
This was Hot Sauce’s First Generation.
And while it provided a necessary start for where we’ve evolved to in today’s age, things were only beginning to heat up.
The Second Generation
Over time, simple sauces no longer satisfied the public palate. The people, the masses, the working men and women of this great country wanted something more. They wanted another dimension. They wanted more spice, more heat, more sting, more kick. And thus was born a next generation of hot sauce.
But of course, just a little spice was not enough. More, more, more! With a wave of consumers hungry for heat, things quickly started to escalate.
After some experimentation, sauces were made using some of the spiciest peppers on the planet.
But not even that sufficed. That’s right. Not even the world’s hottest peppers were sufficient and hot sauce makers turned to extracts to enhance the heat to hellish levels. This was the age of insanity. The age of those atomic or nuclear or death wings that your friends dared you to try. This was the second generation of hot sauce and it was driven by heat.
However, lost in all this greed for heat was attention to an equally important element of any great sauce — flavor.
The Third Generation
Riding the coattails of the foodie movement emerged new generation of hot sauce focused on delivering quality not just SHU quantity.
A generation of practitioners striving to bring flavors to life through inventive combinations of farm fresh produce, exotic spices and small-batch cooking. This generation of hot sauce is about heightening the experience of food, not overpowering it. It is about pairing the right sauce with the right dish to add more flavor to every day.
HEATONIST: Purveyors of Fine Hot Sauce
Left in the wake of such a monumental shift in hot sauce, was a need for establishments that could bring together the best examples from today’s hot sauce makers; that could create a curated selection that represents what can be accomplished across the spectrum of heats and flavors; that could discover new hot sauces in an innovative retail tasting experience, with a focus on quality ingredients and quality processes. One could say, the hot sauce connoisseurs of this country needed “Purveyors of Fine Hot Sauce”.
And who came to fill this void? Who assumed the responsibility of stocking their highly-curated shelves with the incredible sauces emerging in this new generation?
Yep, it is HEATONIST, which has quickly established itself as one of the best places to buy hot sauce in New York City.
And what exactly makes HEATONIST so special? Well, see for yourself in this video featuring Hot One’s Chris Evans’ take on shopping at Heatonist.
Small Axe Peppers and HEATONIST
HEATONIST has been selling Small Axe Peppers’ products in their New York location for years. See below which products you can find on their website or retail locations:
Chicago Red Hot Jalapeno
“The team at Small Axe managed to capture the flavors of the iconic Chicago Dog in this mild jalapeno sauce made from peppers grown in community gardens. Celery seed, dill, and briny apple cider vinegar evoke the classic pickle, while yellow mustard, tomatoes, and onion beg to be paired with an all-beef frank. Savor it on all your ballpark favorites, from brats to burgers to the traditional Red-Hot.” — HEATONIST
(Read more about the story behind Chicago hot sauce here)
Habanero Ginger
“From the team that brought you the Bronx Green Hot Sauce comes a new entry, this time kicking up the heat with Habaneros and a prominent dosing of ginger, mustard, carrot, tamarind and honey that neatly tie up this package and deliver an aromatic treat for the senses.” — HEATONIST
Habanero Mango
“This hot sauce is sweet and simple – fruity habanero peppers sourced from community gardens around the country are paired with sweet mango and tangy tamarind. Blend it all together for a lovely chutney-like condiment that’s great on any dinner plate! Furthermore, try incorporating some into a dipping sauce for a zesty twist.” — HEATONIST
Bronx Green Hot Sauce
“A collaboration between Small Axe Peppers and GrowNYC, and help from The New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx Hot Sauce is made with serrano peppers grown in community gardens around the borough. Rounded out with garlic, onion, and a nice relish consistency, this sauce is perfect for hamburgers, sandwiches, and fish.” — HEATONIST