Culinary CreaShunz
A Brief History
1995: passing of maternal grandmother, Alice West. She supplied the original peppers utilized in Shunzi Sauce and is the inspiration behind the drive to make an excellent hot sauce. Scroll down for a picture of Alice West.
1996: began growing Alice West pequin peppers for a personal source of chilies. First seeds came from uncles.
1997 – 2002: continued to grow peppers; primarily drying or eating fresh. Started experimenting with hot sauce recipes using Alice West pequin peppers.
2003: developed recipe and began making small runs for gifts and personal use.
2004: demand grew for Shunzi Sauce. Increases in pepper yields result in research for local processing facility to accommodate demand. Mostly family, friends, and coworkers buying the sauce and providing feedback/encouragement.
2005 – 2007: slowly expanded the product to include Shunzi Shakes and Shunzi Grinder. Incorporating natural gardening techniques and investigating label design, container suppliers, etc. Started a small map to track where Shunzi goes; kind of cool. Had to look at business aspects of food production; whole new game to me.
2008: 1st “official” processing run at FDA approved facility making about 250 bottles. Started marketing sauce to local specialty/gourmet stores & restaurants. Most sales still by word of mouth. Starting to see a “Shunzi culture” emerging. Created t-shirt, hat, and bike jersey design. Created “Team Shunzi” for road and mountain bikers. Shunzi Sauce is coast to coast and even in France and Ukraine.
2009: increased pepper yield by fivefold via contract growers/harvesters resulting in a processing run of 1200 bottles. Hopes of increasing marketing to local retailers and landing an agreement with a reputable retailer that specializes in similar quality foods. Scroll down for pictures.
2010: perhaps even more plants to be grown depending upon demand. Increasing local market visibility and increasing awareness of Shunzi Sauce via web and personal contact.
2010: LOOK FOR SHUNZI SAUCE AT YOUR LOCAL EARTH FARE STORE!!!
2010: Shunzi admires MT Rushmore on the back of Leanna Thurman (scroll down for photo).
2010: Team Shunzi at the start of RAGBRAI XXXVIII in Sioux City, Iowa at the Lewis & Clark Memorial. Left to right Wiley Brakebill, Ken Strike, Shane West, & Merritt Brakebill.
What Goes Into Shunzi Sauce?
Besides the blood, sweat, and tears that go along the painstaking care given to at least 1,000 pepper plants this past year, there is nothing in Shunzi Sauce that isn’t natural. There are no additives or preservatives. The peppers are grown generationally; that is from the preceding year’s seed stock. The seed stock comes from only the plants that yielded the best fruits; sort of a “breeding out the bad” and ensuring a more robust yield the next growing season. Seeds are started indoors either by me or a contract grower who is committed to organic/all-natural practices for crops. Once the plants are mature enough, they are hardened off and then planted. Unnatural pesticides are never used and only natural compost is used to enrich any garden spot if necessary. One of my growers even used worm compost.
The peppers are maintained and cared for until the maximum point of harvest. The peppers produce throughout the summer months, peaking in mid to late September. Plants are then pulled and the peppers are harvested by hand. The peppers are fresh when they are washed and placed into the pepper mash recipe. Shunzi Sauce is unique enough on its own, but it is also unique in the construction of the sauce. The peppers are chopped and blended to create a pepper mash along with white distilled vinegar and kosher salt. The pepper mash is then accumulated as the harvest comes in. Once enough pepper mash is on board, the processing is scheduled. Here, more vinegar and kosher salt, along with fresh carrots and garlic, are added and cooked. (Ingredients currently come from local retailers and bottles & caps come from various bottle manufacturer/distributors.) Sauce bottles are immediately co packed and voila, Shunzi Sauce is “born”! This entire process is supervised by me and the processing kitchen facility manager. The recipe is my own and is meticulously followed during ingredient preparation. I take great pride in the development and production of Shunzi Sauce and expect it to always be true to its representation.
Shunzi Sauce is an all natural hot sauce that teems with garlic flavor. It also has a “quick” spice bite that won’t overpower your food. In other words, you can expect it to enhance your meal, not ruin it. The Alice West pequin pepper is quite a bit hotter than a jalapeño. It’s not as hot as a habanero, but it isn’t for the timid either. The great advantage of this chile variety is the “quick” heat. Yeah, it’s a bit hot (the more the hotter) on the front end, but then the heat subsides and leaves that nice garlic flavor.
Folks have used Shunzi Sauce by itself as a condiment and as an additive to recipes. It goes very well with any Italian, Mexican, or Asian cuisine. It also compliments seafood; either directly or in sauces. It’s been used as a base for marinades and rubs as well. It even goes especially well with soup beans and yes, greens. Uses continue to come in from dedicated Shunzi users. So there really isn’t any food genre that shouldn’t include a little Shunzi Sauce. Try Shunzi Shakes on your next batch of popcorn to kick things up!
