Scott’s Atkins Diet Journey – Weeks Two and Three

My Atkins Diet - Weeks Two and Three

Yes, I have been truckin’ along on my weight loss/fat loss journey using the Atkins method. I have been on it since Monday, February 3rd; and although it’s been extremely difficult at times, it has proven to be very successful.

I’ve since lost another 6 lbs. since my last report, allowing me to hot the “magic” 170-pound mark, and enabling me to wear a pants size below the one I had currently been weighing.

It’s National Chili Day!

National Chili DayI’m always having to refer to my list of national food days that I have on this site, and I found out that today is National Chili Day! While October is “officially” National Chili Month and the first week of that month is National Chili Week, the fourth Thursday in February has been deemed to give the spicy meat stew it’s own special day!

And of course by “chili”, I am indeed referring to that delicious blend of spiced meat stew, and not chile peppers themselves. (The proper spelling of what we call capsicum peppers is an argument for another day.) So celebrate with a big bowl of Texas Red, or a tasty concoction of beef & beans, and enjoy one of the premier dishes in all of chiledom, chili!

While I’ve never posted my personal recipe for my ultimate chili…

The Firecast Episode #51 – Interview with Paul Sarris of Sweet Sunshine Sauces

weekly-firecast-ep-51-paul-sarris-of-sweet-sunshine-saucesThe Firecast with Scott Roberts:

Weekly Firecast Podcast Episode #51 – Interview with Paul Sarris of Sweet Sunshine Sauces

Scott chats with the head honcho of Sweet Sunshine Sauces, Paul Harris, and finds out how Paul developed his unique line of brilliant condiments that defy description. On the same theme of sauces that defy easy categorization, Ken and Scott discuss several products that don’t fit neatly into one genre of sauce. Scott reviews Trini Mike’s Original Hot Sauce; and for his foodie tip of the week, Scott explains how a dental tool can help you in the kitchen.

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What’s Your Take on This? The Pepper Panic Saga Game on Facebook

pepper panic saga on facebook

It’s all of our duties as chileheads to make each other aware of other chile pepper and hot sauce happenings around the globe, in the media as a whole and in social networking, but this one was unbeknownst to me up until a half hour ago.

I had received a game invite from someone on my Facebook friends list who isn’t even a chilehead. Now, I don’t even play games on Facebook – I never have and never will. Yet this one interests me, as it has a multiple of chile peppers as its main focus: Pepper Panic Saga. I know zilch about this particular app, but what Pepper Panic Saga has on it’s main Facebook app page for its description is this…

Scott’s Atkins Diet Journey – Week One

scotts-atkins-diet-journey-week-1I interrupt any regular spicy food coverage for something that’s a bit more personal, but at least it is still food-related.  I’ve gone on a diet.

You may be asking yourself, “why, Scott? You’re not the least bit obese.” Correct on that. Although I’ve been really fit and muscular at times of my life both from a better eating regimen and from exercise, I’ve certainly succumb to gaining a few pounds a few times in my adulthood.

The primary reason is in solidarity of my significant other. We have both agreed to start this fat-loss journey nine days ago, with all of the regular Atkins rules (low/no carbs, cutting out breads, crackers, cookies, sweets and fruits, and focus on eating proteins and fats like meats. fish, eggs, and butter, plus many non-starchy vegetables throw in).

Using my bathroom scale and wearing only shorts, my weigh-in on the morning of day one had me clocked in at a decent 185 lbs. I then, with all will power a-blazin’, dived head first at eating Atkins-approved meals both at work and at home.

Kevin’s Side of the Dish: Review of Sean’s Boo-Yah! Stinky Bee Medium Hot Honey Garlic Sauce

seans-boo-yah-stinky-bee-medium-hot-honey-garlic-sauceToday I am reviewing Seah’s boo-Yah! Stinky Bee Medium Hot Honey Garlic Sauce. This is 1 of 3 items I had received from Sean’s boo-Yah! I looked at this first and it looked very interesting to try.

Ingredients: Hot Sauce (Aged Cayenne Red Pepper, Vinegar, Water, Salt & Garlic Powder), US Grade A Honey, Ketchup (Tomato Concentrate from Red Ripe Tomatoes, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Salt, Spice, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring), Garlic Powder, Vinegar Powder, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Spices.

Flavor, Texture and Consistency: I tasted a ketchup flavor with a bit of a garlic flavor.  I also tasted the spiciness of it. The color of it is red brown in the bottle.  It smelled spicy ketchup-ish. It isn’t chunky, and is quick to pour and not slow. It is…

NYC Hot Sauce Expo Aims at Guinness Book of Records with Smokin Ed’s Carolina Reaper Challenge

New York City Hot Sauce ExpoFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 28th,  2014 

Guinness Book of Records –  Smokin Ed’s Carolina Reaper Challenge

New York’s own High River Sauces proudly presents the 2nd Annual New York City Hot Sauce Expo on March 29th and 30th . This year’s Expo will host only the best artisanal sauce companies in the United States. Last year’s Expo proved to be a capsaicin rush for all who attended including ticket holders and vendors a like. This year organizers are turning up the heat with spicy drinks, craft beers from Laginitas Brewery, insane eating challenges, hot sauce tastings and the prestigious Screaming Mi Mi Award Show.

One of the highlights of the Expo is on Sunday, March 30th at 4 PM EST. The Puckerbutt Pepper Company “Presents the Smokin’ Ed’s Carolina Reaper Eating Challenge” which the Guinness Book of Records will be on hand to judge and declare the winner with the World Record for eating the most Smokin’ Ed’s Carolina Reaper Peppers in 60 seconds. This eating challenge will be one of the most anticipated events in fiery foods and professional eating industries combined. Many will enter but only one will survive the wrath.

“Of all the shows we have scheduled for the year, the…

Screaming Mi Mi Awards Are Back at the 2014 NYC Hot Sauce Expo

New York City Hot Sauce Expo FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January, 21st 2013

Screaming Mi Mi Awards – NYC Hot Sauce Expo

If You Make The Best…..Then Win The Best. The 2nd Annual New York City Hot Sauce Expo presented by High River Sauces sets the stage for one of the most pristine honors to achieve within the Hot Sauce Industry, the mighty Screaming Mi Mi Awards. There is a total of 13 categories to enter including by popular demand the addition of Salsa, Wing and BBQ Sauce. The entries are blind tasted and judged by the brightest names in the NYC food industry. The esteemed panel of judges consists of celebrity TV Chefs, food critics from newspapers & magazines, cookbook editor, food bloggers and some promising new chefs in some of the finest restaurants New York City has to offer. This year’s Screaming Mi Mi Award winners will get their winning sauce picked up by Peppers, one of the largest hot sauce distributors in the country. “We have seen from…

What’s Been Going On With Scott Lately

What's Scott Been Up To?Seems like I’ve been doing this blogging thing for so long that this is the third or fourth time I’ve gone through a “busy”/”personal” period.

First, I’d like to preface all this by saying that things are generally great. There are no huge crisis that I’m wading through. I’m not planning to quit the blogging game or reviewing products in the foreseeable future.

It’s just that I’m generally busy. No, correction…make that absolutely buried. Between holding down two jobs and being a full-time single dad, it’s not easy finding a lot of time to grill, cook, taste new products, let alone write and podcast about them. A good portion of my daily meals are of the super-simple/quickie/fast food variety. I sort of envy those in the fiery foods blogging community with far fewer responsibilities, affording them to have a more prolific output. Don’t get me wrong; I’m more than happy for the terrific coverage they provide, but the (friendly) competitive nature in me wants to keep up, and it’s killing me to keep my spicy food projects on the back burner!

NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute set to bring the heat with 2014 New Mexico Chile Conference

Chile-Pepper-Conference-2014January 17, 2014
WRITER: Justin Bannister, (575) 646-5981jbannist@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Danise Coon, 575-646-3028hotchile@nmsu.edu

The 2014 New Mexico Chile Conference will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. The annual conference is hosted by New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute and features practical solutions for chile growers, processors and producers.

“The New Mexico Chile Conference is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the new discoveries in chile pepper research,” said Paul Bosland, Chile Pepper Institute director and chair of the conference. “The New Mexico Chile Conference is the world’s largest conference dedicated to chile peppers, and we are pleased to showcase NMSU’s research discoveries to the world.”