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Friday, October 07, 2022

How Tapatío went from an LA staple to a nationwide favorite

Simply, known as the Tapatío man the Mexican horseman with a signature look has helped unite many nationwide. However, it isn't his unique style that has connected many across the United States — it's what he's selling. 

Tapatío hot sauce is a Los Angeles staple and has become an essential pantry item for so many homes across the U.S. Vice President of Tapatío Foods Luis Saveedra said his father Luis Saveedra Sr. started the small business in Maywood, Calif. back in 1971.

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I've got at least 10 different types of hot sauces and salsas, everything from habanero salsa to Tabasco, in my refrigerator and cabinets, and not a single bottle of Tapatio.
I'm just not a big fan. To me, it's got a metallic taste to it and while it is hot, it lacks flavor. I do know folks that swear by it, though. To each his own.

18 comments:

  1. I like it on my eggs, had a dream that I woke out of: 2 scrambled eggs, one over easy on top. This gives the "meat" of the scrambled eggs more flavor. I use a good Cajun seasoning on the lower half (frog bone is my favorite). Then some sprinkle of taxation one top. If you want to make it fancy add in some avocado.

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  2. Pico Pica beats Tapatio and Cholula.
    60:40 blend of La Victoria mild and Pico Pica hot for tacos and burritos.
    Any of the above for fries.
    Tabasco on eggs, hash browns and biscuits & gravy.
    Ketchup never.

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    Replies
    1. I use habanero sauce mixed in with my chow chow on my sausage and eggs every morning, and habanero salsa on my tacos and burritos for the most part. If I want something a little milder on my tacos, I'll use hot Pico Pica.

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    2. Tapatio is an OK substitute for Tabasco. Pick A Peppa maybe better.
      There is no vinegar in Pico Pica.
      I avoid Cholula whenever possible.

      Try this: sprinkle some Cajun's Choice or similar rub on popcorn.
      You're welcome!

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  3. Try Crystal hot sauce from NOLA. You won’t be disappointed

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  4. Never heard of it before. But then again, I'm just a Georgia boy and don't get out much. I do have a bottle of "shit the bed" but that stuff is too hot to even enjoy. Just not pleasant enough to put on my food. Give me a bottle of Franks and I put that @#% on everything.

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  5. It is the preferred hot sauce in my household, mainly because it doesn't have a lot of vinegar in it. Most hot sauces have a lot of vinegar.

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  6. Franks is good, wife uses it when making a marinade for our grilled chicken. Crystals also a regular on the shelf. For excessive heat, Cholula habernero. Usually my gumbo, chicken 'n rice, etc, I'm either rolling on Crystals or Cholula chipotle. That last isn't really that hot as I don't want to distract from the food, and I love the extra smokiness it adds.

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  7. I've consolidated my hot sauces down to three...
    #1 Sriracha, a delightful blend of chiles, sugar and garlic.
    #2 San Marcos Chipotle sauce, great on breakfast burritos.
    And a distance #3 Tabasco.

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  8. As someone else stated above, I prefer Pico Pica for the Mexican type and Frank's for the Coon Ass type

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  9. Crystal, Siracha, and Trappy's Hot Peppers in vinegar are the one's that stay in stock. The Trappy's is only used on fried chicken. I don't care for Tapatío as I find it's just hot without any flavor. I will occasionally get a bottle f the green Tabasco to go on eggs. I have a cousin in San Antonio that had greenhouses of various peppers and he would make small batches of hot sauces and give them silly names. He started it as a hobby that turned into a million dollar business.

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    Replies
    1. If you like heat with flavor, try Mrs Renfro's, available online as well as in stores.
      My favorite is her habanero salsa, but they also offer a nice hot green salsa as well. The cool thing about their products is the heat fades out so your mouth isn't on fire all the time.

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  10. I also recommend Bruno's wax peppers out of Lodi, CA. Damn good. Just ordered 6 jars today.

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  11. Arizona Gunslinger Chipotle Habanero - my very favorite. Use it on a lot of dishes

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  12. The Mexicans I work with go for Tabasco in preference to anything else; the kid that had to go back to Meheeco for free ulcer treatment used to drown his Takis in Tabasco and let 'em sit until they went a little soft.

    In the basic bitch American hot sauce category (your Tabasco, Crystal, Frank's, etc.), I really like Texas Pete from T.W. Garner of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It was the standard local thing when I was a kid, which probably has something to do with that.

    Sriracha is kind of a category of its own. Many imitators, no substitutes.

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  13. some of the different brands are pretty good , but some of that stuff is just pure pain .I had some Dave's insanity sauce it was just Hot no real flavor just heat. I will say this for it , a bottle lasted me a long time.

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  14. For years I've tried this, that and the other thing. I've narrowed mine down to one - Tabasco - the one, the only, and suitable for just about anything. I never have to worry about spilling too much on my food. Not too hot, not too mild.

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