Have you ever Been to Cameroon and tried Cameroonian Chili sauce?
Here is a little story: I grew up in Cameroon eating hot sauce and I loved it. I never expected that hot sauce would be different when it comes to taste and consistency (pardon my ignorance). I was just so used to eating very hot paste-like hot sauce and never fathom seeing a liquid made hot sauce.
So I embarked to the United States 17 years ago and found out the hard way not everyone cooked hot sauce like I was used to. My disappointment was that most of the hot sauces were not as hot. So I started looking for African stores to find the type of peppers I was used to and make my own sauce. Living in a very secluded area, I could not locate a store close to me. The one store I found was in Maryland and was far from my reach.
I decided to try the peppers I found from my many stores trip in Market basket and the heat was still not comparable. So I dealt with not having my Cameroonian hot sauce for years. Well, one day a Cameroonian decided to open a store in Framingham 2 hours away from me. Well, that is far... I thought to myself.
At the time, I was 4 months pregnant with my last child and was in need of very hot foods to survive my pregnancy morning sickness. In other for me to eat my food I needed to add lots of heat. I needed a very hot sauce to keep me from throwing up. I needed hot chili sauce with everything that entered my mouth. Avocado with hot sauce had become my best friend; "My go-to meal of the day".
So how in the world could I drive in the cold weather to Framingham? Well, I guess pregnancy cravings give you the strength to do what you couldn't think of doing if you weren’t pregnant.
So my other two kids in tow, I drove two hours away, just to get the Cameroonian peppers. I was excited to the thought that I could finally make the hot sauce I was used to. For years I lived in the USA and I complained about not having the sauce. I made little to no effort to get it.
My first two pregnancies I didn’t crave hot things. But with this child I could not live without it. So I kept pressing on 4 hours round trip later, I had my peppers and I was the happiest women on the planet that day. I got home and made my chili sauce. Oh boy! The whole house smelled peppers and the aroma of the chili sauce was overwhelming. I had forgotten how strong the peppers smelled and how much sneezing I would have to deal with. Well Thank Heaven for windows and air fresheners. I survived the outcome and I vow to use a mask next time I had to cook Cameroonian peppers again.
At the end, I was a happy women and my life was easier from that point on. I had a smooth pregnancy without being nauseated.
Today, I’m selling the hot chili sauce from Cameroon and I call the sauce Relishes. Why Relishes you may ask? Because of the consistency of the sauce, I decided to name them Chili Relishes.
But beware they are fire sauce proceed with caution. I would say they add flavor to all your dishes and are delicious if consumed in small amount. find the Relishes here.
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