While vacationing in the American Southwest a number of years ago, I found myself in a small Mexican café in a dusty border town. It was there, that I was introduced to the popular Mexican breakfast dish, huevos rancheros. This authentically prepared dish became one of my favorites, and my love affair with Mexican cooking had taken root. When I returned home, I continued to explore my newly discovered culinary world.

As a result, I became especially interested in the hot sauces used to flavor my favorite Mexican foods. I had much to learn.

AN INTRODUCTION TO HOT PEPPERS

Mexican hot peppers, or chilies, form the key ingredients to every Mexican hot sauce. The heat produced by hot peppers is graded on a scale called the Scoville scale. This scale ranks the heat produced by a pepper, in Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). As an example, the green bell pepper is rated at zero SHU on the Scoville scale, indicating no heat. Green jalapeno peppers are rated between 2,500 and 5,000 SHUs. Contrast this rating with the much hotter habanero peppers that are rated between 200,000 to 300,000 SHUs. At the extreme end of the scale, the treacherous Naga Viper pepper holds the title of hottest pepper in the world, boasting a smoldering 1,382,118 SCHs.

POPULAR MEXICAN HOT SAUCES

There are countless brands of hot sauces on the market today. If you are a newcomer to the world of hot sauce, you will want to stock up first on some basic sauces:

• El Yucateco Red Hot Sauce – El Yucateco hot sauce is the largest selling brand of hot sauce in Mexico. The El Yucateco Red Hot Sauce is a good all around Mexican hot sauce. Rated at 5,790 SHUs, this sauce is certain to add a touch of heat to any meat dish, but is especially great for seafood. It also provides the perfect accent for a red hot Bloody Mary.
• El Yucateco Salsa Picante de Chili Habanero – A somewhat hotter sauce than its cousin, El Yucateco Red, this popular green Mexican hot sauce is made with habanero peppers, and is rated at 8,910 SHUs. Use this hot sauce sparingly. Only a few drops are needed to add a touch of heat to your guacamole or salsa.
• Cholula Hot Sauce – Named after the ancient Mexican city of Cholula, Cholula brand hot sauces are just as popular north of the border as they are in Mexico. Zesty pequin peppers, red peppers, and an array of spices come together in this flavorful Mexican hot sauce. With an SHU rating of 3,600, Cholula hot sauce goes well with nearly all meats, seafood and soups.

SHARE WITH CARE

Hot sauce lovers are often anxious to share their favorite sauces with family and friends. In this area, proceed with caution. When entertaining, be sure to inform guests when a dish, or drink is prepared spicy hot. When serving spicy hot dishes, such as guacamole, prepare a milder version of the same dish for guests that may not share your appreciation for heat. Use appropriate amounts of hot sauce in food, and don't overdo it. Hot sauces rated higher than 8,000 SHUs should be used with extreme care – only a drop or two may be all that is required to season a dish. Remember, hot sauce is intended to add accent to food, not mask its flavor.