CaJohn and Original Juan's: Bring the Fire!

John Hard, a Fire Protection Engineer, started CaJohn's in Columbus, Ohio after falling in love with the heat and fire of the Gulf Coast and Southwest. Seeing a hole in the market, John created his line of products from his own recipes and has expanded to over 150 offerings. From hot sauce to salsa, spice blends to rubs, CaJohn's line of flavorful products has something for everyone. With over 200 international, national and regional awards under his belt, it's obvious that John knows what he's doing. Some of CaJohn's award winning products include:

• Bourbon Infused Chipotle-Habanero Hot Sauce: 2008 Zest Fest winner, best chipotle sauce. Infused with Jim Beam Bourbon, it makes for a perfectly wonderful steak sauce.
• CaBoom! Bayou-Q Spicy: a 3-time national champion. A thick sauce with a bit of a kick, try it on any meat you toss on the grill. The sauce is also great for adding a kick to baked potatoes and grilled vegetables.
• Holy Jolokia: winner of 2 Golden Chile awards! Made with bhut jolokia chilies, you'll not taste another sauce like it.
• Oaxacan Hot Sauce: winner of the 2008 Zest Fest best specialty sauce category. Use a healthy dose of this sauce on all your favorite Mexican foods! Try mixing it with rice or adding a teaspoon to the top of refried beans.

If you are a fan of CaJohn's' variety of hot sauces and concoctions, you may also want to try some of the offerings from the Original Juan! Original Juan produces such brands as American Stockyard, Cowtown, Fiesta Juan's and perhaps their most popular offering: Pain Is Good.

Easily identified by the pictures of screaming, grimacing people on the label, Pain Is Good is a wildly favored range of 'hot' products. Tasty treats include bean dip, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, jerk sauce and even salsa. If you've never tried any of the Pain Is Good hot sauce line, here are some must haves:

• Pain 100%: if you've ever wondered what it would be like to eat fire, wonder no more! Be sure to have a tall glass of milk next to you and be sure to wash your hands after using the sauce or you'll certainly feel the effects the next time you touch your face. Ouch!
• Pain Is Good Sultans of Sizzle Hot Sauce Pack: a gift set comprised of Louisiana Style Hot Sauce, Jamaican Style Hot Sauce and Garlic Style Hot Sauce, there's a favorite to be had for every member of your pepper loving clan.
• Pain 85%: this is one of the more mild sauces that Original Juan offers in their Pain Is Good hot sauce line. Hot sauce lovers will appreciate the flavor and newbies will appreciate the lack of extreme after burn.

All hot sauces are not made equal as many a chili head can tell you. If you're looking for something beyond standard grocery store fair, you can't go wrong with either CaJohn's or Original Juan. If you prefer to make your own sauces and salsas, both companies still have great products that you can use to add a kick to your homemade fire.