Honey Sweet BBQ Sauce by Rufus Teague

Their Description
It didn't happen overnight, but Rufus Teague's sauce has sure come a long way. From the ol' pot he used to stir in, to winning competitions all over the place, this sauce hasn't changed much. If he was still around, there's no doubt he'd be tellin' everybody within earshot of how he knew he had something with this recipe from day one. And remember, "Good sauce makes bad barbeque good and good barbeque gooder." The bottle says it goes good with fish, beef, chicken, and pork.

Our Description
Sweet and slightly smokey aroma with notes of hickory. On tasting, I have to say I love the tangy, tart after bite. It's lovely and refreshing.

PROS
Hickory flavor, Sweet, Tangy - it made me want more. Regarding the "Honey Sweet" flavor of this sauce, the honey is not obvious and your tongue isn't left feeling covered by saccharine. The honey blends well with the slight spice and tart of the sauce.

CONS
No true cons here. It's a shame Rufus Teague passed away. Lucky us his sauce keeps on kickin'.

Interesting Tidbits
Rufus Teague made some sauce, he put some in a jar and shared it with the boys. They kept on painin' him 'til he fixed up another batch. Next thing he knew he's makin' sauce all the time - It's Damn Good. (description from jar front) Also, there are anchovies in this BBQ sauce which is not something I've had (or known I've had) in BBQ sauce before now.

Dietary Flags
Gluten Free, 100% Natural, Contains Fish

Purchase Store
The Fresh Market
Purchase Location
2510 Quarry Lake Drive Baltimore, MD 21208
Purchase Price
$5.99

Champagne Shallot Mustard by Stonewall Kitchen

Their Description
A great addition to marinades, vinaigrettes or sauces. Serve as a savory accompaniment to pâtè, shrimp,or baked Brie.

Our Description
Reminiscent of a sweet, slightly lighter in flavor, brown mustard. The celery seed, garlic, and wine feature pretty predominantly. I even had to double take to talk myself down from thinking there was some kind of horseradish throw in the mix. There wasn't. The strong taste was not what I expected but that's not to say it's not good. I could totally see this paired with a beer and some hearty dark baked hard pretzels. I could see how someone might also enjoy it on a deli sandwich but that someone isn't me. Reminds me too much of brown mustard - which I'm no fan of. A little disappointed I didn't like this flavor more. I was hoping it'd be as awesome as some Champagne Peach Jam and Raspberry Champagne Mustard I'd had some Stonewall Kitchen in the past. Yeah, not so much. My husband, who is a fan of brown mustard, had this to say "a mild champagne mustard with shallots and a strong aftertaste of shallots." When asked if he'd have it again, "yeah, it's alright." Sounds like he's on the fence with me!

PROS
Sweet, Nice garlic flavor

CONS
Celery seed flavor is a little heavy and the champagne flavor seems to compete more with the mustard than it does compliment it. I will probably turn the entire jar into a vinaigrette so as to make it easier and more appealing to finish eating.

Interesting Tidbits
Not much to say about this product ... it is what it is.

Dietary Flags
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan/Vegetarian

Purchase Store
The Fresh Market
Purchase Location
2510 Quarry Lake Drive Baltimore, MD 21208
Purchase Price
$5.99

Tupelo Premium Raw Honey by Honey Pax

Their Description

Exceptionally Rare - Tupelo honey is harvested only a few weeks a year from deep within the pristine ecosystem of the Apalachicola River Basin of North Florida. It's the only 100% natural honey that will never crystallize.

Our Description

Light aroma and finely sweet - a sophisticated and delicate flavor. It tastes like the juice of a delicate flower  that I've never smelled before now (perhaps a cousin to the honeysuckle?). It's like the sweet, more delicate, version of a honeysuckle's flavor.

A close-up pic of the white nyssa bloom

PROS

Some of the best honey I've ever tasted - if not THE best

CONS

While there are no true cons in taste, I've got to point something out. The product advertises that it will never crystallize. However, there are several crystals visible in the picture below (that shows the LT14 bottle top). Makes me wonder how many would be there in a year .... assuming this amazing honey lasted that long in our house!

Interesting Tidbits

This honey advertises itself as "Totally Traceable". In fact, every bottle has a hive code on the top (you see that ours came from LT14) and by going to www.HoneyPax.com, you are able to find the exact location of the bee yard where your honey was harvested. Neat!

Dietary Flags

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian 

Purchase Store

The Fresh Market
Purchase Location

2510 Quarry Lake Drive Baltimore, MD 21208
Purchase Price

$15.99