From fans and customers . . .

One of the great things about being in the food business is that everywhere I go I meet other people who are just as enthusiastic about cooking and eating as I am. On a recent trip to Washington state, my partner gave the bar tender at the yacht harbor grill a taste of Safari Hot Sauce. He dripped some on his finger and stuck it in his mouth. After a few seconds contemplation, he burst out, “Man, I could just eat this stuff!” Others at the bar did the same and the ideas began to fly.

“Simmer mussels in it!”

“Use it as salad dressing!”

“Substitute it for balsamico on a caprese salad.”

“Dip french fries it it.”

We frantically wrote all this down on a napkin. Yeah, the cliché of writing ideas on napkins while you’re in a restaurant lives. From no on, I’m carrying a note pad along with business cards and samples. I love my customers . . .