Gourmet Sauce Business Thrives in Soft Economy.

Our good friend Gary at The Black Market Condiment Company could use your vote! Click the image and vote for BMCC today and everyday until they win the Home-Based 100 contest. No registration is needed so vote daily to show your support!

Black Market Condiment Company are purveyors of gourmet-style condiment products including pepper sauces, dry rubs, marinades, grilling sauces, grilling sprays and more. All of our products are all natural, contain no additives or preservatives, are gluten free and vegan friendly.

We are a true home based start-up company in the truest sense. Founded in December 2005 in our kitchen, Black Market has already had it's fair share of bumps and bruises and almost didn't happen at all. In our first year of business our contract packager built all of our products wrong and would not make good on their mistake. After a lengthy (1-year) attempt at arbitration, we decided to cut our losses and liquidated our entire inventory for nickles on the dollar. We then spent the next 14 months, and a bunch more money, working with a new contract packager who flawlessly took us from point A to Z of the process and in March of this year delivered three delicious pepper sauces that are now on the shelves of major and independent grocers all across the California Central Coast. With the sauces selling very well, we are now in the process of initial talks with a handful of distributors with the goal of moving into the northern, central and southern California markets in the next six to nine months, and other states in the southwest corner of the U.S. in the next year.

There were many times that we would have liked to have thrown in the towel and called it quits, but the desire to succeed at something we are passionate about outweighed any sort of adversity and in the end has only made us a wiser and stronger company.

Recent press release:

New Paso Robles Condiment Company Launches First Products

PASO ROBLES, California – June 08, 2009 – Black Market Condiment Company, a new Paso Robles based producer of innovative gourmet-style condiment products, announced today the launch of the first three products from their Original Black Market Brand line of pepper sauces.

The first three products to be released are their fiery roasted garlic pepper sauce, chipotle pepper sauce, and black pepper blend pepper sauce. All three contain no additives or preservatives, are all natural, gluten-free, vegan friendly and in the medium heat range. Being gourmet-style products, they are fairly complex and are made with only the finest ingredients, perfect for beef, chicken, lamb, pork, seafood, veggies, and of course, taco night.

Original Black Market Brand pepper sauces are currently available at all central coast Albertsons stores, select Spencer’s Markets, Meridian Vineyards, and New Frontiers Natural Marketplace, with more stores being added weekly. They are also available online at www.originalblackmarketbrand.com.

“All three of the Black Market pepper sauces have been very well received by local consumers,” says owner Gary Gannon. “We are thrilled to finally have our products out there and available to the consumer. Everyone who’s tried them absolutely loves them. They become instant fans and repeat customers,” he added. “We’re going to begin doing tasting demos at the stores that carry our line so that those who haven’t tried our products can have a taste and see for themselves why people are excited about them.”

Black Market Condiment Company is committed to providing high-quality and creative new products to those who wish to bring a new flavor dimension to their meals. Future product releases will include a full line of gourmet-style marinades, grilling sauces, dry rubs, and grilling sprays.

Turnkey Gourmet Food Business at Bargin Basement Price!

Monty's Gourmet Food has been in the business of selling specialty sauces, spices, pickles, and even oxygen, going on 10 years now.

Recently, due to Monty's declining health and the increased responsibility of caring for his elderly parents; Monty has decided to shut down the business and sell it off.

Monty's sauces hold the bragging right to over 50 awards and the Monty's Gourmet brand has been shipped to nearly every state. "This is a complete brick and mortar business in a box" says Monty Fritts.

Monty is looking to get only $9,000 for this entire set-up which even includes the inventory and fixtures to set up your own retail outlet. This is way below the value of the itemized listing provided by the accountants.

If you are wanting to get into the specialty food business; here is an inexpensive way to get everything you need to get started. If you are already in business here is a great way to get some inventory and fixtures at a steal.

The Last Bite would like to wish all the best to Monty. We hope that you have success in the sale of your business and take care of your health.

If you are interested in Monty's Gourmet Foods you can contact Monty directly for details at mfritts@montysgourmet.com

Food Was Hard To Get At The Great American Food & Music Festival

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, either way it was certainly interesting! The Great American Food and Music Festival was no doubt one of the most screwy events I have ever attended.

We arrived at around 3:00pm with the intention of grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying the big band beat of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

The wait to get parking at Shoreline was pretty reasonable; no worse than any other event or concert. Once we parked and exited the vehicle it started getting a bit weird. As we made our way to the pedestrian crossing we encountered hoards of festival goers only they were moving in the wrong direction and yelling; “Rip Off!” and “Don’t waste your money, there’s no food here!” This went on for about 10 minutes; all the way to the entrance! There was even a line that was several hundred people deep waiting for refunds!?! Could the food festival actually be out of food? I really didn’t want to stand in that Disneyland E-ticket length line to get a refund and then go find something else to eat in Mountain View. Besides, I still need to see BBVD.

Taking matters in my own hands I decided to speak with the gate security and find out what all the hullabaloo was really all about? It turns out that there had been several logistic breakdowns throughout the day; not only were the vendors unable keep up with the demand for food, the credit card system they had in place was no longer working and had to be taken offline resulting in a cash or ticket only situation. This apparently wreaked havoc amongst the masses. The kind security person assured me there was plenty o food to be had and if we were not happy with the situation once we entered we could always leave and request a refund. We decided to take our chances.

Wow! There are a lot of people at this event; we passed booth after booth of food purveyors with most incredible lines I have seen. The thing about these lines is that they were not moving. It has become a game of “Is is worth it?” The game goes like this; Pinks Hot Dogs? Not worth the line, LA is close and we’ve been there before. Burgermiester? They are in San Francisco; we could go there tomorrow, not worth the wait in that huge line! We finally ended up in the Katz’s Deli/Anchor Bar & Grill Line, it might be worth the wait, how long will the wait be? Let’s give it a shot, and wait we did, for two hours to be exact!

Do you think a pastrami sandwich from Katz’s Deli and twenty wings from Anchor are worth a two hour wait? Well neither did we, but once you have invested over an hour it’s hard to leave, especially when you are literally three feet from success. Unfortunately success never came. We got to the window to order and they informed us that the pastrami people have gone on some kind of extended smoke break but we could have 20 wings to share amongst the 4 of us. You see they were now rationing the wings at five per person! WTF!?! If we want pastrami they recommend coming back in an hour… Uh, right?

Wings in hand we are now on a mission to scrounge up something else to eat and make it to the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert. I can’t believe we are starving at a food festival! Look! There is no line at Barney Greengrass; the Sturgeon King. We run up and grab two bagels with cream cheese and Nova Lox, well at least two of us will eat well, Muahaahaa! Maybe three if the young one is hungry enough. Off we go to the amphitheatre to catch the end of the Bobby Flay’s burger throwdown and BBVD, Woohoo!

Now we are in a happy place, we are chowing wings, and lox and bagels, and grooving to the beat of the swing band on the stage. For the moment life is good, until the food ran out. My oldest son decided this would be a good time to grab a burger; hunger seems to have made him a bit less picky and the swing band is not quite the hiphop/hard rock stuff he likes, so off he goes to get us a burger. I have to admit Burgermiester make a really good burger. I felt like the Nova Lox were very fresh, but the bagels were wrapped and lost their outer crunch. After a two hour wait Katz’s lack of pastrami was a total disappointment, and the wings from Anchor were OK, but honestly Hooters original wings are just as good with only a fifteen minute wait and they aren’t a buck a wing! So far Burgermeister has my vote.

With the burger split four ways and the concert over we headed out to see if we could get another decent nosh, maybe some ice cream from Grater’s …Uhmm, nope sold out! There were some fantastic chocolate bouchons from Bouchon in Napa. They were crisp on the outside and fudgy and rich in the middle. They were reminiscent of a brownie, but so much more. I felt that they were worth the two bucks, but I really wanted the ice cream.

We decided to see if anyone incited a riot at the pastrami booth. While it seemed there were no casualties, we were informed that people have waited at least an hour and a half and they were next to be served. I hope they don’t run out again, for their sake, I’m not waiting.

So we finally find ourselves at the Tony Luke’s booth. The line is manageable and actually moving. This booth has security at the front of every line, I wonder what happened here. I heard Philly can get rough but sheesh! In any event the line is hopping and we get a Philly and an Italian Pork sandwich. Both of these are awesome! The meat on the Philly is shaved paper thin. I have never seen anything like this in California! There is a bit of cream cheese on the roll and that’s it, but that’s all it needs! This is juicy and flavorful and delicious. If you know of a Philly like this outside of Philly you need to write me and let me know where I can get it! The Italian pork was equally fantastic; sliced paper thin and perfectly seasoned, and topped with braised greens. Tony Luke’s was the new star of the food segment of this festival, for me anyways.

All in all it was a great day out with my family. Aside from the Deli Debacle perpetrated by Katz’s whose pastrami we waited for and never tasted, we had a great time. Nice weather, good food, great music! Would I do it again next year? I’m inclined to say no, but Big Bad Voodoo Daddy could convince me otherwise.

Brew-B-Q Father’s Day Contest. Sponsored by MUG Root Beer

The Last Bite Food Network member "The BBQ Grail" is hosting a contest sponsored by Mug root beer. We love to support our members; especially when prizes are involved, so check out this great contest and win your Dad some awesome MUG swag!

MUG Root Beer knows 40 percent of dads have received a Father’s Day gift that wasn’t on their wish list. This year, MUG Root Beer is reinventing the Father’s Day tradition with Dad’s favorite past time-a frosty brew and ingredients for spending time with family and friends outdoors. I have received five MUG Root Beer “Brew-B-Q” Gift Packs. The gift pack contains a cooler, 2 liters of MUG Root Beer and all the ingredients to make their special Southern Brew-B-Q Sauce recipe

Does your dad deserve to win a “Brew-B-Q” Gift pack? Or maybe your husband? If you’d like to nominate someone, send an email to to bbqgrail@earthlink.net and tell me why “dad” deserves to win. Remember, this is a Father’s Day contest so it has to be about dad, the kids and BBQ. You can include a picture if you’d like. (If you send me a picture, you are giving me permission to publish!) All entries will be posted on the BBQ Grail blog. Winner’s will be decided by me and announced here on Father’s Day. You’ll receive an email if you win, requesting your address.

Pink's Hot Dog Stand in Hollywood, A Family Tradition.

Richard Pink and his wife and sister don't plan to franchise the nearly 70-year-old landmark, a big celebrity and tourist draw. They'll stick to its original location at La Brea and Melrose.

By Hugo Martín
June 7, 2009

The gig: Co-owners of the Pink's hot dog stand. Richard Pink, 65, his sister, Beverly Pink Wolfe, and his wife, Gloria Pink, inherited the stand near the corner of Melrose Avenue and La Brea Boulevard in Hollywood from Richard and Beverly's parents. Richard Pink, a real estate lawyer for ING Real Estate, holds the title of president. His wife oversees operations and promotions. The family took the business from a humble pushcart in a weed-choked lot to a Hollywood landmark.

The eatery seats a maximum of 80 people but serves as many as 2,500 hot dogs and nearly 170 pounds of chili a day. The wait time to order a meal ranges from a few minutes to two hours or more, depending on the time of day.

Pink's Hot Dogs will be available at the Great American Food & Music Fest this weekend!

Read The Rest Here...

Review: KHAYA Cookies 5 Flavors

Hey Foodies, It’s review time again! Today we are sitting down with some little cookies sent to us by the KHAYA Cookie Company. KHAYA cookies are made in South Africa and distributed in Philadelphia, PA. They have a business model based on giving back to the communities where they reside and help support those who contribute.

The KHAYA Cookie Company is currently holding a contest for their consumers where the grand prize is a trip to South Africa. Follow the link for all the details! Quest For Cape Town...

We have five flavors of KHAYA cookies to sample today, so we poured a big cup of coffee, and here we go!

The cookies fall into two categories; Krunchi and Shortbread. I’ll start with the Krunchi:

Orange & Chocolate Krunchi – this cookie is similar to a bite sized granola bar, only with much more intense flavors of orange zest and Belgian Chocolate. These would be very enjoyable as part of any breakfast or snack. It is not only delicious it boasts the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids in the flaxseed and essential fiber and nutrients in oats and sunflower seeds. A total of 13.5g of heart healthy Omega 3, 6 & 9 fatty acids per box.

Granola Fruit Krunchi – are really loaded with fruit and a little softer than the Orange & Chocolate Krunchi. Another healthy treat, these tasty nuggets would be perfect alongside your yogurt or as an energy boost on a bike ride or walk. This no guilt snack is loaded with dates and apricots and 14 essential vitamins and minerals. You also get 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Perfect!

Orange Rooibos Shortbread – Imagine a buttery, crisp and crumbly shortbread cookie, now add the intense aroma and taste of citrus peel, paired with the antioxidant and health benefits of Rooibos you have a remarkable and healthy cookie for anytime snacking! We like it paired with a cup of delicate white tea, or with a glass of fine dessert wine.

Cranberry Rooibos Shortbread – A bite sized morsel that seems even more rich and buttery than the last ones. The tart bits of cranberry are just perfect for cutting through the richness and teasing your pallet. Again with the antioxidant and health benefits of Rooibos you have a remarkable and healthy cookie for anytime snacking! This cookie was a perfect accompaniment to my cup of dark roasted coffee.

Grapeseed Shortbread - This shortbread is made with grapeseed—known for their incredible nutritional properties including a potent dose of Vitamin C and antioxidants. This shortbread has pure grapeseed and tangy, tiny currents. We found it has a delectable depth of flavor—not too sweet and just buttery enough. The currents add another level of chewy texture and sweetness making this shortbread one of our favorites!

Delectable Khaya cookies are created with care to give you the kind of pleasure that only handcrafted, naturally wholesome treats can deliver. Khaya (Kī-ya) is the Xhosa word for home.

Khaya Cookie Commitments
#1 We use only the freshest, finest, all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. All of our cookies are carefully crafted, by hand and with pride.

#2 We are committed to empowering people so that they can earn a living-with solid business and life skills.

#3 We hire previously unemployed women and men and turn them into highly skilled bakers. All Khaya Cookie Bakers participate in a Skills Training Program that gives them cross-training in every aspect of the business as well as personal budgeting and debt management.

Review: Miller's Secret Sauce Original Bar-B-Q

Hello Foodies, the Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and what better way to commemorate those that have given so much so that Americans can be free, than by surrounding yourself with friends and family and pay tribute to all of our military; past and present.

You will have to feed all those people, and the best way to feed a large group is barbecue. So here is another awesome review to help you make a choice when you are standing in the BBQ sauce section of your local grocery store. Today’s sampling is Miller’s Secret Sauce; Original flavor.

Initial Impression: Right off the bat I love the color of this sauce, it has a reddish, root beer brown color and it comes in a tall bottle with a narrow label so that you can see the actual sauce in the jar. The labels on both the Original flavor and the Spicy flavor are nostalgic and sexy looking and make me want to put the jar in my shopping cart.

Ingredients: Tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, honey, brown sugar, water, liquid smoke, butter, molasses, chili pepper, spices, garlic, onion, salt, natural flavor, jalapeno, anchovies, tamarind.

The ingredient list is really nice and clean. There are no preservatives or artificial anything. Yes I noticed the High Fructose Corn Syrup and I’m not sure there is anything much worse than a stigma attached to this ingredient; it’s made from corn and corn is natural, right?!

Appearance: This is one rich, thick, and sexy sauce. It is reddish brown sauce and there are sparse but definite pieces of herbs and spices floating around. The consistency of this barbecue sauce lends it to many applications. It was super thick and brushes on and sticks to your meat nicely. It also makes a great dipping sauce since it won’t drip off of whatever you’re ‘queuing.

Aroma: Mouthwatering. Really, it made me drool. I popped the cap and took a whiff. It made my mouth water like crazy. Now that I calmed down I can tell you that this sauce has definite layers of aroma. At first you get a sweet tomatoey perfume, next the vinegar pops you in the nostrils and makes your mouth water. The velvety smokiness comes in for the finish and practically hypnotizes you; I could smell this all day. I wonder if they can make a car freshener in this flavor.

Taste: Sweet, tangy, and smoky with emphasis on sweet. This could be a dessert topping. Tasting it from the jar it has a definite tangy fruity flavor. There are some larger pieces of garlic in it. Like magic they appear in your mouth and add yet another layer of flavor. The garlic is pronounced but well balanced. The smokiness is very slight and more of a background note, any strong flavor will knock out that layer, but I suspect the BBQ will put it back in whatever you are grilling or ‘queuing.

The Food Test: Since we were having some nice weather I decided to fire up the grill and throw some yard stroller on it. Well, not the whole bird just some drumsticks and thigh sections. I gave it a quick rub down with some of Monty’s prototype Spicy Barbecue Rub and fired away. Once the chicken was done I brushed the Miller’s on them. Since there is such a high sugar content I didn’t apply it until the last few minutes. The Miller’s takes well to heat and the caramelization of the sugars rounds out all of the flavors.

Conclusion: Miller’s Secret Sauce Original BBQ Sauce has layers of flavors like molasses, garlic, and smoke. Secret Sauce Original BBQ Sauce has no detectable heat so it would be perfect for those in your family that prefer you don’t singe off their eyebrows. For those of you who prefer a spicier version I would recommend the Miller’s Secret Sauce Spicy BBQ Sauce or even a dry rub with some spice. If you love a sweet, sticky, BBQ sauce that caramelizes nicely and has layers of flavor, Miller’s Secret Sauce is for you!