Review: Firelli Hot Sauce

Firelli is an Italian hot sauce that has been on my radar for a while, but I didn’t try it until this weekend. Both children were home from the University of Alabama, and pizza got the nod on Friday night. What better opportunity to try this one? My 5-oz. bottle was $5.69 at Whole Foods in Huntsville.

Ingredient panel: Roasted red peppers, water, balsamic vinegar, apple vinegar, Calabrian hot peppers, concentrated lemon juice, sugar, natural flavorings, salt, spices, dried porcini mushrooms, xanthan gum, and garlic.

Firelli is an appealing deep red color, and about the viscosity of A1 steak sauce. I tried a dollop of it straight, and then on one of my favorite pizzas: the small Super Special from Village Pizza of East Limestone. There is little novelty in the taste, though it is pleasant enough. Vinegar and sugar both hit ahead of the peppers’ piquancy for me, with a smooth close. It reminds me of a slightly less sweet Tabasco Sweet & Spicy. It complemented the flavor of my pizza well. I had Firelli with a hard-boiled egg later, and that was also a successful application.

There is nearly no heat. This is one of the mildest hot sauces I’ve ever eaten. Indeed, no heat was evident after my initial taste. What heat it does have wholly depends on the cumulative effect of multiple bites of food, after which I noted a slight persistent wisp. The number of Louisiana hot sauces readily available at the grocery store are all hotter than Firelli.

This is not a product I will purchase again (though there is an “extra hot” variety I may try; if I do I’ll add to this review). Nevertheless, high quality is evident. This could be an ideal product for someone looking for a slight zing, but for whom hotter sauces have been too much.

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