Gift Guide 2020: Secret Sauce
When Harborview House Special XO Chili Sauce arrived, I opened the jar and took a taste. Then I took another. And another. It was all I could do not to slurp up the entire bottle.
Now I find myself putting this amazing elixir on everything. I use it on Chinese food of course - it's wonderful on noodles and stir-fried vegetables - but yesterday I slathered it onto a steak sandwich with spectacular results.
XO sauce is the essence of umami. It's made with a variety of dried seafoods and meats - dried scallops, dried shrimp, Virginia ham, shallots, garlic, chiles and a variety of spices.
Every chef makes his own version of XO Sauce, but this one from the renowned San Francisco restaurant is especially delicious. I'll admit that I'm a condiment slut - I have a refrigerator filled with exotic bottles - but this is one condiment I never want to be without. If you know someone like me, they'll definitely thank you.