#marie sharp's

Marie Sharp’s, Dangriga, Belize

We love hot sauce. So much, in fact, we pretty much collect the stuff. At our home in Oakland, CA, our Lazy Susan houses a dozen or so varieties from Mexico, the Caribbean, and the great state of Louisiana -- all quite different and all good for different uses.

So, when we planned our trip to Belize, a stop at Marie Sharp’s was mandatory. Her famed habanero sauces — which range from hot to dangerously so — grace the tables of nearly every restaurant in Belize. It’s the national condiment, and appropriate on just about any dish.

While you can buy Ms. Sharp’s basic variety in the States, an extensive line is available in Belize: from sweet sauces and jams to the delicious habenero-citrus combinations. Naturally, after touring the factory, we had to buy one of just about everything.