Assignment #4

           Cholula hot sauce, named after the city “Cholula” in Mexico, is manufactured in Chapala, a city that is about a five-hour drive from Mexico City.  The hot sauce comes in four different flavors: Original, Chipotle, Chili Lime, and Chili Garlic.  The original recipe for the sauce has been in existence for over three generations, but has only been available commercially in the United States for twenty years.

            To measure the “heat value” in Cholula hot sauce, Scoville units are used.  A regular bell pepper can rank between 0-100 Scoville Units, and very hot peppers can reach up to 300, 000 Scoville Units.  The peppers used in Cholula rank at about 40,000-60,000 Scoville units.   

            Cholula hot sauce can be found in many restaurants as well as many grocery stores across the United States.  It can be found online from several different sources, including directly from the manufacturer in Chapala (one 5-ounce bottle directly from the manufacturer is priced at $11).  In the United States, the price for one 5-ounce bottle of original Cholula hot sauce ranges from $3-$5. 

A distinctive feature of the hot sauce is the carved wooden cap atop the bottle.  The word “Cholula” comes from a pre-Hispanic word, “Chollollan”.  This old word means, “place of retreat”.