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WHAT IS HANDY & HOT?
Handy & Hot is a small-batch, mail order bake shop from my very own kitchen here in Kinston, NC. We live online, pop-up style, around special occasions and holidays. This summer we’ve also popped up in a permanent kind of way in Charleston, SC as a grab-and-go shop.
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Current Release
In celebration of Vivian’s newest book, This Will Make it Taste Good, coming out October 20th, we’re bringing back a small batch of favorite flavor heroes that will help you Make It Taste Good in your own kitchen. The book is all about these things Vivian calls her kitchen MVPs, Flavor Heroes, or her favorite little condiments that she uses to make really simple food exciting. So go ahead and pre-order your copy of the book and give one (or three) of the flavor heroes for a sneak peek.
Follow Vivian’s cookbook journey on Instagram, where she’s breaking down the process of creating the book in her stories.
RED WEAPONS
If you take a gander into my home refrigerator or my restaurant walk-in any time of year, you’ll always find a batch of Red Weapons at the ready to add a bright, refreshing, slightly spicy edge to food in need of a pick-me-up. Basically firm tomatoes bathed in a brine and swimming with lots of jalapeños, aromatics and warm spices, these are like Louisiana hot sauce, Mexican pico de gallo, Indian chutney and Southern style refrigerator pickles got together and offered up a part of themselves to make something indispensable.
What comes in the box:
One 32 oz. jar of Red Weapons
Ten No-brainer recipes for how to use your new hero daily
Red Weapons Ingredients:
Roma tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, spices, garlic, ginger, jalapeños, scallions, sugar
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
I come from a long line of organizers the likes of which have been bringing dishes together for centuries. I can trace my lineage to soffrito, but if it were possible to 23andMe me, then you’d probably find Hamburger Helper somewhere in my heritage. I’m tangy, earthy, sweet and rich. A kitchen MVP, I bring ingredients together and make them sing as one with one swift dollop. I’m best known for my ability to give dimension to pots of stuff that need a little umph in their trunk.
What comes in the box:
One 16 oz. jar of Community Organizer
Two recipes that show of your hero’s skills
No-brainer suggestions for how to use your hero daily
Community Organizer: Roma tomatoes, olive oil, yellow onions, garlic cloves, bell peppers, red chili flakes, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, red wine vinegar, bay leaves
LITTLE GREEN DRESS
Imagine chimichurri and French-style salsa verde had a baby in a bed of olives. I am that baby, born to punctuate, exalt and enliven cooked proteins. I am most effective next to rich or starchy stuff and I really shine when I’m with my friend, salty cheese. I am acid and herb forward, brine and olive oil backed. In short, I am a kitchen essential once you get to know me.
What comes in the box:
One 16 oz. jar of Little Green Dress
Two recipes that show off your hero’s skills
No-brainer suggestions for how to use your hero daily
Little Green Dress Ingredients: parsley, mint, shallots, lemon, olives, capers, anchovy, vinegar, olive oil
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What You Need to Know
All the condiments are stored in jars but they are not canned, so not hearing a “pop” in the top is totally normal and expected. Each condiment should be stored in the fridge for optimal freshness, but even if they reach room temperature during shipment (the ice pack is expected to melt), they’ll be just fine. In the fridge, each condiment will keep for up to one month. If you haven’t used them long before that something is terribly wrong.
When Red Weapons are cold from the fridge you’ll see the orange-tinged olive oil separates from the rest of the goods rising to the top. If you’d like, you can scoop that oil off and use it all on its own. It’s packed with the flavor of everything else in the jar and is a great finishing oil to drizzle on top on finished dishes for sheen and added umph. Otherwise, let your Red Weapons come to room temperature and stir it all up before using. The tomatoes themselves are in large pieces for pickling purposes, but you will almost always roughly chop them and stir together with the chunky brine before using. If you get to the bottom of your jar and have used all the tomatoes but have brine and oil leftover, don’t waste it. It’s valuable and delicious in vinaigrettes, sauces and makes a welcome drizzle for grilled vegetables or meats.
FAQ
I have an allergy. Where can I find the ingredients?
Red Weapons (RW): Roma tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, spices, garlic, ginger, jalapenos, scallions, sugar
Little Green Dress (LGD): parsley, mint, shallots, lemon, olives, capers, anchovy, vinegar, olive oil
Community Organizer (CO): Roma tomatoes, olive oil, yellow onions, garlic cloves, bell peppers, red chili flakes, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, red wine vinegar, bay leaves
Are these flavor heroes vegan or gluten-free?
RW: vegan and gluten-free
LGD: gluten-free
CO: vegan and gluten-free
Can I include a gift message?
Absolutely. During checkout you’ll have the option to include a short love note.
When does it ship?
We will begin shipping this batch on September 16th and 17th. As much as we’d love to hand deliver your package, we haven’t figured that out yet. So we have to rely on FedEx to do that job for us and, while we have full faith, we are unable to guarantee delivery by a specific date.
Can my order be shipped to a P.O. Box?
Shucks, no. Our precious cargo is shipped through FedEx and they are unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.
Where do you ship?
Currently we are shipping to the contiguous United States.
How long will they keep?
Maintain your new flavor hero’s optimal freshness by storing in the fridge.
RW: one month
LGD: one month
CO: one month
Should they be refrigerated?
To ensure longevity, yes. They will be fine at room temperature for up to one week.
Can it be frozen?
Sure, but why would you do that?
Is my jar’s lid supposed to “pop”?
No, it has not been pressure canned so your jar’s lid is not supposed to pop.