Rhed’s Zings Eggs and Sparks Bloody Marys!

When a chef develops an interest in a particular seasoning or cuisine—as did Deja Hart, for hot peppers and a Thai- Indonesian fusion—she might decide to share that passion with the world. Out of that (and with a nod to her husband’s red hair), Deja created Rhed’s Hot Sauce, a fermented sauce of peppers and other vegetables. Hart has been a chef (and more recently a co-owner) at Newport Cooks, a Middletown cooking school, since she moved from California to Rhode Island in 2010 (when husband Karsten Hart began with Newport Restaurant Group). Dedicated to using produce from local farms, she grinds the peppers into a mash and lets them ferment for two weeks. “That lowers the pH level and adds to the flavor,” Deja says. In addition to the original Rhed’s, Deja plans to have two more sauces out this winter: Club Jalapeño, a mild green sauce with tomatillos; and Deja Vu, with guajillo chilis, Thai chilis and tamarind. She also hopes to bring back the popular Lemon Drop in 2019, made from a small citrusy pepper that had a tough growing season in the spring of 2018.

Visit Rhed’s Facebook page for a list of retail shops and restaurants around Rhode Island where Rhed’s can be found. 401.487.3956; Facebook.com/RhedsHotSauce/