The Salty Wahine Island Volcano Seasoning is described as a spicy all purpose rub, used on chicken, steak, and fish, and produced in the Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Salt facilities in Hanapepe.
Island Volcano is one of six Salty Wahine salts that earned a total of six awards, including two first places, when awards from the Fiery Food Challenge were announced on Jan. 26 in Irving, Texas.
“Salty Wahine made a huge splash at the Fiery Food Challenge with our first entry into this prestigious event,” said Laura Cristobal Andersland. “Island Volcano Seasoning won the People’s Choice Award during the blind taste testing by people attending the event. I can’t believe we beat all these Texas barbeque rubs. It is nice to know that Kauai products can compete internationally, and hold our own.”
The Island Volcano, which can also be used for sprinkling in soup, stews, and on steamed vegetables, earned the Golden Chile first place for People’s Choice for Spice/Rub in the 2018 Fiery Food Challenge.
Island Volcano Seasoning also earned second place for Best New Product in the Cook Off category, and pulled in third place honors in the Cook Off Food – Dry Seasoning/Rub Fowl category.
Hawaiian Rub, an all purpose rub and season used on chicken, steak, or sprinkled in stew, soup, and steamed vegetables, joined Island Volcano, earning the second Golden Chile first place honor in the Cook Off – Dry Seasoning/Rub Fowl category. Hawaiian Rub also garnered a third place honor in the Cook Off Food – Dry Season Rub/Fruit Vegetable.
Island Curry, using olena, or Hawaiian tumeric as its main ingredient, offers medicinal benefits with a tropical twist. It rounded out the Fiery Food Challenge awards with a third place finish in the Cook Off Food – Soup/Stew Mix.
The Fiery Food Challenge pits products from across the United States, and internationally against one another in more than 85 categories, Andersland said. Professional judges evaluate hundreds of sauces, salsas, and other spicy treats to award first, second, and third places in each category.
Awards are displayed at Zest Fest, a spicy, zesty and flavorful food event held during the same week as the Fiery Food Challenge at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, Texas.
“Island Volcano has become a great award-winning seasoning,” Andersland said. “It has now won six awards, including getting the second place Scovie award for Hot & Spicy table seasoning, third place Scovie Award for Meat Required dry rub/season all purpose, second place for World Hot Sauce Awards pork rub, and now the Fiery Food Challenge earnings.”
The Hawaiian Rub has garnered three awards, including first place Scovie honors for Dry Rub Season, and the Fiery Food Challenge awards.
The award-winning seasonings and rubs are available in different sizes at the Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Salt facility in Hanapepe, select retail stores around the Islands, and at the two Kauai County Farm Bureau partnership farmers market, including the Wednesday Kauai Culinary Market at The Shops at Kukuiula, and the Saturday Kauai Community Markert at the Kauai Community College.
