Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts and Aunty Lilikoi have done it again!
For the second straight year, Island Volcano Seasoning captured the Golden Chile First Place Cook Off — Dry Seasoning/Rub Fowl category at the Fiery Food Challenge in Irving, Texas.
“Salty Wahine made a huge repeat splast at the Fiery Food Challenge with our second entry in this prestigious event,” said Laura Cristobal Andersland, owner of Hanapepe-based Salty Wahine. “Salty Wahine erupted for five awards — two first-place awards, first place People’s Choice in Spice Rub for the second year, and two third-place awards. I can’t believe we beat all these Texas barbeque rubs for two years in a row. It is nice to know that Kauai products can compete internationally and hold our own.”
In addition to the Golden Chile first place in the Dry Seasoning/Rub Fowl category, Island Volcano earned a second Golden Chile in the Dry Seasoning/Rub Pork category, and went on to earn its second People’s Choice award in the Dry Seasoning/Rub category.
Third-place awards include Island Volcano getting third for Cook-Off Food: Seasoned Salt category, and Cook-Off Food: Table Seasoning category.
Salty Wahine Hawaiian Rub earned third place for Dry Seasoning/Rub Fruit Vegetable category.
Other awards include second place for Condiments Exotic: Consumer Ready, for Salty Wahine Passion Fruit, Orange, Guava Pepper, and a third place for Island Curry in the Condiments Exotic category.
Cristobal said her sister, Lori Cardenas, owner of Aunty Lilikoi Products, also captured two Golden Chiles at the Fiery Foods Challenge — one for her Passion Fruit Wasabi Mustard and the other for her Passion Fruit Keawe Barbeque Sauce. Aunty Lilikoi also earned a second-place award for her Passion Fruit Wasabi Dressing.
The Fiery Food Challenge pits products from across the United States and internationally against one another in more than 85 categories. Professional judges evaluate hundreds of sauces, salsas and other spicy treats before awarding first-, second- and third-place prizes in each of the categories.
The awards are also displayed at Zest Fest, a spicy, zesty and flavorful food event held during the Fiery Food Challenge at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, Texas.
“Island Volcano was developed by my son Sean just three years ago,” Cristobal said. “He wanted a rub better than his mom’s Hawaiian Rub, and came up with a spicy version of Hawaiian Rub. With the Fiery Food Golden Chiles, Island Volcano has already earned 18 international awards. Salty Wahine has picked up 36 international awards for its products, 17 of which belong to Island Volcano.”
Wynona Adams, the most recent associate in the Salty Wahine visitor center, said Island Volcano brings heat to food.
“I use it on a lot of stuff I cook with,” Adams said. “I like the heat, and it’s easy to use. I use it on fish, pork chops, steak, and even white rice — you know, how people use shoyu?”
Cristobal said Salty Wahine has been invited to submit its products for Best Rub on the Planet honors during the 2019 American Royal World Series of Barbecue Rub Contest where unique rubs from all over the world will compete for the title of Best Rub on the Planet.
“We decided we were going to submit Island Volcano and Hawaiian Rub,” Cristobal said. “A mother-son combination. We’ll wait and see how this turns out. Wish us luck.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
