Amazing article in the NYTimes on the history of Sriracha, my favorite hot sauce in the whole world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2
Amazing things were revealed including-
-the sauce was developed in the 80s in Los Angeles, by David Tran, Vietnamese immigrant, in aspirations to be as awesome as Heinz 57
-the rooster on the bottle comes from his astrological zodiac symbol
-Huy Fong is the name of the freighter on which Tran left Vietnam
-an early chili sauce that Tran developed in the 70s, intended as a dip for beef plucked from bowls of pho, was more popular as a sauce for roasted dog.
-more than 10 million bottles of Sriracha roll off the factory line in Rosemead CA every year.
-People in the actual town of Sriracha in Thailand supposedly have no idea what Sriracha even is.
On a side note, my cousin actually lives in Rosemead CA, and told me that he once drove by the address printed on the bottle, where Sriracha is supposedly produced, and when he drove by it looking for the factory, there was nothing there. Just an empty lot. The addresses just skipped over it. He was freaked out, and infinitely mystified. Sriracha will always mystify me in how it can be so delicious on everything no matter what.
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May 22, 2009 at 9:26 AM
dbuu
funny, my cousins work in rosemead. however i guess its not that funny because by law every vietnamese person in america has to have relatives in and around LA.
this was a solid article and i made it a point to forward it to family members. im glad that i can finally win in the argument of “where does sriracha come from?” A VIETNAMESE GUY IN L.A. YOU SCUM.
May 25, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Peter
I too enjoyed this article. A heartwarming American story.
May 29, 2009 at 6:27 PM
Anastasia
The best sauce ever!!