It’s now late November and with that marks the end to another barbecue season here in Winnipeg. With snow on the ground and the temperature steadily dropping, dashing out onto the patio in ones slippers with a plate of juicy steaks becomes less and less likely with each passing day. Although I really like my barbecue, and by extension all the brown sauce that accompanies it, I am not one of those people who goes all out with a year round outdoor barbecue complete with a canopy and exterior lighting. No, I’m far too lazy for that I’m afraid, for if I were even just a bit more industrious, I’d be putting my shoes on rather than running out into the cold with slippers or socked feet. Barbecue season is sadly over, and all brown sauce related cooking is once again relegated back to the kitchen as the barbecue once again settles under a blanket of snow.
November 2008 is also significant for another reason as it marks expiry of the very last of the remaining ‘Pre Heinz’ era Canadian HP Sauce stock. You may recall that during the period of transition to Canadian produced Heinz HP Sauce, I went out scouring store shelves where I bought up whatever remaining old stock I could find. The very last expiry date I was able to find was November ‘08.
When Heinz took over production of HP Sauce in Canada, the recipe changed with it, and although the Canadian HP Sauce recipe hadn’t resembled it’s British cousin in quite some time, it was a very good sauce in it’s own right – thick & spicy, ideal for bacon, steak & potatoes. The Heinz produced sauce on the other hand is thinner in both taste & texture. It no longer possesses that wonderful tingly aftertaste, the type of lingering flavour which reminded you of why you used HP Sauce in the first place. The new sauce fades quickly on the tongue and only serves as a reminder of what this sauce used to be; this despite the “100 Years” which now appears on the Heinz produced label. This is why I spent time digging through store shelves looking for old stock.
I’ve often wondered why the Canadian branded HP Sauce ever veered away from the original recipe at all. I once thought that perhaps it might have succumbed to some sort of Canadian food regulatory commission rule which forbade spirit vinegar in this type of product. If that were the case however, how is it that the wonderful Lea & Perrins original Worcestershire Sauce managed to escape unscathed? A quick look at it’s ingredients list will tell you this sauce has so far remained unchanged, with Spirit Vinegar remaining as one of the primary ingredients. It even retains its Royal Warrant, something one doesn’t see all that often anymore. The only other brand I know which also carries it is Carr’s water biscuits, a product I also buy regularly. Still, all is not rosy for Worcestershire however, and I fear for this sauce as well. My last visit to the supermarket revealed a new Heinz branded Worcestershire sauce standing right beside the Lea & Perrins. I was so disgusted, I didn’t even bother with comparing labels. Perhaps it’s time to stock up on it as well.
Another sauce which faces the November ‘08 deadline is the bottle of HP Mexican Chilli which David Bradbury so kindly sent me all those months ago. This sauce was also quite unique and it remains a favourite of mine, especially on burgers where it is absolutely fantastic. It however also faced a quick extinction as Heinz quickly stopped it’s production shortly after its introduction – only months after the buyout of HP Foods.
With the weather, the brown sauce scene looks rather bleak here in Canada. The one possible exception being small bright spot in the form of Branston’s Brown Sauce (Thanks Steve!) which at last account is still available at a local British import shop. For the time being however, the North American Brown Sauce market remains virtually ignored and untapped.
-Brad
*A quick shout out to Mandy who has sent in a couple photos recently. Thank you, your contributions keep things fun!
*Another shout to Rajesh who sent in a photo a few days ago. I’m not sure WHAT that was you sent, or whether it was even entirely appropriate (undetermined), but hey if it floats your boat…
