by Marilyn Hawkes | Photography by Angelina Aragon
Exotic Hot Sauce
Shone Rowley grew up smothering his food in Frank’s RedHot sauce. “I could practically drink that [stuff] when I was a kid,” he says. Rowley’s love of hot sauce eventually led him to create his own fiery brew and gift it to friends and coworkers. In 2024, Rowley developed nine varieties under the Rippin’ Rowley’s Gourmet Hot Sauce brand: Caribbean Fire Inferno; Smoky Garlic & Vinegar; Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic; Thai Green Lemongrass Curry; Thai Peanut Curry; Fiery Fruit Fusion; Kickin’ Curry & Habs; Ghostly Curry (all $10); and Rippin’ Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic ($12). His sauces run from mild to “chile head” hot and can be dabbed on everything from nachos to rice dishes. “It’s not just hot to be hot. You’re also going to enjoy the flavors,” Rowley says. Thai Green Lemongrass Curry has been a top seller, but for those who have courage and like it hot, Rowley recommends the Ghostly Curry.
Rippin’ Rowley’s Gourmet Hot Sauce
Saturday Bagels
During the pandemic shutdown in 2020, Valley chef Christopher Fregozo helped out a friend at a farmers market, and the experience inspired him to found Bagel Daddies. In October 2021, he started selling his bagels ($2.50 each) at Uptown Farmers Market on Saturdays. Fregozo, whose day job now is teaching gifted elementary school students, mixes and rolls the bagel dough on Thursday, letting it proof for 36 hours. He and his team return to the kitchen Friday at midnight to “boil and bake” 500 to 1,000 bagels depending on the time of year, and then head to the market early in the morning. His core bagels include everything, jalapeño-cheddar, sesame and plain, along with his most popular cream cheese flavors, Chinese chili crisp and elote ($6.50, half-pound). Fregozo’s bagels are chewy outside, pillowy soft inside and divine with or without cream cheese.
Bagel Daddies
Olive & Penelope
Small-Batch Cookies and Candy
Alison Bunde is a fourth-grade public school teacher in Scottsdale who admits to having a “big” sweet tooth. Growing up, she was surrounded by women in her family who were expert cooks and bakers. “There was always an array of delicious candies, nuts, pies or cookies to finish our meals,” she says. Following suit, Bunde sells small-batch confections under the Olive & Penelope label, using local organic ingredients whenever possible. She fashions dreamy cinnamon-laced candied pecans (from $10) and buttery, crunchy toffee (from $8), along with velvety peppermint patties ($12) and soul-satisfying dark chocolate peanut butter cups ($8). She also creates gifts and favors for weddings, showers and graduations. Stay tuned for a new caramel and chocolate shortbread cookie in the works. Find Bunde’s small-batch, hand-made candies and spiced pecans at Sphinx Date Co. or on her website.
