Dank Sauce Story

 

Do you remember the first time that you tasted something that changed the way you thought about food? Sea salt, prosciutto, wasabi or honey from the comb?

I grew up on a fruit farm outside of Gervais Oregon. It was a cold summer morning in 1989; I was 10 years old & for me…it was Chipotle!

Lunch on the farm was very much a group event and everyone contributed. On this particular morning I remember our crew boss lifting the hood of the Massey Ferguson tractor that exposed a large tinfoil bundle of bean burritos resting on the engine. They had been there all morning to keep them warm. Jovito handed them out one by one & Keno distributed the hot chocolate.

Jovito asked me, “You want some salsa (sauce in Spanish)?” Of course, I said “ohh no, I don’t like spicy”. In disbelief he grabbed my burrito and slather the “salsa” all over the beans inside (I don’t know why he even asked!). Begrudgingly, I took the first bite expecting a disappointing flavorless inferno of beans. However, It was quite different….It tasted and smelled of fresh cilantro, garlic, smoked jalapeno & roasted onion. It changed the way I looked at lunch & I couldn’t stop thinking about his sauce.

After that day I always found myself sitting with Jovito during lunch & he was always ready to share. After a few weeks of devouring his amazing sauce every day he asked me, “do you want to learn how to make it”? A week later he showed me the process and recipe and I have been making it ever since.

I have since had many of these OMG moments with food, but remember this as my first. Jovito had something special, and was always willing to give up his last bit of salsa or his last burrito. This sparked something inside of me & made me realize that food can bring people together and is meant to be shared.

Our sauces are described as flavor first with a bite in the back. It is easy to make something hot, but a nice balance between flavor and spice creates something really special. Thank you for checking out our sauces and we hope that you share! 

The challenges of suicide and mental health are a real part of our life & Dank Sauce is dedicated to contributing a portion of every sale to suicide prevention and help raise awareness for mental health.

Thank you!

Cody Bell

President / CEO