Kingston, OH 45644
740.642.6334 website
The people at Ben’s were pretty humble when I stopped by their booth at the Troy Strawberry Festival, but that website has everything you need to learn about this product. They sell only one two things and are damn proud of it. The joy of street festivals for me is that little places like Ben’s get to show off their products, and you really do get a taste for what you’ve been missing. Too many people pass these places by without recognizing them, and in this case it’s a real shame to miss. Sauces like these are what make food interesting.
Well, the mustard is apparently the only product on the menu until recently, but it’s actually surprisingly different. I’ve never tasted anything like this, it’s got the very subtle hint of mustard flavor in the background, but there’s an overriding sweetness and spice to it, almost like the sweet chili sauce you might find in certain chicken wing sauces at chains. There’s an almost Asian quality to it. After the sweetness has hit you immediately, there’s a more subtle and warm heat, and the mustard seed flavor is tucked into there neatly. It’s shocking, really.
Then, of course, there is a new barbecue sauce option. It’s got the same hat trick the mustard has, but in the backdrop of barbecue flavor. It may be the new item on the menu, but it’s better to me. I can envision this sauce going very well on barbecued ribs or pulled pork. I can think of a few places which have tried to do a sweet and hot sauce, and not as well. Well done, Ben’s.
Flavors to try: Obviously the mustard is the star of the show here, but I actually think it goes better in the barbecue sauce.
Another Food Critic 