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“Raleigh company’s barbecue sauce has made big impression with memorable name”
	Honey and molasses give western N.C.-style sauce sweeter taste” “Raleigh company’s barbecue sauce has made big impression with memorable name”

“Raleigh — Let’s face it: When you name a product “Bone Suckin’ Sauce”, you’re making quite a statement.

You’re saying that the sauce is so good that people literally will want to eat every last drop - a pretty bold assertion given how picky barbecue aficionados can be about their sauces. You’re also saying that you’re a company that’s willing to take chances, unafraid that the name will be seen simply as a gimmick that overshadows the product itself.
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HOT, HOT PEANUTS
S A V E U R Magazine	The Ford family brings a new level of flavor to these familiar snacks
THE FORD FAMILY of Raleigh, North Carolina, has a way with peanuts, and with names, too. In 1999, the Fords came up with the idea of marinating roasted local jumbo peanuts in the freshly pressed juice of merlot and chardonnay grapes harvested from the vineyard of their now defunct winery, J. Berry Brown. The family christened these unique peanuts Wine Nuts --which sounds better than Juice Nuts -- and they proved to be an immediate hit. The Fords subsequently introduced two other types of marinated nut, margarita and mocha coffee, and last summer, launched Jalapeno Nuts, the first of a planned line of spice-flavored foods under the evocative name Fire Dancer.

The same premium local peanuts used for the other varieties are dusted with powdered garlic, onions, and jalapeno, along with paprika, sugar, and salt. As you bite into the crunchy treats, each of those flavors comes through and the heat builds gradually, without ever becoming overwhelming; the overall effect is deliciously unusual. The judges at the 2005 annual Fiery Food Challenge in Houston obviously agree: they voted the product the Best New Snack Nut in the United States.

Eight members of the family work for various food-related enterprises, including Ford’s Produce, founded in 1946, and Ford’s Gourmet Foods, which produces the specialty peanuts--which are all-natural, soy-and gluten free, and kosher--as well as various award-winning condiments. Family matriarch Sandi Ford is the imagination behind the operation, dreaming up new products and catch names. “She sits at her computer at the desk behind me,” says her son Patrick, the company’s marketing director, “and when she starts giggling, I know she’s come up with something.”

Fire Dancer Jalapeno Nuts cost $8.99 for an 11 ounce tin, plus shipping. To order, call 800/446-0947 or visit www.TheNCStore.com.

-- Sonja Toulouse
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