Dreams really do come true! Oh my freaking gawd you guys- we spotted this national treasure, this absolute icon at Ceiba Beach yesterday and I was fan girling SO hard. The indominable, the emblematic, Marie-gatdamn-Sharp! Marie Sharp’s hot sauce is basically on every table in the country- she’s a household name here- as recognizable as Kleenex or Pampers. Often imitated, never duplicated. She grew her pepper sauce empire from humble homemade beginnings to the international sensation it is now. (available in more than 30 countries!) I’ve always wanted to meet her so it was beyond cool to share the pool and restaurant space at Ceiba Beach Resort in Maya Beach yesterday with her. (the paparazzi-style cover photo is credited to 7-year-old Mitch, who was also starstruck)
We decided to meet friends for lunch and a swim at Ceiba Beach yesterday even though a storm blew in and poured buckets of rain. I’m not complaining- we’ve had hardly a drop of rain for weeks and weeks, and the heat and humidity was becoming downright oppressive so yesterday’s sudden drop in temperature and profusion of precipitation was a welcome reprieve. It also meant we had the place almost completely to ourselves. We enjoyed some chitchat, handcrafted cocktails, and munchies (I got some buffalo cauliflower tacos that sounded interesting and I was not disappointed…blue cheese, cabbage slaw and pickled onions- so flavorful) before the skies began to clear. We were sitting around the pool and wrapping things up when another party of people came in. The GM, Kyle, got them situated and casually (not so casually because he was also super excited and starstruck) mentioned who was who at the table.
I don’t even care that we came across as total creepers; I’ve only seen the Queen of Peppa Sauce out and about in-person one other time and that was at Hopkin’s Mango Festival like 3 years ago. I wanted a photo with her then but everyone was asking for photos and she looked harassed and fed up with it all so I chickened out. Not this time! I interrupted her Mother’s Day lunch (she ordered the seafood chowder and a mojito) for a selfie… sorry Marie, I had to!
I am hooked on her hot sauce, I use it daily and if people ask, I always tell them Marie Sharp’s mini bottles make a great souvenir to bring home from your trip to Belize (I’ve said it before and I stand by it: consumables are the best gifts). If you don’t “do” hot sauce (what’s wrong with you?) then I recommend sampling from her line of jams and jellies. Phil is a Tropical Mixed Fruit Jam man. My mom loved the Green Mango Chutney with cheese and crackers. I’m partial to the Guava Jam and if I need a super quick and easy appetizer I like to pour a jar of the Habanero Pepper Jelly over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers- so good! Of course, you can’t forget the Belizean Season All; it’s a staple ingredient in my Stew Chicken the White Gyal Way recipe. See?! Marie is a legend… I feel like we’re kindred spirits and perhaps destined to be best friends. Maybe this is our Mother’s Day meet-cute and the next time I run in to her I’ll say, “Do you remember when I accosted you over lunch at Ceiba? How was the chowder?” And she’ll say, “Yes I remember. The chowder was great.” Then I’ll say, “I bet it would be better with a bit of your Smoked Habanero sauce in it.” She’ll agree and we’ll both laugh and laugh and make plans to have a glass of wine. Over wine, I’ll ask her what’s next and she’ll confide in me that she plans to campaign for Prime Minister, which I’ll enthusiastically support. She’ll win election by a landslide, I’ll become her most trusted aide and ally, and from there it’s a cake walk to world domination.
