Bergenfield—Nathan Kruman, a Teaneck native, did a brisk business during the height of pre-Shabbat shopping last week at Grand & Essex, as he debuted an exciting new hot sauce for the kosher marketplace. Combining traditional hot spices with “ancient herbs from the Middle East,” Burning Bush hot sauce uses a combination of unexpected tastes and scents that seek to “turn up the volume of underlying flavors in a wide variety of foods and beverages while subtly reminding you that it’s there, with a pleasing amount of warmth,” Kruman told JLBC.
The name for the hot sauce, Burning Bush, was born when Kruman’s friend, co-founder and now business partner Neil Wernick, became fascinated by the stories of the ancient spice route that he heard in 2005, while participating in the Hazon Israel Bike Ride from Jerusalem to Eilat. Wernick then attended Hazon’s 2008 Jewish Food Conference in Monterey, CA, and then began producing sour pickles using old Eastern European recipes.
“On a visit to Philadelphia, after sampling a particularly wonderful batch of pickles, I shared a dream with Neil to produce a kosher-for- Passover hot sauce named Burning Bush,” said Kruman. The shared venture, ENTU, LLC, took off, even though the product isn’t kosher for Passover (yet)! “We realized that if we were to produce Burning Bush, we were committed to creating an exceptional flavor that would be worthy of its name, unique among sauces, and resulting in remarkable culinary experiences,” said Kruman.
Kruman said that Burning Bush can be combined at any stage of food preparation or used as a condiment to bring out unexpected flavor nuances. He said it pairs well with grilled meats, fish, or vegetables, and improves soups, sauces, and dips. “Among our personal favorites are roasted vegetables, lentil and mushroom barley soups, grilled lamb, egg dishes, French fries, hamburgers, hummus, and salsas,” he added.
“We have always enjoyed interesting cuisines and mindful food experiences. Neil’s fascination with world spices and seasonings took him down a path of fermentation, pickling, sweet, hot peppers, and multicultural spice blends. And my love of cooking—and eating—led us to this new rewarding and professional relationship,” Kruman said.
Burning Bush’s hot sauce is produced in a family-run, Star-K certified plant in New England, where they are able to work with their recipe. They also “let us have a big hand in production,” so that the pair can be there to taste and tweak each run, Kruman said.
Kruman said they are grateful to be working with Star-K Kosher for their hechsher. “I found working with the Baltimore and the NY/NJ offices, and particularly, Rabbi Shmuel Heinemann and his exceptional staff, to be an educational and positive experience. They have all been exceedingly helpful at every step and we look forward to doing more with them,” he added.
Burning Bush is now being sold in six stores in three states, with a few more in the works. Locally, the product is available at Best Glatt, Glatt Express, and Grand & Essex. It is also now in the Riverdale Kosher Market, at Pomegranate in Brooklyn, and at the Creekside Coop in Elkins Park, PA, where Wernick is based.
In addition to the tasting demo at Grand & Essex last week, FillerUp Wines also hosted an evening tasting, where Kruman mixed Burning Bush not only with cholent, but also with single malts and bourbon. “Truly unique experiences,” Kruman added.
Kruman also said that more products are in development by the company, and also, that Burning Bush is in conversation with restaurants in Bergen County, Manhattan, and Philadelphia about serving Burning Bush as a table condiment and using it as a cooking ingredient. “In fact, one chef in Philadelphia already brines lamb shoulder for two days with Burning Bush and a few special ingredients, before slow cooking it for six hours,” he said.
Fans and potential fans are invited to go to the website at http://burningbushhotsauce. com, or follow Burning Bush on Facebook and Twitter to find out the latest stores carrying Burning Bush, or where to attend a tasting.
By Elizabeth Kratz
