News

Contestants in the Chilli eating Championship Finals, Kings Arms 18th December 2011

Foodshow 2011

Herald on Sunday - 31 July 2010

AUCKLAND-MADE GRINGO Killer chilli sauce is so hot even its creator won’t eat it—but dozens of food lovers braved the burning sensation at Auckland’s Food Show yesterday.

Margaret Dagger is the creator of Gringo Killer (‘‘gringo’’ is a Mexican term for whiteman). She said she grew one of the world’s hottest chillies, Bhut jolokia, in her Titirangi backyard and whipped the hot produce into a sauce called Bhutt Burn. ‘‘I mix it with onion, garlic and roast capsicums, which I roast myself at home, so it has three times the ingredients to give it flavour,’’ Dagger said.

The medicinal herbalist, who uses natural products for healing purposes, creates the sauces in her kitchen wearing gloves, a face mask and swimming goggles because the chilly fumes are so potent.

Natalie Knight, a quantity surveyor from Remuera, said it took about five seconds before a wave of intense heat hit her body after sampling Bhutt Burn. ‘‘It sits on your tongue and I didn’t react at first but then five seconds later I was like wow it’s so hot . . . I’ve still got a red face, I’m off to the wine stand now,’’ said Knight.

Taste of Auckland, November 18th - 21st 2010

Elysia Adamson
working on the stand
Customers deciding on what
sauces to taste
A customer that has just
sampled the Big cojones
chilli sauce

Sunday Star Times 25 July 2010

This range of handmade New Zealand chilli products uses local produce.
Read more...

Interview with Charlotte Ryan on 95 bFM Monday 29th May 2010

Discussing how the business was started, uses and recipes for the Gringo Killer range.
http://www.95bfm.co.nz/assets/sm/195888/3/gringokiller.mp3

‘Smashfest’ Saturday 3 April 2010

Gringo Killer helped sponsor a Nissan Skyline driven by Mark Chinnery-Brown or better known as MCB. He was against another 95 cars to see who would be the last man standing, or actually the last car left running.

After being in 12th position at last years ‘Smashfest’ he did not do so well in this one. After completing a few laps the car died, he was then spun around to face oncoming cars, and the inevitable happened. A car equivalent to a head butt put him right out of the competition and out of the running for the $10,000 prize money. But hey, there's always next year.

Before
After

The Food Show 2009

The chilli challenge, was if you could eat a habanero chilli you got a free bottle of sauce. 85 people were either silly or brave enough to take up the challenge.

The women in the group photo looking a bit teary eyed are Linda Cameron, Briar Mirabito, Alanna Whitlock all from Kaukapakapa. The other photo is Nicola Anderson from St Johns Park. She did rush off to find something to cool her mouth with.

All a lot of fun, and a few worried moments when I thought some people had bitten off more than they could chew.

Editorial in The Kia Ora Air New Zealand in flight magazine December 2008


The food show July 31st - August 3, 2008

We had a great time at this food show it was a first for us, and the response for Gringo Killer products was overwhelming, plus we had a lot of fun, even though it was hard work at times.

There was lot of interest and feedback from media representatives, with the one question being asked a lot "What gave you the idea to make chilli sauces? "

This excerpt from Russell Browns Hard News after he attended the show.

"I also liked the Gringo Killer Extra Hot Smoked Chilli Sauce. It's part of a large range of products created in West Auckland by Margaret Dagger, who organically grows (and in the case of the smoky sauce, smokes) her own chillis. I like her attitude. When the Back of the Y guys tasted that sauce during their bFM show last week, they praised its flavour, but observed that it was not as hot as all that. So she sent them her Big Cojones sauce, and brought in a radio to listen to the show while she kept her stand yesterday. Apparently, the Big Cojones sauce was hot enough."

I also met Carlton Crisp who along with Chris Strapp and Matt Heath had tasted the sauces that I had sent to the station.

Mangere Bridge Village Food and Wine Festival in April 2008

Mangere  Food & Wine Festival
Margaret Dagger and Elysia Adamson
meeting the Prime Minister Helen Clark

 

Thanks to everyone for their support. This has been very encouraging for such a young business.
Margaret Dagger
Gringo Killer Gourmet Chilli Products