BBQ SAUCE OF THE WEEK: Black Swan

Did you know - the recipe for the first barbecue sauce ever created came from the cook on a British trading ship?

Just to be clear, that's Black SWAN, not that other notorious British trading vessel - the Black ROCK. Anyway, with its centuries old recipe, the sauce claims to be "all natural." But like some other products that claim to be all natural, it does contain high fructose corn syrup. Did you know - unlike "organic," for which there are strict FDA requirements that must be met, there are no specific FDA requirements to use the word "natural" in a product description? As much as I kid, though, Black Swan's sauce does have a decidedly earthy, wholesome flavor. The sauce tastes more strongly of tomato than most, with onion, pepper, and garlic complements. There is a little bit of brown sugar sweetness and a little bit of vinegary tang. It's not cloyingly sweet or overwhelmingly spicy, just a nice unassuming fresh flavor. 

Grade: B+