News Summary

FAIRFIELD — More than 50 vendors from across the country will turn up the heat at Jungle Jim's International Food Market's Weekend of Fire.

The inaugural Weekend of Fire will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Jungle Oscar Event Center. Vendors will offer tastes of a variety of products from hot sauce to salsa, barbecue, mustards and more.

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Lee Corder, a hot mustard vendor of Madison Twp., holds hot mustard sauces he produces. He will be selling them Saturday and Sunday at Jungle Jim's Weekend of Fire.Click to enlarge

Jungle Jim's stocks the largest selection of hot sauces in Southwest Ohio.Click to enlarge

Owner "Jungle" Jim Bonaminio created the Weekend of Fire after attending the Fiery Food and Barbecue Show in Albuquerque, N.M., said international foods manager Bret Vitek.

"We were out there two years ago, and (Bonaminio) said, 'Why can't we do something like this? Why can't we make it a big demo kind of thing?' " Vitek said.

Hot sauces not only bring heat, but also add flavor to food, which is what Centerville's Sue Siemer said she and her husband like.

"I like spicy, like jalapeno and chipotle," Siemer said while looking for her husband's favorite hot sauce at Jungle Jim's.

Jenna Torres of Alexandria, Ky., said she likes the flavors and the heat of wassabi.

"Not a lot," she said. "I mix it in stuff while I'm cooking."

Lee Corder owns Lee's Hot Mustard of Madison Twp. and specializes in sweet spicy mustard. He also offers dry rubs and party dips.

Corder said Weekend of Fire is an opportunity for local people to experience his heat, which he believes is unique to the region. He also predicts sizzling popularity for the event.

"I can see it becoming one of the larger events in the country because of the recognition and the pulling power Jungle Jim's has," he said.

The Weekend of Fire is 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $3 in advance and $5 at the door. For more information, visit junglejims.com.