While Jeff Porter was in college in Western New York, he and his buddies developed an appreciation for chicken wings and began to create their own spicy sauces. After college, Jeff studied the many peppers varieties and started to give out pepper jams as gifts for family and friends.
His passion only grew from there. Jeff moved to Pennsylvania and began to plant his own peppers almost 15 years ago. When his jams began flying off the shelves of a friend’s deli six years ago, Jeff formed the Chile Spot with his wife Joanne (who is the VP of Salsa Affairs). He’s been a well-loved vendor at the West Chester’s Grower’s Market ever since.
“We offer unique chile pepper products. We try to focus on flavor first and not just burn-your-face-off heat. We want to make something to surprise your guests with or to give away,“ said Jeff, who is known as the Chief Chile Officer.
Chile Spot starts their own seeds and pepper plants, sources local farmers to tend to the crops and buys them back after they have grown. Their products range from mild to wild; their five varieties of pepper jams and sauces come in 10 different heat levels. Their signature sauces are made from fresh chile peppers instead of pepper extract and include Chipotle Finishing, Caribbean Habanero, Fatalii Fantasii and the hottest Jolokia Haze.
The Peach Mango Haberno, Strawberry Habanero, Sweet Red Pepper Jalapeno, Apricot Haberno and Jalepeno Lime Pepper Jams can be paired with a soft cheese and crackers, used as a glaze on meats, stir fry or even on ice cream. Chile Spot sells a large variety of picked peppers, pepper plants and seedlings, relish, salsas, pickled peppers and dry pepper products.
Jeff knew he had a hot product when fellow “chileheads” encouraged him to become a vendor at the Chile Pepper Food Festival six years ago. The 16th Annual Chile Pepper Food Festival, the country’s biggest chile pepper festival, will be on Friday, September 9th and Saturday, September 10th, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m in Bowers, PA. Over 100 vendors pepper William Delong Memorial Park with their goods and sell everything related to peppers including chile ice cream and jalapeno wine.
Spice seekers and “chileheads” can take a behind-the-scenes look at pepper production with a field excursion to Meadow View farm via horse-drawn wagons. Throughout the weekend there will be live music by The Acoustic RoadShow, a salsa contest, a jalapeno eating contest ( we hope they have plenty of milk on hand!) and other hot activities. At the festival, Chile Spot will be featuring a “Red Label” edition of their Pepper Jam with Ghost Pepper (one of the hottest peppers out there) and their newest sauce, Fatalii Fantasii (an eastern Caribbean themed sauce featuring Fatalii and Jamaican Scotch Bonnet peppers with mustard, mango, lemon and island spice)
Chile Spot products may be purchased online, from their booth at the Grower’s Market (every Saturday until November and twice a month in the winter) and a few regional fall festivals. Jeff is a big believer in tastings, so customers can sample plenty of spice before they buy. Jeff’s love of peppers has seeded lots of fans in Chester County. His loyal followers have taken Chile Spot products overseas and around the country as gifts. Plant yourself at the Chile Pepper Festival or West Chester Grower’s Market and grow your own pepper appreciation with Chile Spot products.
