When I was a young girl, I spent some of my life in Boca Raton, Florida and in the Caribbean as my father filmed a deep-sea fishing show with the former star of the show Emergency, Robert Fuller. I think that heavily influenced my love of seafood and the flavor profiles that go with it. 

Like most humans, I like different flavors in my foods. After all, life would be pretty boring if everything we ate were salty, for example, wouldn’t it? And while you might think you could subsist on a diet of only sweets, I can assure you that after a while a saltine cracker would look like the nectar of the gods! Thankfully and therefore, the “food gods” have seen fit to give us variety. We have both sweet and savory foods to enjoy. 

Recently, while experimenting in the kitchen, we at Bellisari’s, have created a perfect blend of the ever-elusive sweet to savory ratio! We have hit upon just the right blend that will keep you craving and coming back for more.

Let’s talk about this (we have to understand a few terms) – What is the difference between sweet and savory? The most basic definition is that sweet food has the flavor or taste of sugar or honey, while savory food is not sweet, but rather full-flavored and sometimes spicy.  

Now that we have that settled, let’s talk about Adobo sauce. Adobo Sauce is a rich, reddish brown, earthy flavored sauce synonymous with chipotle peppers. It’s a traditional Mexican sauce made with ground ancho and guajillo chiles that has the consistency of a thick BBQ sauce,

Adobo sauce is to Mexican cooking what mirepoix is to cajun cuisine. (Considered key to many amazing recipes and often called the holy trinity of Cajun cooking is onions, carrots, and celery or “mirepoix.”)

In Mexico, Adobo sauce is typically found covering chipotle chiles (smoked jalapenos). Made from chili powder, vinegar, garlic, and herbs, this sauce was originally used to marinate and preserve meats and is fantastic in so many Mexican and Tex Mex dishes. Chipotle en adobo is a staple in Mexican cooking. The result is a spicy, smoky, deeply flavorful ingredient that is added to salsa or to a pot of cooking beans, soups, and stews like pozole to deepen the flavor. The sauce can be used as a marinade by itself or combined with other ingredients. These days, you can purchase canned chipotle en adobo in most supermarkets in the U.S.

After the Spanish conquered Mexico in 1519, they brought adobo to kitchens there; this time as a vinegar-based marinade similar to the version found in Spain. They adapted adobo to use ingredients endemic to the region, using local chiles like ancho and guajillo instead of pimentón. 

From its Spanish origins, adobo is an immersion of flavors such as paprika, oregano, garlic, and vinegar. Paired with the sweetness of honey and pineapple, Bellisari’s has made this luscious combination a sure hit for your next gathering. Try pairing it with a pork shoulder for an easy “Taco Tuesday” night dinner.

Sweet and savory flavors often go together in the same dish. Pork roast may have a glazed apple topping. Asian dishes often have sweet sauces, but are also flavored with garlic and onions. Glazed carrots blend sweet and savory flavors, as does sweet corn cooked with salt and pepper. Sweet pineapple is a popular topping, along with ham, for pizza with a Hawaiian flair, for example.

It is sometimes difficult to make a distinction between sweet and savory. Both work together and separately and allow cooks to give food maximum flavor and appeal. And our newest product is no exception to that rule. Try our newest offering, Bellisari’s Honey Pineapple Adobo Spread! This versatile spread can be used as a marinade for pork chops, chicken, shrimp, short ribs, and just about any other protein you might want to prepare. Simply served with goat cheese and crackers, as a pizza sauce or on flatbreads, atop a juicy burger, or even in a cocktail, the taste of the tropics won’t be lost on you!