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Feeling Hot Hot Hot! Product Review: Chilli Boy Spicy Olives

The Chilli Boy team in action

We’re always keen to support local artisan food producers here at Food and Wine Portugal. When I recently posted an article about piri-piri chicken, somebody asked in the comments if we’d heard of a local producer called Chilli Boy, based just down the road.

Fast forward a few weeks, and my wife had arranged to meet the people behind Chilli Boy, who produce a range of exciting chilli-based products from local ingredients.

The Chilli Boy team in action

The Chilli Boy team in action

As a rule, the Portuguese don’t really “do” hot and spicy, so when my wife returned with a bag full of hot treats I was excited, to say the least.

We’ve not yet had a chance to try all of the products, although we are doing our best. However, I like Chilli Boy’s Pickled Chilli Olives so much that I thought they deserved a post of their own.

I should make clear at this point that our praise cannot be bought, as you’ll see from some of our honest restaurant reviews. On that basis, believe me when I tell you that these olives are now something I never want to be without.

They ARE hot, but not too hot. They taste of pickles, but somehow are not too “pickly.” Interestingly, they taste fresh and fruity, and somehow not that much like olives, making them a great thing to give to guests who’ve yet to make that essential love / hate decision on the whole subject of olives…

They’re just really….interesting. The kind of food you want to talk about, and say “you have to try these!”

And that’s probably the best way to leave my quick review…you have to try these.

Chilli Boy olives - now a staple item in our kitchen!

Chilli Boy olives – now a staple item in our kitchen!

You’ll find Chilli Boy products on sale around the Tavira area and on their website. We have others to work through (it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!) so expect to hear more on this blog soon.

DISCLAIMER: While we were given Chilli Boy samples free of charge, we would never sacrifice the integrity of this blog by bending the truth. All opinions are our own!