Phantom Gourmet: Duck Sauce Taste Test
BOSTON (CBS) -- Phantom recently purchased four jars of duck sauce at a local supermarket. The sweet contenders were Ah-So, China Pride, Joyce Chen, and Sun Luck. See if you can guess which brand ended up at the Top of the Food Chain.
Joyce Chen finished in last place. To start, this tall, thin bottle is difficult to open. But once Phantom finally got to the goods, he was really confused. While this sauce is actually quite tasty, it just doesn't taste like duck sauce at all. Thick and packed with apricots and apples, this condiment is more like a fruity caramel than anything you've ever seen at a Chinese restaurant. If you want something deliciously different, try Joyce Chen, but if you're more of a traditionalist, look elsewhere.
Next up is China Pride. If you like your sauce super sweet, this is the one to eat. This syrupy stuff looks and tastes exactly like those plastic packets that come with bad Chinese take-out. This brand is really just a one-note wonder, hitting the palate with a cloying sweetness and not much else.
The runner-up is Sun Luck. The label on this little bottle says this stuff is all natural, and Phantom was pleasantly surprised to find a short list of easily-identifiable ingredients. With a thin and smooth consistency, this sauce lacks a bit in terms of mouthfeel, but makes up for it in taste. While it starts off fruity and sweet, it finishes with a touch of heat, thanks to a bit of cayenne pepper in the recipe.
At the Top of the Food Chain is Ah-So. This brand has been a New England favorite for decades, and for good reason. Popping open the classic, squat glass jar reveals a dark, thick duck sauce with an addictively complex flavor. Made with apricots and applesauce, this stuff has the sweetness and warmth that taste memories are made of, and it's the perfect pairing with any of your Chinese food favorites. That's why Ah-So duck sauce is at the Top of the Food Chain.
Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.
