Spice Up Your Life with “Saucy Queen” Michele Northrup of the I Like It Hot! Festival

<p>If you can’t stand the heat… then grab a glass of milk. We’re spicing things up with Michele Northrup, better known as the Saucy Queen.</p><p>Whether you love spicy food, or you feel your mouth burning when you hear a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I think you’ll enjoy today’s conversation. Michele Northrup owns <a href="https://intensityacademy.com/">Intensity Academy</a> hot sauce company and co-produces the annual <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ILikeItHotFestival">I Like It Hot! Festival</a>. </p><p>This year’s event takes place Sept. 10 and 11 at the Largo Event Center. I visited Michele at her home in Tampa’s Northdale neighborhood to discuss her favorite ways to spice up a meal. She also also offered advice for introducing spicy foods to kids and for cooling down your mouth if things get a bit too intense. Speaking of intense, stick around for the taste test at the end of the episode. Thanks to Michele’s husband, Atlas Cortecero, for assisting with that.</p><p><strong>Related episodes:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://thezestpodcast.com/s2-episode-22/">“Burger Beast” Sef Gonzalez on Florida’s Best Hamburgers</a></li><li><a href="https://thezestpodcast.com/s2-episode-21/">Real-Life Willy Wonka: Meet Peter Behringer of Sweet Pete’s in Jacksonville</a></li><li><a href="https://thezestpodcast.com/s3-episode-16/">Come Fry With Me: Florida State Fair Funnel Cake Queen “Mama Jane” Harris</a></li></ul>