By David MacDonald I have been a registered nurse for over 25 years,” Angela said with an undeniable sense of duty and purpose tethering her rhythm as she spoke. “The big focus of my nursing career has been on healthy lifestyle choices. I know that natural whole foods produce a degree of health that brings peace of mind and enjoyment of life that you don’t get by sitting on the couch eating potato chips, for example.” As a former administrator of two assisted living facilities in the State of Florida, and the administrator for several Home Health Agencies over the years, Angela’s business acumen is bolstered by her bedside manner. “I am a nurturer; that’s why I went to nursing school in the beginning. I want people to feel good about themselves and the choices they make in life. Food is an integral part of any healing process and our products are designed to promote that healthy lifestyle.” “Choosing nutritional foods really helps improve your immune system and your overall good health,” Angela continued. “Foods like peppers, and datil peppers in particular, actually can provide health benefits. They contain capsaicin, which is the active ingredient in peppers, which is a proven pain reliever. There are a lot of creams and rubs, medications, over the counter things that contain capsaicin for things like arthritis, for example. It has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, decrease inflammation or swelling in joints; it boosts your metabolism; it can help reduce the risk of things like heart attack and stroke; and peppers are high in antioxidants and vitamin C. They also stimulate endorphins and dopamine, which are For Angela Bean’s line of Old St. Augustine Gourmet products the proof isn’t only in the pudding, as it were, anymore – it’s on the mantelpiece. (Well, what she can fit on the sill is there, anyway.) Old St. Augustine Gourmet took home first place at the 2018 Scovie Awards for Angela’s handcrafted Datil Jerk Jamaican Seasoning Blend; first place at the 2017 World Hot Sauce Awards for her Sweet Heat Datil Pepper Bar-B-Que Sauce; and second place for her Fountain of Youth Datil Marinade at the same international competition. When Angela spoke with Spotlight on Business in early August from her home on Florida’s North Atlantic Coast in America’s oldest city – the San Agustin colony predates Jamestown (1607) by 42-years – the Volunteer State native was fresh from four more triumphs: “I just yesterday learned that I have four products that were garnered awards at the International Flavor Awards. The awards were for first place for my Snake Bite Datil Pepper Hot Sauce, which is a Louisiana-style hot sauce, and first place in the ‘Pickled Veggie Category’ with my gourmet Jalapeño Onion Relish, which is great on hamburgers and hotdogs and it’s really good with vegetables, greens or beans of any kind. My Snake Bite Salsa won second place in the ‘Medium Salsa Division’ there, as well. And my Fountain of Youth Marinade won second place in the ‘Marinade Division’ – so that’s a double winner for me.” What might surprise you about Angela is that she hasn’t been known as ‘The Datil Pepper Lady’ for very long. Her relatively recent foray onto the stage of competitive craft gourmets came after careers as a public educator and a registered nurse, respectively.
Old St. Augustine Gourmet Foods
WORLD HOT SAUCE AWARDS
Most Awarded Datil Pepper Products in the Nation
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DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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