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

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.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 Intensity Academy hot sauce company and co-produces the annual I Like It Hot! Festival. 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.Related episodes: “Burger Beast” Sef Gonzalez on Florida’s Best Hamburgers Real-Life Willy Wonka: Meet Peter Behringer of Sweet Pete’s in Jacksonville Come Fry With Me: Florida State Fair Funnel Cake Queen “Mama Jane” Harris