I do make some simple ones myself for the very reason you mention. The local sauces are very bad, primarily tasting of vinegar which I despise in a hot sauce, which is why I despise Tabasco sauces as well. I take the hottest chilies I can find and dry them. Serrano and Habanero are available from time to time. Jalapenos are not hot enough so I ignore them unless I am using them in something fresh. I take the dried chilis, , a can of Famosa Salsa Condimentada, lime juice squeezed from local limes, some onion, some garlic, and cilantro (when I can find it). Put those things in a food processor and I have the best I can find.
Instead of the Famosa Salsa, if you want a sweet hot sauce you can substitute mango. If you want a lower powered hot sauce you can buy crushed red pepper flakes and/or powdered red pepper and use that to obtain the heat level you want.
I know it's popular, maybe even a sport, but I never understood the hot chili thing. Maybe it's like soccer, something else that's beyond my comprehension.
My old bar, Gecko's, was known for it's winged, nekkid or breaded (I like breaded, but opinions vary). We had numerous sauces, some not peppery (garlic Parmesan was popular), but some HOT, up to "Nukulur" :cheeky:.
Every Friday for months, three construction guys came in for beer, wings and music after work. The conversation was always the same: "I want the hottest wings you have." We served them, very hot. They always had the same complaint: "These ain't hot wings!"
This began to irritate "Chef." He wasn't a real chef, but had the sensitivities of one. He took the complaint seriously.
So one Friday morning he came to me with some of those Moruga Scorpion peppers, and asked permission to crush them up and put them in the sauce for the construction guys. He had an evil grin. So I checked that our insurance policy was in effect and said "go for it."
So later that afternoon the same three guys came in, the regular scenario was repeated: "We want to hottest wings you have." Sure, buddy...:ninja:
Wings came out, the guys started chowing down...and they started to look at each other and sweat, asked for more beer and water. Not a word was said. Just sweat and red faces. They looked painful. They ate those wings very, very slowly, their ego trumping their common sense.
I came over and asked "How're the wings?"
Not a word. An occasional gag reflex. Face sweat dripping onto the plate. Trips to the john. More water. One ordered milk.
They left early.
A week later they came back in and ordered the "regular" really hot wings. :cheeky:
[video=youtube;maRvfNrntfk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maRvfNrntfk[/video]