When she isn't teaching algebra and trigonometry at Torrington High School, Tam McAnelly has the hottest summer job in Wyoming, traveling around the state promoting her homegrown line of sauces and seasonings Hot Tamn's.

"The business started by accident in my garden," McAnelly said. "One year, I grew too many peppers, so I made hot sauce. I had so many bottles, I gave them away to all my friends and they kept asking for more."

Seven years later, Hot Tamn's now produces 13 flavors of hot sauce, ranging from mild to insanely wild, along with four seasoning blends, honey, mustard, oil, nuts, and candy. Her hottest sauce is a blend of ghost peppers, Carolina Reaper peppers, and Trinidad Scorpion peppers that registers at over two million Scoville heat units.

"It is called 'Normally Not For Sale' because we normally run out of it," McAnelly said. "I've tried it and it's way too hot for me, but people love it."

McAnelly is in the process of expanding her brand this summer. She's building a commercial kitchen and plans to have Hot Tamn's available in stores by the end of the year.

"Hopefully, it's gonna be my retirement," she joked.

In the meantime, she'll be promoting Hot Tamn's at farmer's markets and events around the region before returning to the classroom in August for her 15th year at Torrington High School.

Tam McAnelly
Tam McAnelly
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