Medium hot
Smoky & Sensual
The mother sauce and Chef JP’s signature blend—rich, smoky, and subtly sweet with notes of blackberry, cacao, and fire-kissed earth. Crafted with sea salt, cold-pressed oils, and pure spring water, it’s never diluted with vinegar, sugars, or artificial fillers. Medium in heat, deep in complexity, it transforms everything from eggs to broths into pure, alchemical magic. She is the one you’ll return to again and again—once tasted, never forgotten.
Mild Hot
MILD & MAGNIFICENT
The reddest "Salsa Verde" you’ve ever had—smoky Morita chilies meet roasted tomatillos, garlic, and onions for a perfect balance of earthiness and brightness. Mild in heat but bursting with flavor, it’s your go-to for tacos, quesadillas, and the ultimate chips and salsa experience. Like lime and salt in a margarita, it just belongs.
Crazy hot (Picoso Loco)
FIERY & FIERCE
For the hard-core heat connoisseurs who need to burn to know they’re alive. Chilies are grown and ripened to a rich and crimson red. This sauce takes Smoky + Sensual to the next level, with extra chili oils and fruiting body for a deeper, more intense heat. Dark, smoky, and slightly sweet, it lingers on the tongue with a bit more fire. Perfect for chili, queso, grilled meats, and anything that needs a bold kick.
Morita’s Legacy: A Story of Friendship, Flavor, and Fire
Morita began its journey in Mexico and has since crossed borders, carrying with it the spirit of tradition, warmth, and a hint of smoke and spice. When I met Abuelita—a woman in her eighties, wise, nearly blind, but still sharp as a chili’s edTo change the font size, follow thesege—she immediately took to the chocolates I’d brought, savoring each bite until her granddaughter, herself nearly forty, gently intervened after the sixth piece.
Abuelita embraced me warmly, remarking on my distinctive scent. Despite her frail frame, her presence was magnetic, radiating the kind of warmth that only a life well-lived can provide.
Her granddaughter, a woman of intelligence, wit, and undeniable charm, stepped in as translator and guide. There was an instant spark between us—a playful banter that danced between mentorship and flirtation. She spoke with pride about her grandmother’s legendary salsas, her eyes flashing with mischief as she teased me about my ability to handle the heat.
Abuelita, her senses undimmed by age, picked up on the energy between us. She offered to let me sample her salsas, and I, eager to impress, prepared quesadillas for us all. As we worked side by side, the granddaughter—a force of nature herself—showed me the secrets of her family’s kitchen, her laughter infectious, her touch light and electric.
Through laughter, translations, and shared joy, Abuelita sensed my respect and admiration for women, and the genuine affection I felt for her granddaughter. The air between us was charged with a subtle, spicy energy—flirtatious glances, playful challenges, and a mutual appreciation for tradition and flavor.
Lady Morita is an artisanal hot sauce brand founded by John-Paul Abernathy, designed to cater to food enthusiasts who crave vibrant, complex, and smoky flavors. Rooted in Napa, California, our mission is to redefine the hot sauce experience by crafting premium, small-batch nuanced sauces that stand apart from the typical vinegar-based varieties dominating the market.
Our hot sauce is a tribute to the sacred art of alchemy—where chilies transform, fire purifies, and flavor awakens the soul.
the spirit of morita
Turn your daily dining experience into a cherished ritual
ALCHEMY
Lady Morita is more than a hot sauce—it’s a transformation formulated for daily pleasure. Rooted in ancient tradition and crafted with reverence, each batch is a fusion of fire, earth, and time-honored technique. Each bottle of sauce is carefully crafted in small batches using high-quality, sustainably sourced, all-natural ingredients carefully chosen with intention.
Premium ingredients
We believe that exceptional flavor starts with the highest quality ingredients. Our hot sauce is made with carefully selected, consciously sourced elements—smoked Morita chilies, artisanal spring water, and cold-pressed oils—ensuring a depth of flavor that is bold, balanced, and uncompromised. There are no vinegars, no fillers, no artificial additives or preservatives, just pure, potent taste.
Handmade in small batches
Lady Morita is more than a sauce; it is a craft. Each batch is handmade by Chef JP with careful attention to detail and blended to taste, allowing the flavors to develop in perfect harmony. The process is slow and intentional, respecting the traditions that were passed down through generations. This hands-on approach guarantees that every bottle carries the same magic and intensity as the one before.
CONSCIOUSLY SOURCED
We honor the land and the people who cultivate it. Our ingredients are sourced with integrity, from the farmers who grow our chilies to the water that flows from mineral-rich springs. By prioritizing sustainability and ethical sourcing, we ensure that our hot sauce not only tastes incredible but also respects the environment and the communities that make it possible.
Limited Production. Exceptional Quality.
Seasonal Allocation
With strict quality control and small-batch craftsmanship, Lady Morita is a rare, limited-production hot sauce featuring unique flavor profiles you won’t find anywhere else. Each special edition release is available in limited production—join the list to request your allocation.