The last time there were reports of a looming Sriracha shortage, my sister mailed me three 28 oz bottles, and Mom sent six bottles along with a Sriracha t-shirt. That shortage never materialized, but I was thrilled with my stockpile. Possessing over 15 pounds of Sriracha made me feel like a super hero.

Now that the Sriracha shortage is real, I’ve received an outpouring of support from friends and family. I imagine my loved ones seeing the headlines and thinking, Oh, no – what will Kelly do?? as they picture me lying on the floor of my kitchen, slowly starving to death in a puddle of tears.

To those of you who’ve shared your concerns: first of all, thank you so much. I had no idea how much love I’d receive in the wake of a Sriracha shortage. Secondly, fear not! In the spicing-up-food department, I’m doing just fine. Here’s my fridge’s hot sauce shelf:

(There’s overflow in the pantry.)

I’ve also discovered a Sriracha substitute from Sky Valley that’s quite delicious, and my husband is busily growing red jalapeños so we can make our own. Here’s how many we have so far:

Better than zero! And aren’t they pretty?

I still miss my Huy Fong standby, but it’s always good to break a dependence, right? I thought I couldn’t live without it, and it turns out I can. That might be even better than having 15 pounds of Sriracha.