AUBURN — In theory, Autumn Apple is for kielbasa, Big Red Buffalo for wings, Zing-Zang for beef stir-fry or seafood and Slammin’ for pulled pork.

But really, anything goes.

“It’s barbecue sauce, there is no wrong answer,” Liza Dimitri said.

After selling at craft fairs and to family and friends for six years, Dimitri, a science teacher-turned-stay-at-home mom, got serious about commercializing her sauces this fall.

Five flavors of Hoosier Mama’s BBQ Sauce are already in more than a half-dozen local stores.

She’s the Hoosier Mama.

Dimitri, who graduated from Edward Little High School in 1992 and Indiana University in 1996 (hence the Hoosier pride), said she’s always loved to cook. The sauces started with her trying to find a flavor to pair with pulled pork.

After a taste, “My mom said, ‘You really need to do something with this,'” Dimitri said.

Her mother, who worked at Lewiston High School, organized an informal focus group of students and staff to try the sauce and create a name. They came up with Slammin’ as a nod to the kick and a nod to basketball.

Slammin’ was Dimitri’s one and only for a long time. She experimented with more flavors and got commercially licensed over the last year.

In August, she approached Wallingford’s Fruit House as her first potential retailer.

“‘I’ll take a case of each’ — I was expecting . . . I don’t know what I was expecting,” Dimitri said.

But not that. She brought in 120 jars.

“Within 10 days, Mr. Ricker called back with another order,” she said.

Peter Ricker, who operates Wallingford’s, decided to stock Hoosier Mama’s after the sauces passed a taste-test among his crew. It’s one of three or four locally-made brands he carries and he’s reordered a few times now.

“We’ve had very good feedback,” he said.

Dimitri began making batches in a six-quart pot in her kitchen; she’s moved up to a 16-quart pot. She makes each batch to order, and it’s a several-hours process. There’s lots of weighing and precision.

“That’s where the science is to my advantage,” Dimitri said.

She describes Slammin’ as “tangy with a kick.” Sweet Hot BBQ is just that. Autumn Apple has apple puree. Zing-Zang has Asian flavors. Big Red is her take on Buffalo sauce.

Her ingredients are simple, staples such as apple cider vinegar, ketchup and brown sugar. Dimitri sterilizes each glass jar, prints each label and includes a little handwritten batch number.

She’s hoping homemade touches like that help her stand out in a crowded barbecue sauce market. Dimitri also believes Hoosier Mama’s is tangier than a lot of sauces on store shelves.

“There’s heat but it’s not painful,” she said.

The youngest of she and husband Brian’s three boys started prekindergarten this fall; she’s slid the sauce business into those now-free mornings. Dimitri takes orders over her website and offers shipping, delivery or pickup. Sauces sell for $8 for 16 ounces, the “mama” size, and $6 for 8 ounces, the “teaser” size.

She’ll be at the Auburn Middle School craft fair this Saturday. It’s been an overwhelming, but happy, winter and fall.

“Since it’s just me, I don’t want to outgrow myself,” Dimitri said. “My No. 1 thing is just to enjoy it.”

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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