History
Part Hippie, Part Irish, All Good.
IN THE EARLY 1960s,
Colleen Clancy went to boarding school in Ireland, where many of the students came from Asia, Africa and Central America. Each came with spices from their homeland and used copious amounts to liven up the boiled and bland Irish fare. It was then that Colleen began to experiment with bold, powerful flavors.
In the mid-to-late 70′s, Colleen found herself in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a place where the culture of natural foods, independent stores, and gourmet food passion came together beautifully. Clancy’s Fancy was first introduced at a vegetarian potluck. Colleen was trying to create real-tasting tofu pepperoni and mixed together the perfect blend of ingredients in an exceptionally delicious sauce. It was an immediate hit! First, friends started asking for “that fancy sauce that Clancy makes.” Then, local store owners and restaurants wanted it. Eventually, it grew into a high-demand business, and the sauce was still made the way it always had been – by hand with quality ingredients.
Clancy’s Fancy has been featured in the books – Food Finds: America’s Best Local Foods and the People Who Produce Them and Fork in the Road with Eric Villegas. It has also appeared in television programs on both Food Network and Travel Channel. Other appearances have included The Great Hot Sauce Book and The Best American Recipes 2003-2004.