Usage, prevalence of “rooster sauce” and “cock sauce”

Sriracha sauce is a kind of chili sauce named for Si Racha, Thailand, but in the United States many people call it “rooster sauce” or “cock sauce” after the prominent rooster logo on a popular brand of the sauce.

^{Photo by Memphis CVB}

Most people I know in the San Francisco Bay Area just call it “Sriracha,” but I occasionally hear the nicknames too. I originally assumed that more serious folk would only use the “rooster sauce” name, with “cock sauce” reserved for jokers and provocateurs* because of the double entendre. As food blogger Alan Sytsma notes (emphasis added):

After all, how many condiments have their own nicknames? Ketchup? No. Mustard? Not a chance. But Sriracha? In a nod to its bottle many connoisseurs simply call it “cock sauce,” a name that is as bawdy and virile as the sauce itself.

However, I recently heard a man in Green Bay use the “cock sauce” nickname quite matter-of-factly, with none of the usual vocal cues that would indicate irony or innuendo. That got me to wondering just how prevalent those nicknames are – and in particular, how many people use “cock sauce” without sniggering.

How widespread are the “rooster sauce” and “cock sauce” nicknames for Sriracha sauce? Are there any significant examples of English speakers or writers using the latter term in more sober contexts?

^{* Like me.}

Solution 1:

As a New Yorker, I'm use to most people simply referring to it as "Sriracha" (sir-ah-chuh). Pretty much every cooking show and TV chef refers to it thusly.

Occasionally, fans of the stuff will call it "rooster sauce". This is also useful terminology for people who have only tried the stuff a few times in a sushi restaurant or something (they're more likely to remember the rooster on the label, rather than the actual name).

Cock sauce tends to only be used here for the humor of the double entendre.

Unsure of how common the American-styled Sriracha is outside of America, but the rooster/cock terminology can be broken down like so:

"Rooster" is a term that originated in the United States, and it's also common in Australia and New Zealand, which is why the nickname "rooster sauce" is more common than "cock sauce" in these places ("cock" appears to be considered vulgar in at least these 3 countries as well).

"Cock" is more common in European countries, so when referring to the American-styled Sriracha, "cock sauce" would be preferred, and probably cause less snickering.