Tip the cheese powder into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Whisk about 45 seconds, scraping the sides, until no dry powder shows. I use a glass bowl because paprika stains plastic.

The paste should look like thick orange pudding. One snowy afternoon I skipped this and stirred dry powder into the mayo. The sauce felt sandy, so I started over. Press stubborn lumps against the bowl, then whisk 20 seconds more.

Add the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne to the paste. Whisk for 30 seconds, until no pale streaks remain. The mix darkens to brick red and thickens like wet sand. Cumin and smoke should reach your nose first. Scrape the bottom twice, because paprika hides there.

Pour in 1 tablespoon of hot sauce and whisk for 20 seconds. The mixture loosens a little and turns glossy. Smell it again. The vinegar tang should now sit under the cumin and smoke, not on top of them.

Scrape 1½ cups mayonnaise into the bowl in three scoops, so the spices do not splash. Fold with a spatula, then whisk in slow circles for about 1 minute. The sauce should look one even salmon-orange. A spoon should leave a ridge that holds its shape. White streaks mean more whisking.

Taste a dab on a spoon. Add a pinch of salt for a flat taste, or ¼ teaspoon cayenne for more heat. Go light. Cayenne keeps building as it rests, so heat tastes lower now than it will in an hour. For a sauce that runs too hot, fold in 2 more tablespoons of mayo.

Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill for at least 1 hour. I left mine for 70 minutes while I shredded lettuce for tacos. Chilled sauce sets up noticeably thicker, and the sharp raw-spice smell fades.

Stir once more and spoon the sauce into a pint jar. Press the lid on tight. The sauce should fall from the spoon in a slow ribbon. Wipe the jar rim with a damp paper towel so the lid seals clean. Label the lid with the date.