June 11, 2009

BigSis, I haven't had Joe T's Salsa Picante in so long; I think I forgot how much I used to like it. For quite some time now, my favorite has been the Trader Joe's Double Roasted Salsa.

Sometimes when I really, really love something so much that I know I won't be able to resist it, I don't let myself buy it.

Well, this salsa is one of those things, like Crunchy Cheetos. (I absolutely cannot have those in my house.) I usually only buy this when we have guests. I got it out yesterday after school for HayHay and some of his friends. There won't be any left for me, so I had myself ‘one perfect chip'.

Doesn't get much better than this!

Not that the salsa itself has any fat or is bad for you at all! It isn't! It's actually quite healthy! Here are the ingredients:

Tomatoes, water, double roasted anaheim peppers, onions, cilantro, cider vinegar, jalapenos, lime juice, sea salt, garlic, cumin, black pepper.

The green chilis are roasted peeled and roasted again. The double roasting process give this salsa such a smoky flavor.

For two teaspoons, there are only 10 calories, no fat, and 140 mg. of sodium.  It's so hard for me to describe the flavor of this salsa. It's very unique! I think it is the smoky flavor that I like so much. I can't even taste the cumin or the cilantro, which makes me happy because sometimes those can be overpowering.

I love the texture because there are no large chunks. And yes, I still buy Pace Picante Mild Extra Chunky for SirHoney! Ick!  I prefer a smoother consistency, so this is just perfect. This salsa would be so good on eggs or veggies.

So, why do I not buy it more often?

Because I have no willpower, that's why! When I have this salsa, I must eat it with these! The best darn tortilla chips ever! We said adios to Tostitos when we discovered these.

What a Perfect Pair!

Unfortunately, there are no Trader Joe's in Texas, as most Texans probably already know. Sorry, BigSis! I've heard that there are some Texans that load up their cars and trucks with coolers and drive on over to Arizona for their favorite Trader Joe's products. I've come to believe that's probably true.

That could be your next outing with SisMama, BDot and Aunt C!  Here's a cool map showing all of the current Trader Joe's locations and locations coming soon!

So, BigSis, I guess when you're in my ‘neck of the woods', I'll share some of the TJ's Salsa with you and when I come to ‘Big D', you can have some Joe T's ready for me.

Or maybe on my next trip, I'll bring a jar with me and we'll have a real live Salsa Showdown!

~LilSis

June 10, 2009

Do you remember that episode of Seinfeld when George and Jerry were sitting at the diner, talking about how salsa had replaced ketchup as the #1 condiment, and they mentioned how fun it is to say “salsaaahhh”?  So funny.  I think about that every time I say salsa.  And here in Texas, I say salsa a lot!  My favorite salsa has always been Joe T Garcia's, from the cult-favorite restaurant in Fort Worth.  I was at Central Market today, and it occurred to me that maybe…just maybe…there is a better salsa out there?  I'm so fickle!  I decided to conduct a little informal research to see if my favorite is indeed the best of the best, or if I'm just stuck in a closed-minded salsa rut.

First up is our challenger, Central Market's All Natural Hatch Green Chile Salsa Roja.

• Ingredients:  Tomatoes, green chiles, diced onions, tomato paste, lime juice, fresh garlic, fresh serrano peppers, vinegar, cumin, salt, black pepper, cilantro.
• Appearance:  Brownish brick red.  I see some dark flecks that indicate some of the ingredients were fire-roasted.  Nice!  The consistency is pretty thick, but not quite a puree.  You can still see some bits of onion throughout.
• Flavor:  Delicious and slightly complex.  The top note I get is cumin.  The salsa is smoky and spicy, but I was expecting it to be hotter with the two chiles.  I could have used a little more heat.
• Overall impression:  I love that there are no preservatives, chemicals or ingredients other than those I could find in my own kitchen.  It tastes fresh, and I do like it.  But would I buy it again?  Mmmm, probably not.  I think I'd like to try the green verde version of this salsa to see if  it has less cumin flavor since I'm not a huge cumin fan.  To me cumin is like cilantro or goat cheese.  Either you love it or you hate it; not many people are ambivalent about it.

And now the defender: Joe T Garcia's Salsa Picante in Mild (there are Medium and Hot varieties, but I know they're too hot for me).

• Ingredients:  Tomatoes, onions, green sweet peppers, green chile peppers, salt, vinegar, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cilantro and spices.
• Appearance:  Bright red, and very chunky with visible pieces of tomato, onion and peppers.  When you open the jar, the salsa needs to be stirred to get the juice married back with the chunks.
• Flavor:  Wow!  A burst of fresh tomato, garlic and peppers with a tangy background from the vinegar.  Even the mild has a fair amount of pepper heat.  I love it.
• Overall Impression:  Somebody get this jar away from me!  I can't stop eating it!

The Verdict:

Get in your car right now and drive to a store that carries this salsa!  If you can't do that, direct your fingers over to Joe T's web site and order yourself a case of his Salsa Picante.  You can get 12 jars for $30 plus $15 shipping, which is a bargain in my book, folks!  That' s less than $4 per jar, shipped!  You WILL thank me!  This stuff is awesome in queso instead of Rotel, or poured over a soft brick of cream cheese, or just gobbled up with chips.

Hey, LilSis, you're a fan of Joe T's Salsa, right?  Can you get any good salsa out there in Califor-knee-yah?  I know SirHoney doesn't like too much heat, so I'm wondering if you're still buying Pace brand? Now you can order from Joe T himself!  Viva la Salsa!

~BigSis