Cinco de Mayo is as good a day as any to make the acquaintance of a new salsa.
The folks at Pace, considered a Big Boy in the bottled salsa world, have introduced a new line of upscale, slightly more expensive salsas. They're called Specialty Sauces, come in a wider jar with a more elegant label that bears the signature of founder David Pace. (The regular bottles have a "waist," a very busy label and no signature.)
There are five salsas in the new line: Triple Pepper, with serrano, guajillo and mild green chilies; Pico de Gallo with red tomatoes, chunks of onion and fresh cilantro; "Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso" which sounds redundant to me; Tequila Lime; and Salsa Verde.
They're all an improvement over most supermarket salsas, in that they don't have that slimy texture and in-a-bottle-forever taste. I especially like the Salsa Verde which has a yellow tomato base but enough tomatillos to impart their characteristic tang. It's perked up with garlic, lime, cilantro and smoked paprika. And there's just enough vinegar to make it lively. I also like the smooth texture which is thick enough to hold onto a tortilla chip but missing the renegade chunks that always seem to end up on the floor or the tablecloth.
The Tequila Lime Salsa is quite good, too, with its yellow tomato base, jalapenos, onions and lime juice. There's also some "squash puree" on the ingredient list; I think it adds interest to both the flavor and texture. But, though the word Tequila on the label is bound to sell plenty of bottles of this stuff, I found the firewater flavor missing-in-action.
A 16-ounce jar costs about $3.50 at most supermarkets.
Looks interesting, but I think I'd be creeped out by the weird color.
Posted by: chefdujour | May 06, 2008 at 12:20 PM