Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Salsa: Some like it hot

Texture: Slightly chunky
Flavor: Hot peppers!
Price: $3.49
Where purchased: Publix
Refrigeration: Yes
Website: Yes
Spiciness: 8
Grade: A

Garden Fresh Gourmet's Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Salsa is named such because it contains Jalapeño & Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Peppers. The name is a bit misleading because I associate Jamaica with sweet flavors such as pineapple. I almost decided not to try this salsa out until I read the ingredients list and found that there was no pineapple or any other tropical flavors within.

Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Salsa is indeed hot as the packaging notes. It tastes very much like their Jack's Special Medium sans the cilantro and with the addition of many, many peppers! If you are a fan of hot peppers, you will love this salsa. The heat is not tear-inducing, but neither is it for the weak of tongue. Give it a try if you like hot salsa.

my luck changes!

Just as soon as I write about living a sad, lonely salsa-free life, my luck changes. First, I attended a Tour de France party and my taste buds were graced with a homemade masterpiece of a salsa made by a bike shop owner. He is going to sell his homemade salsa (rumored to be made with homegrown tomatoes) locally to raise money for charity. I'll post where to buy it if he does indeed sell it in the Birmingham area.

Next, I was at Publix and I decided to take a look at their fresh salsa section, having given up on it several months earlier. And just as Garden Fresh Gourmet owners Jack and Annette promised, Publix has begun to carry their products. Hooray! The selection was scant, but perhaps that means people are buying their salsas. I chose to try out a new one called Jamaican Scotch Bonnet salsa, and I'll review it in the next post.

And last, Maria at Garlicster emailed to offer some of her own salsa recipes. Since my tomato plants are now producing fruit, this is the perfect time to try out some homemade salsa. Recipes to follow soon.

the salsa drought

Alas, woe is me! This town has no good salsa, other than what can be found at Mexican restaurants. Even the Mexican restaurants serve salsa mild enough for geriatrics. If I want to eat good, spicy, authentic Mexican salsa, I must grab the chance when I'm visiting family in Dallas.

I haven't been eating chips and salsa at home lately because I became frustrated after the last few poop-in-a-jar salsas I tried. The groceries nearest my home, Publix, Bruno's, Wal-Mart, and Piggly Wiggly, do not carry any salsas that are worth even a sniff. (Though I will give credit to Bruno's occasionally available Vincent's Market salsa, which is made in-house and sold in their deli department.)

I will have to be patient while awaiting the construction of a new Whole Foods Market in my city of residence. I tried a few salsas while visiting their New Orleans store and thought that Whole Foods has done a good job with product choices. In the meanwhile, I sent in a product request form to Fresh Market to request my favorite Jack's Special Medium.