Toney's Naturals - Green with Envy and Fire Roasted Red

It's been a LOOONG time since I received a shipment of salsa in the mail to try out. The other day, a box arrived on my doorstep from Toney's Naturals in Nashville, Tennessee. Inside: a container of Green with Envy and a container of Fire Roasted Red. It was evening when I arrived home, so I was excited about skipping dinner in favor of a big snack of chips and salsa. And my mother wasn't around to tell me that skipping dinner is so bad for me and if I skip it, I will get cancer of the colon, breasts, ovaries, lymph nodes, and also a heart attack, by the age of 35. Wouldn't you argue that chips and salsa does make a nutritious, fulfilling dinner? It has corn and tomatoes and onions. And tomatoes have lycopene. So there.

Additionally, Toney's Naturals are made from organic ingredients, so what it does NOT have is pesticides.

Green with Envy

Texture: Small chunks
Flavor: Chipotle, tomatillos
Price: Unknown
Where available: Available by ordering online
Refrigeration: Yes
Website: Yes
Spiciness: 3
Grade: B+

On Toney's Naturals website, the description of Green with Envy says, "An uncanny combination of fire roasted tomatillo; kiwi and fruity habanero. It will make you Green with ENVY!". I'm not sure who would be green with envy - probably the person who does not have easy access to good, fresh salsa. Like me. Green with Envy contains an unusual ingredient for salsa: kiwi. I think this sweetens it up a bit, and a lot of salsas use sugar for sweetening, so kiwi sounds like a smart replacement. The flavor is of fire-roasted tomatillos, and the salsa has a texture typical of tomatillo-based salsas - a little like jelly. If you're a fan of green salsas, this one would be worth trying. I'm not as crazy about green salsas unless I'm pouring it on top of some chicken enchiladas. Green with Envy would be an excellent choice for homemade enchiladas verde.

Fire Roasted Red

Texture: Moderately chunky
Flavor: Fire roasted flavor, of course!
Price: Unknown
Where available: Available by ordering online
Refrigeration: Yes
Website: Yes
Spiciness: 5
Grade: A-

The Fire Roasted Red has a self-explanatory name, with a flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes and a hint of chipotle. The salsa has small to moderate sized chunks of tomatoes, with a moderate hint of jalopeno pepper, enough to tickle the tongue. The interesting thing about this salsa is that it has mangoes and peaches in it. I couldn't taste either one, but it lends a hint of sweetness to the flavor. It's a good salsa especially if you like fire roasted flavors.