Store bought salsa and chips

[ranitidine]

I prefer Desert Pepper Trading Co. brand. The one with the corn in it, the two olive roasted garlic and, out of category because its not a salsa but very tasty, the spicy bean dip.

Edited January 19, 2003 by ranitidine (log)

[Jaymes]

Thanks for the recipe, Jaymes.  Of course, I've got a dumb question about it... how do I go about removing the water from a tomato?  I know I'm a pain, but I've got to learn these things someplace!

You're not a pain! You're a delight.

Many years ago, at my grandmother's arthritic knee, she told me a few things that were very important. And some of them involved cooking.

One of which was that the stuff in the tomatoes is not "tomato juice." It's just water, and it'll water down anything you put it in. Which, if it's a watery dish anyway, like soup, is just fine. But if it's not, like a tossed salad or something, you don't want water in it.

"So, My Dear," she said. "You must learn to 'shake hands' with the tomato."

With a circular motion and a sharp knife, you core the top of the tomato. Then, you stick your fingers into it, as though it were a small, soft little bowling ball and, holding the tomato upside down over the sink, wiggle your fingers to expell the water.

After that, halve the tomato, sprinkle it with a little salt, and set the halves on a paper towel, cut side down. Give it a few minutes, and you should have drawn out most of the liquid.

Then, it's ready to be cut up for a salad, or whatever and it won't dilute your dressing.

I don't mind a little of the tomato water in my guacamole, so I don't usually do the salt/drain/paper towel step, but I always do the "shake hands" step.

Good luck, "2" (if I may call you by your first name).

[snowangel]

I use the canned ranchero primarily for cooking - don't think it's so good as a dip.

Diana likes it as a "condiment" for roast pork or chicken, and likes it as a spread for sandwiches when mayo/mustard aren't what she's looking for.

[Jaymes]

I use the canned ranchero primarily for cooking - don't think it's so good as a dip.

Diana likes it as a "condiment" for roast pork or chicken, and likes it as a spread for sandwiches when mayo/mustard aren't what she's looking for.

Yeah, like pico de gallo - it IS good that way, you're right.

[juuceman]

Nona's Kitchen chips, available at New York area Whole Foods do it for me.. they come in a BIG paper bag.. fresh.. baked then fried.. they're almost as good (and sometimes better) than the freshly fried chips from the local mexican restaurants..

i was hooked from the moment the three year old kid ripped open and started in on one of the multiple bags his dad was loading into their shopping cart..

[mudbug]

Mrs. Renfro’s Green Salsa

Can't have taco's without it. Deeeelish!

[Human Bean]

I can't think of any canned or jarred salsas that I particularly liked. Herdez Salsa Casera was almost okay, but WAAAY oversalty, IIRC. And none of them are particularly hot - to me anyway.

Almost the only pre-made salsas I've bought in the last few years are more-or-less locally made salsa fresca in a plastic tub from the refrigerated section of the market. And most of those are not that great, just better than the overcooked jarred stuff.

Chips? Tostitos, whatever. It's too much work to fry them myself, and my kitchen ventilation is essentially non-existent, so the oil smell lingers for days.

[kiliki]

I've never had a good store bought salsa, including Herdez. The only really good salsas I've ever bought have been fresh from Mexican groceries. It's so easy to make salsa I haven't considered buying it in ages.

I like Que Pasa thin style chips (harder to find than regular Que Pasa).

[babyluck]

I like the Desert Pepper Corn, Black Bean & Roasted Red Pepper salsa (here). With chips, I've been pretty happy picking up anything that comes in one of those paper bags with the plastic window. I believe Chef Garcia is one of them and the other is Que Pasa, which I don't see as much. I like yellow corn chips that approximate the fresh ones you get at restaurants. Until these new brands started cropping up in stores, I would buy those store-brand round yellow chips (like for nachos at the roller rink)--the ones that were just called TORTILLA CHIPS--rather than buy into the Tostito's empire.

The TJ's fresh salsa is pretty good for a change of "pace" but a little heavy on the cilantro for my taste. Much better than the supermarket equivalent, though.

[Timo]

ah - i agree with the desert pepper fans out there. roasted corn chipotle is my favorite. of course, in texas it is hard not to go with the fresh stuff since it is so readily availiable and usually cheaper.

as far as chips (and i won't count chips from restaurants/local markets) i really like the mission brand chips (any variety is good). maybe they are just fresher, so they taste better, but they are also very salty which is important for me.

once on 'the splendid table' they did a chip and salsa tasting, and i think they ended up saying the utz chips and tostitos salsa were the best, or some similar meshuggeneh idea. not sure where their tastebuds were.

[hotstepher]

I recently discovered that Aldi of all places has some great new salsas in thier refrigerated section, under thier new "gourmet" foods store brand "Grandessa." My favorite is the fire roasted, but all 3 kinds were good. The hot jalepeno flavor was pretty darn hot...well, for me anyway. They all taste pretty fresh for store bought, and they don't have any scary preservitivey chemicals on thier ingredients lists. I think there are Aldis all over the place, aren't there??

for chips my favorite thing to do is toast flour tortillas in the oven with some kosher salt sprinkled on top. Or whatever's on sale...

[Pickles]

Goya Salsa Pico de gallo. I put this on everything, I swear. Comes in a glass jar and tastes like freshly-made. It's not thick and "cooked." I don't do chips much. And when I do, I just grab the bag I know--can't think of the brand right now.

[chow guy]

Sadies Salsa ...It's simple and HOT

[Mabelline]

Herdez. Nuff said.

[johnjohn]

I was in a Mexican grocery today and found a few salsas by Herdez. They had them both in a jar and in a can. Is there any difference in taste between the two?

johnjohn

[kellycolorado]

when I lived in Colorado Springs and couldn't get good tomatoes 10 months out of the year, Frontera Grill's chipotle salsa was always in my pantry.

I found the Herdez salsa casera in the can well priced but WAY too salty. Otherwise it would have been a great solution to my salsa desperation the past 3 years.

[beegew]

Tostitos Organic Salsa is pretty darn good for just a jar off the shelf. Eaten with the Tostitos of your choice, of course.

[Papaya]

Any opinion on those little bowl-shaped chips - "scoops", I think they're called? Not sure of the brand. I don't think the flavor is that great, but I have to admit, they're great for getting a good amount of salsa at one go.

[stevea]

I'm quite partial to Flameboy for it's smokey hotness. Plenty of varieties, all good.

[adoxograph]

A quick dinner of nachos last night (wasn't hungry, but was still hungry) reminded me that I really like Del-Rey chips - local to Chicago, don't know how far they are distributed. I'm mostly in favor of the homemade salsa, but if I buy, I buy Hair of the Ferret from our farmer's market.

Nice fresh flavor, and I have yet to find ferret hair in the salsa.

[Camdon]

I was* a big fan of Seeds of Change spicy garlic & cilantro salsa. Excellent for an over the counter salsa. In the chip arena I would vote for Bearitos yellow tortilla chips.

We are lucky enough to have a local source for both chips (Taco Loco) and salsa (Mexico in Alaska) but it is doubtful you would find these treats outside of the 907 area code.

*my salsa eating has been sidelined by a growing tomato allergy.

[Mabelline]

As to johnboy and your question about Herdez in jars or cans, I always have bought the cans because they are perfect for one recipe worth of flavor, and some on the side. I am an addict of their green sauces. It is a kickbutt base for green pork.

Camdon; you ought to try their green sauces too! No tomatoes, tomatillos, but they aren't mutual with allergies, are they?

Edited April 3, 2004 by Mabelline (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

Bringing this topic back to ask if anybody else has tried Tostitos Gold chips? I bought a bag yesterday and have found them quite good. They're thicker than most chips, a little less salty, and are designed to dip without breaking. They're also a little more expensive than regular chips (same price, but for a 12-oz bag instead of a 14-oz bag).

They definitely handled the guacamole I made for dinner last night. I like the thickness (more like deep-fried tortillas) and they have a nice corn flavor. I think they'll be my go-to chip, at least for now.

I also note that the bag I bought is partly in Spanish; something I haven't seen on American chips before.

[Jason Perlow]

UTZ makes solid tortilla chips, in really good flavors. I like their "Guacachip" and their blue corn.

[mnebergall]

I found this fresh salsa at Harris Tetter the other day that is just dynamite. I think it was called Jack's Jamaican and it came in two styles, the medium hot and the scotch bonnet pepper. Both are great. The Scotch Bonnet stuff starts with the heat on the back of your tongue that moves forward. Caution: ring of fire potential is high.

spelling edits

Edited June 11, 2004 by mnebergall (log)