Somehow, this jar of salsa has survived intact since we got back from our Texas trip to ZestFest. Judging from how much we liked it when we tried it, I thought we would have demolished this during an afternoon of snacking during college football or something.

Well, it’s now been demolished. Consumed. Finished.

For those who don’t remember, we did a Featured Product writeup on Big Dawg Salsa back in March of this year. We were fortunate enough to have received a nice care package of salsa from Candy & Darrell, which we enjoyed immensely. Since then, they’ve added some new products to their line (such as seasonings…which we plan to review as well) and added some new salsas, of which this is one of those. It clocks in at “medium” on the heat scale, but is something really special in regards to taste. The ingredients list looks like this:

Ingredients: tomatoes (tomato juice, salt, citric acid, calcium chloride), onions, lime, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, garlic, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, red pepper, and other spices

Unlike some products we try where we come up with novel or alternative uses, this one was destined for the chip & dip snacking that salsa really goes with well. So, we poured ourselves a bowl of chips, dumped this salsa into a big dip bowl, and then began to snack away.

Initial impression: This salsa has an amazing aroma to it. The lime and garlic scent leaps from the jar, with a faint amount of cilantro. Unlike some salsas we have had recently which have been thick and chunky, this one sits at the other end of the spectrum. It’s thinner, more well-blended, and more liquid-y. It reminds me of the more traditional Mexican salsas that we eat whenever we go out to our fave eateries for Mexican food.

Taste: Delightful, addictive, and with moderate heat, this salsa is well-balanced and nicely combines a delicate blend of tomatoes, onions, and garlic without letting the lime overwhelm the flavor profile. Its chile pepper heat comes from the jalapeno, and is medium at best (4/10). I know that I have had the tendency to eschew some milder salsas in the past, but this one is perfect at its level of heat. Even the spices used, such as cilantro and salt, are so well-blended such that the combination of flavors is so much more than their component parts.

Overall Recommendation: Thin, tasty, and addictive, I polished off a jar of this salsa in a single sitting with a small bowlful of tortilla chips. Moderate in heat and maximal in flavor, you are likely to get a lot of enjoyment from this salsa. Similar in style and consistency to more traditional salsas, I bet this salsa would go well with a variety of Mexican-style foods such as tacos, burritos, etc. It has a great label & graphics, which is more appreciated if you know where the title comes from as well. Snacking with this salsa was a pure joy. Hopefully, you’ll get some for yourself and see if you agree with me. Enjoy!