We’ve tried a good number of the Tahiti Joe/Maui Pepper Co. hot sauces, but had totally neglected to do anything with the salsas. Those jars have just sat on our “to do” shelf waiting for one of us to pick it up and give it a try.

After trying it, I just had to wonder what the heck I was waiting for…an engraved invitation?

Now it’s true that we have two heat levels of this salsa in which to try, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the HOT version. Fruity salsas can be notoriously challenging to actually make spicy because of the inherent sweetness of the fruit, but given enough habaneros, I think any salsa could be given a respectable level of heat.

Since this is “Mango Week,” just what did this salsa have in it? A scan of the bottle reveals:

Ingredients: tomatoes, mangoes, pineapple, onions, celery, jalapeno peppers, Balsamic vinegar, carrots, sweet peppers, mustard seed, sea salt, cumin, black pepper, habanero peppers, natural herbs & spices

As is the usual with this line of products, its composition is wholly natural with no additives or thickening agents. I wondered if the presence of habanero peppers so far down the ingredients list would actually make this salsa hot, but there’s of course only one way to find out. Crack it open, grab some tortilla chips, and let the answers just flow….

Taste: I didn’t really do anything with this salsa other than the straight taste, plus chip and dip munching. However, this salsa was so good…I didn’t really feel anything was lost by not stretching its uses out a little further. Even with this being a mango salsa, the mango is so well-mixed with the other ingredients so as to not overpower the taste profile. The taste is strong with tomato and onion, but you get an equal amount of mango and pineapple as well. Just look at the above picture and you can almost see the spices lingering in the mixture. It is a great blend that manages not to be too fruity, and has some heat. Did I say heat? Yep, this salsa packs a little punch. It won’t overwhelm you by any stretch, but it has a nice simmering habanero heat that builds with consumption. I’d call it a 7/10 for heat. Once you’ve had a few tortilla chips loaded with this salsa, you’ll be feeling that simmer going a little.

Overall recommendation: This is one fruit salsa that you can really sink your teeth into, either for munching with chips or even to use as add to any dish where you would use salsa. Well-blended, tasty, and spicy-hot, this salsa is sure to please…even for those who might normally eschew fruit salsas. Grab a jar and a bag of chips and try it for yourself. This salsa’s a winner. Enjoy!

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