The Global Warming Salsa Company was one of those rare finds at the Weekend of Fire 2009 that we were really hoping to see at the 2010 show. With a great philosophy of business, a left-of-center way of coming up with a twist on regular ol’ salsa, and some quality-looking stuff, it was definitely a recipe for success. We brought home two jars of their salsa, and in typical HZO fashion…waited months to crack open the jar and use it.

Ingredients: Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Juice, Crushed Tomatoes (tomatoes, salt, citric acid), Fresh Jalapeno Pepper, Olive Oil, Ginger, Toasted Sesame Oil, Balsamic, Vinegar, Wasabi, Sesame Seeds, Fresh Cilantro, Water, Fresh Green Onion, Limeade (water, natural sugar, lime juice, natural flavors, Dried Chipotle Pepper, Dehydrated Garlic.

Based on our award winning Global Warming medium salsa, this unique taste experience will introduce you to the concept behind Global Warming Salsa. Subtly infused with flavors unique to japanese cuisine, the gourmet taste will surprise you: fresh ginger, toasted sesame, and a hint of wasabi combine to change the way you think about salsa. It becomes MORE than just a dip for chips, it becomes a globally inspired condiment. Awesome taste on fish, shrimp and grilled chicken, it adds new life to lighter fare. It also makes an excellent salad dressing, and if you want to try it on rice, you may never go back to plain rice again.

First impression: We always seem to point out when labels are too “busy” or are amateurish, but new companies ought to look at this label as an example of how you should do it. Very classy, professional label. With all the variety of ingredients, I expected a nice aroma. I was disappointed that it seemed like it smelled mostly like tomatoes and nothing else. A really good job on consistency as well, as it is thick without being chunky. Also, kudos to them for sticking to all-natural ingredients as well. It would have been nice if they had used fresher ingredients, at least in terms of the spices, but that’s an iffy call for a shelf-stable cooked salsa like this.

Taste: Never having tried a “Japanese’ salsa before, we had absolutely no basis for comparison. The added stuff like ginger, wasabi, and sesame seeds are a nice touch, but really only the sesame flavor comes through, Granted it’s a nice flavor, but we had hopes for more of a stronger Asian flavor. The heat is medium, and a solid 5/10, which is just perfect for a jalapeno salsa like this.

Overall, this is definitely a salsa that you can use in cooking. If you ever get bored with the chip & dip eating, try spooning some on some roasted chicken or even liven up some boring tacos. This salsa evaporated in very quick usage once we opened it, and we could easily eat it right out of the jar.

Overall recommendation: A decent salsa from the Global Warming Salsa Company, and makes us want to try more of their products. The flavor doesn’t scream “Japanese” like we had hoped, but what this salsa does have in its strength is accessibility to the masses. Medium heat, great flavor, and attractive packaging make for a product we would certainly buy more of in the future. Enjoy!