Beth H. and I tried out a new-to-her restaurant recently, and wandered around Whole Foods a bit before returning to quotidian life. I picked up this salsa and she said “oh, they’re local.”
Yeah? Cool. I probably should have tried a Jala Jala product some time ago then, but better late to the table than never, Williams.
So what do we have here? Looks like good stuff to me. No water to be seen on the ingredient panel, and vinegar satisfyingly low in the list, playing the supporting role it should. Reads like it tastes good:
This salsa pours satisfyingly. It’s not so thick it’s unpredictable, but you can definitely tell there is no water or vinegar glut here. It’s unambiguously a jar of chopped and pureed vegetables and spices, with a lovely rich color.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from something called “West Texas Hot Texacan Salsa.” How would this set itself apart from numerous superficially similar products?
It’s tasty. There is the familiar tomato-onion scaffolding, of course—it was clear to expect that from the ingredients—but there is a pleasant and persistent garlic bite as well, both in the taste and smell. Moreover, the heat in this product, while no problem for chileheads, is not trivial. It’s not blow-the-back-of-your-head-out, but it does promptly assert itself and then hang around for a while (which is, in my experience, an unusual trait for jalapeno-based heat). You won’t want to serve this without warning to people who don’t like spicy food.
This is a premium boutique product, much closer to truly handmade than any mainstream competitor, so the price reflects that. My 16-oz. jar was $6.99 plus tax, which I consider a reasonable value. The high quality of this product makes me want to explore more of the Jala Jala line, and I’ll be doing so.
8/10
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I bought and liked the corn relish. What I had in the fridge was expired but I figured I could get more. Whole Foods did not have it on the shelves. I asked and found out the owner passed away. (There is an obit online for Jay Short who is on the Team page.) This was good stuff and it was local. I hope they get things going again.