Review - Gringo Valley Original 10 Pepper Salsa
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I get a kick out of when old standbys get a new lease on life. Just last month, I discovered a new company called Born to Hula Hot Sauces begetting a promising line of condiments that while they offered something with their own spin, they still retained the classic flavor profiles of sauces you already know and love.
Gringo Valley carries that spirit with their Original 10 Pepper Salsa, a complex coalescing of various chiles (ten, hence the name) that form the base for what deep down is a reliable and utilitarian salsa. This Ohio outfit prides themselves in not only producing a delicious food item, but also one that is gluten-free, contains all-natural ingredients, and has no additives or preservatives.
Ingredients:
Roma tomatoes, banana peppers, spanish onions, tomato paste, yellow bell peppers, red bell peppers, orange bell, green bell, jalapeno, anaheim, cherry peppers, fresno chili peppers, cayenne, habanero, distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, parsley, spices
Aroma:
3.5 out of 5. Really nice and inviting, with a luxurious blend of chile peppers, tomatoes and a hint of onions.
Appearance and Texture:
5 out of 5. Incredible! THIS is how I love my salsa textured: thick, generously hefty, delightfully chunky, but not containing ingredients that are too large in size. It pours magnificently, scoops up easily with a chip and clings to food without having a watery mess dribble down the sides of your meal onto your plate.
The 10 peppers in this salsa - Orange Bell, Red Bell, Yellow Bell, Green Bell, Anaheim, Banana, Jalapeno, Cherry, Red Chili, Cayenne and Habanero (wait - isn't that 11?) - provide a multitude of gorgeous colors that make this mouth-watering to gaze upon.
Taste Straight Up:
4 out of 5. There's nothing that will shock or surprise you. Gringo Valley Original 10 Pepper Salsa is a consummate condiment and dip that is traditional and classic. Fresh tomato flavor abounds here. This possesses a wide-ranging palette of juicy chile peppers that's hard to pinpoint from bite to bite, with soft, supporting roles from onions, garlic and spices. One chomp might expose some more pungent chiles while others feature sweeter, coolers peppers. The roller coaster taste and heat isn't all that drastic, though. It's still relatively consistent, but be forewarned that depending on the amount of salsa you scoop up, the level of fire can change.
Although this next point should not be misconstrued as a negative in any way, I'm not sure what Gringo Valley sees in including the high number of peppers that it does in this salsa mixture. I wonder if they would be able to accomplish the same taste with a fewer number of chiles? (As a side note, Gringo Valley also makes a 7 Pepper Mild Salsa.) Well, as long as the end result is a good one (and it definitely is in this case, in my opinion), then Gringo Valley could use 20 chile peppers if they wanted to.
Taste On Food:
4.5 out of 5. Gringo Valley really shines with a simple bag of tortilla chips. If you don't expect anything exotic or life-changing out of this, it's hard to find a better all-purpose, basic salsa with which to munch on for a game-time snack. If you're like me, you'll plow through a half a jar in no time.
For breakfast I often I love to fry up diced potatoes top perfection and top it with shredded cheese. To add some pepper-induced flavor and spice, I'll spoon on generous portions of salsa or a thick hot sauce. This time out a coated my meal with a heavy dose of 10 Pepper Salsa. I'd be hard pressed to find a better pepper and tomato mix to go with my plate of potatoes. I scarfed it down and wanted more.
Heat:
This packs considerable burn for a "generic" salsa, registering at a 2 or 2.5 out of 5. Translated, this would be mildly warm for chileheads or spicy for heat-seeking newbies.
Label:
3 out of 5. Not bad, with a large photo of several dozen peppers laid out on a table. I would have preferred that the brand name and the name of the salsa be a bit larger and more prominent.
Overall Rating
Both the the Original 10 Pepper Salsa and the Mild 7 Pepper Salsa can be obtained at the Gringo Valley website.
Related Articles:
Spicy Food Reviews - Hot Sauce Reviews, Hot Snacks, Hot Wings, Seasonings, BBQ Sauces, Condiments, and More
Comments
2011-08-23 21:16:01
2011-08-23 22:34:21
2011-08-24 08:04:53
2011-08-24 08:51:35
Thanks Scott for keeping us up todate with new products.
2011-08-24 09:52:31
Thanks Scott!
2011-08-24 23:31:00
This stuff looks great. I can almost taste it through my monitor. . .Looks almost like a chutney of sorts. Yum.
2011-08-28 12:03:52
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