It’s the simple things.

Everyone knows that the simple pleasures in life is what makes life so great. A simple appetizer of endless chips and salsa at any Mexican restaurant might be one of the genius and addictive ideas. If your anything like the average human, you know how hard it is to not fill up completely on chips and salsa before your meal arrives (but who can blame you, it’s addicting!)

Origins of Salsa
Salsa — which literally means sauce in Spanish, can be traced all the way back to the Aztec, Mayan and Inca civilizations. The first encounter of salsa by the Spaniards was recorded in the early 1500s, but Central America inhabitants had been making these salsa dishes for many centuries before that. The Aztecs were among one of the first to use the tomato in these original salsa recipes which included a mix of chiles, squash and beans along with many other ingredients. This traditional recipe would be passed on to later cultures and eventually into Central America and the United States.

Salsa in the United States
Salsa consumption expanded beyond Hispanic areas to the United States in the 1940s. It is said that Charles E. Erath of New Orleans was the first manufacturer to bring salsa to the market in the 1940s and in 1984, Texas became the home to the first salsa manufacturing site. A year later, La Victoria Foods opened Salsa Brava in Los Angeles further expanding the salsa consumption in the United States. The most popular salsa still to this date, was a type of salsa cruda (meaning raw sauce) of Mexican extraction. Another name for this is salsa fresca meaning fresh salsa. As many other large corporations such as El Pasa Chili Company and Pace Foods stepped into the market, the number of American households that consumed salsa on a regular basis steadily increased.

Salsa Today
Salsa is now one of the most popular condiments next to ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. The great thing about salsa is how versatile it is. You can either add it to a dish to spice it up or eat it as is it in all of its simple glory. If you need some recipe inspiration, check out our blog for exciting recipes such as carne asada marinade or cowboy breakfast bowls, that your friends and family are sure to remember!