The perfect time of year for salsa
This is the perfect time of year to prepare and enjoy fresh salsa. The generic, but now out-dated definition of salsa is: a spicy sauce of finely chopped vegetables including tomatoes, onions, and chilies. To limit salsa to those few ingredients would severely impact the creativity of many people whose salsa recipes include interesting and exotic ingredients such as mangoes, papayas, cranberries, peaches, pomegranates, black-eyed peas, and much more. Today, salsa is clearly defined by the individual willing to combine fresh ingredients with some spice and pair the result with the appropriate vehicle.
Historically, the condiment of choice on many tables was ketchup, but sales of salsa surpassed ketchup several years ago. Although statistics vary, no one appears to question that the salsa market is growing annually. Commercially prepared bottled salsa has a longer shelf life than fresh salsa, and thus refrigeration of fresh salsa is very important. We had an opportunity to experience this need for care first-hand after receiving a container of fresh salsa from a friend. She evidently didn't realize that salsa ingredients can provide the perfect environment for bacteria growth, and when the container was opened, it nearly blew up. Fortunately, our friend was not present to witness the excitement.
This week's chicken and watermelon salsa recipe appeared in the June 2005 issue of Cooking Light, and has been enjoyed at our house on numerous occasions. We usually double the amount of salsa since it disappears quickly. This salsa is also quite good with grilled fish.
The origin of the crab cake recipe is a bit more obscure since it was obtained at least 15 years ago from a magazine that appeared, even then, to be at least 50 years old. The recipe was copied onto the back of a bank deposit slip, and once it was tasted and modified, it immediately became a favorite of ours, and is frequently requested by visiting friends.
