The Tangy 12

Here's a link to a Slate article on the national salsa championships:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2114691/

This isn't so much a "national championship" as one writer's taste-test of jarred salsas. It is a clever title though...it pulled me in.

As someone who never willingly eats supermarket salsa (it's too easy to make) I mostly scanned this article when I came across it. Nevertheless, I did learn something new: I had no idea that salsa companies add capsaicin to control heat. Seems ridiculous to me when chiles are a perfect delivery mechanism for capsaicin, and they bring a ton of flavor to the party.

Best,
Michael / EC

EC wrote:I had no idea that salsa companies add capsaicin to control heat

I had a former employee who sold essential oils and flavorings early in his career. One of his clients was a horseradish producer. To maintain the level of heat, if that is the appropriate word, they purchased garlic essential oils. If the horseradish crop was fresh from the harvest they did not require the garlic. As the horseradish aged in storage awaiting processing, then the amount of garlic essential oil used increased over time. All in an effort to provide the customer the same horseradish flavor and sinus clearing experience throughout the year.

Another client made spaghetti sauce who discontinued purchasing his garlic essential oil for an odd reason: his employees had taken to drinking the garlic essential oils. Stunning news when small quantities of essential oil equated to hundreds of cloves.

Peppers vary extremely from one pod to the next: adding capsaicin lets them closely regulate their heat quality control. I've had jala-yos* that I can eat on breakfast cereal (not that I have), and poblanos too hot to be used on an unsuspecting family for chiles rellenos.

Even when dealing with the vat-sized batches I'm sure the major manufacturers use, it's good to be able to balance their levels. For the same reasons, I'm sure they add glacial acetic acid (vinegar without water) and sugar to balance the tomatoes.

You'll say, "If the jalapenos aren't cutting it, drop a few habaneros in!"

But the flavors are different, and still hard to control.

* jala-yos are jalapenos without the pain

JoelF wrote:You'll say, "If the jalapenos aren't cutting it, drop a few habaneros in!"

I would never suggest such a thing as I am clearly aware of the flavor differences.

Thanks for the information. I know very little about the chemistry involved in mass food production.

Imbalanced and unpredictable as they may be, I'll just stick to the salsas I can whip up at home.

Best,
Michael / EC