Living in the heart of old Mexico (San Diego) I’m fortunate enough to have access to some of the best Mexican food on the planet. From small cheap taco stands to the extravagant upscale restaurants, the city is overflowing with Mexican fare. You can’t drive more than five blocks anywhere in this city without finding another spicy flavor to try.

One of my favorite things in life is spice. I mean, I crave it. My wife can tell you, there are times when my craving for something ultra-hot is like an addiction to crack. I go absolutely crazy if I can’t find something to quell my hunger for total tongue annihilation. Given the fact that I’m a huge spice junky surely headed for an intervention, I find it all the more interesting and impressive that I’m writing this blog post.

You see, a week ago a friend introduced me to a salsa that was so flavorful, so tantalizing, so abundant with goodness that I can’t stop thinking about it. The impressive part is that it has none of the characteristics I normally crave. There’s no spiciness whatsoever to this salsa. This salsa is “Glass Joe” if it were in the ring against other salsas in the spicy salsa federation. It’s so not spicy, I’d have no problem giving a tub of it to my mother who can’t even handle ginger.

The questions I keep asking myself are, what is it with this salsa that makes me write a blog post? Why am I writing about salsa when there’s so much more going on in this world? How could tomato, red pepper, iodized salt, green onions, and cilantro trump any fancy restaurant I’ve dined in over the last year? The answer lies somewhere deep in this plastic tub. I may never know, but will forever attempt to unveil the secret to this unbelievable delicacy. For the mystery behind this salsa has made me forget all about the economy, Michael Jackson’s rotting leg, health care reform, and what I was supposed to do this morning other than write a blog post about salsa.

This salsa is an experience. As a chef and foodie, this is what I hope for every meal I prepare.

Here’s the details:
Roasted Salsa
El Nopalito, in Encinatas, CA.
560 Santa Fe Drive
Encinatas, CA 92024
760.436.92024