August 18, 2026

I have been keeping a close eye on my garden during the “feels like” 100+F (38+C) weather we had for the last week and predictions it will continue for the next 10 days.  I have been watering daily to keep the new seeds moist, but nothing has come up except the two zucchinis (Cucurbita pepo) planted in containers on the pool deck.  While my Roma tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are producing, the fruit is coming in spurts followed by a lull.  I have tried to let the tomatoes ripen and stay on the vine as much as possible to get enough to process “something”.  I already have 7 quarts (6.6 l) of pasta sauce from earlier this year, and 1 quart (0.95 l) left from last year, so pasta sauce is not a good idea.  I used the green tomatoes to make salsa verde last fall, but we gave away or ate most of those jars.  I have already made fresh Pico de Gallo several times and I felt I needed something with a longer shelf life.  I collected the rest of the tomatoes and enough fresh jalapenos (Capsicum annuum) to try another version of salsa.

When I went online, I found a salsa is any of a variety of sauces used as condiments for tacos and other Mexican and Mexican-American foods, and as dips for tortilla chips.  The salsa may be raw or cooked and are generally served at room temperature.  The word salsa means any kind of sauce in Spanish, but in English it refers specifically to these Mexican table sauces.  Tortilla chips with salsa are a ubiquitous appetizer in Mexican-American restaurants, but not in Mexico itself.  Using salsa as a table dip was popularized by Mexican restaurants in the US.  In the 1980’s, tomato-based Mexican-style salsas gained in popularity and by 1992 the dollar value of salsa sales in the US exceeded those of tomato ketchup.  The World Health Organization says care should be taken in the preparation and storage of salsa and any other types of sauces, since many raw-served varieties can act as growth media for potentially dangerous bacteria, especially when unrefrigerated. 

After picking my tomatoes I searched for an easy recipe for canning my salsa online.  The recipe combined 9 cups (9.1 l) chopped tomatoes, 2 cups (0.5 l) green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum), 2 cups (0.5 l) white onion (Allium cepa), 4 medium jalapenos, and 4 cloves of chopped garlic (Allium sativum).  One cup (0.25 l) of white vinegar provided the acidity to can the salsa for storage.   I chopped up the tomatoes and realized although it seemed like a lot, they were only 3 cups (0.7 l).  The recipe specified white and not red onion, or it would alter the color.  The same was true for the green pepper rather than the red ones from my garden.  I went to the store for more tomatoes, the “right” colors, and more pint canning jars.  This afternoon Melissa and I set about our water-bath salsa canning.  I (graciously) allowed her to cut up the jalapenos, and after I peeled the tomatoes (boiling and then ice water) she cut the tomatoes while I cut up the bells and onion to combine with minced garlic from the refrigerator.  The combination was simmered for 20 minutes to cook the vegetables and meld the flavors, placed in sterilized jars, and into the water bath for 30 minutes. We ended up with 8 canned jars and another fresh in the refrigerator (would not fit).  It was easy.

Thoughts: The contamination now at US restaurants made me think about my salsa.  A 2002 study by the University of Texas–Houston found salsa contaminated with E. coli in 66 from restaurants tested in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and in 40% in restaurants tested in Houston, Texas.  In 2010, the CDC reported 1 in 25 foodborne illnesses between 1998 and 2008 was traced back to restaurant sauces carelessly prepared or stored.  A 2010 paper on salsa food hygiene described refrigeration as “the key” to keeping the food safe.  This study also found that fresh lime juice (add for a salsa pH of 3.6) and fresh garlic (but not powdered garlic) combined would prevent the growth of Salmonella.  I am meticulous when I can, as you should be.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.