May is National Salsa Month

When it comes to condiments, salsa is anything but ordinary. This delicious condiment is perfect for dipping chips or adding flavor to a taco. Did you know May is National Salsa Month?

Salsa is an ancient Aztec recipe. The base of salsa is tomatoes, but different salsas can include different ingredients including onions, peppers, and spices. In 1991, salsa beat out ketchup as the United State’s largest selling sauce. The first National Salsa Month was celebrated in 1997 to honor the 50th anniversary of Pace Salsa. Then, in 1998, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared salsa a vegetable. This was done in order to allow more schools to serve salsa to children. In the year 2003, tortilla chips and salsa became the official state snack of Texas.

Did you know the salsa dance is actually named after the food? Because the dance is as spicy as the food, they share the same name. If you’re a salsa lover, you’ve probably heard of pico de gallo. Pico de gallo translates to rooster beak salsa. Yes, you read that right. Pico de gallo was likely named this because eating the food requires you to use your thumb and forefinger, which resembles the beak of a pecking rooster. Another fun fact about salsa is that Pace Foods uses 22 million pounds of fresh jalapeno every year to create their tasty jarred salsas.

If you want to celebrate National Salsa Month this May, you can do so with Jalisco Mexican Grill. You can place an order with us by calling 941.217.4536. You can also place a takeout order with us via GrubHub. We hope you will make Jalisco Mexican Grill your salsa destination this National Salsa Month!