I had Village Hot Sauce, a mild, red, addictively delicious salsa, at my friend Becky’s a couple years ago. Becky, like many Twin Citians, is from the Dakotas. She’d brought back a stash after her last family visit. During a recent dinner at Becky’s, I noticed she had a fresh supply. I asked whether she’d been on a road trip. Instead, she smiled and said three magic words.
It’s at Target.
Village Hot Sauce has been making its way down from the Dakotas and northern Minnesota for a while. Look for it in the dairy case at Target, Cub, Byerly’s, Lunds, Kowalski’s, and more.
I bought both flavors, Mild and Extra Hot. No need to bother with the mild. The extra-hot is actually Minnesota Mild (their website describes it as “Hot, but let’s not get crazy now” which I can hear Marge Gunderson from Fargo saying in that accent. Heat seekers may have to add some extra spice, but the salsa itself is sweet, bright, and so good if I ran out of chips I might just drink it.
Jarred salsas have long been a hit or miss affair for our family, especially the kids. There are some good ones, some forgettable ones, and some outright bad ones. Complaints from the kids have included, too chunky, too spicy, or tastes funny (i.e., too much chipotle.) Village Hot Sauce hits all the right notes. It’s smooth, mild, and tastes of fresh tomatoes and jalapenos.
I’m not going to give up making my own salsa occasionally, or buying Green Mountain Gringo from my co-op, The Eastside, with its re-usable jars and easy peel-off labels. But for day-to-day insurance that we always have salsa in our fridge, Village Hot Sauce has earned a place on the shelf.
Village Hot Sauce
Available at local grocery stores in the dairy section.
Made fresh in Grand Forks, North Dakota
village-hot-sauce.myshopify.com
Facebook: facebook.com/villagehotsauce
