Imagine my delight when Coronado local Jennifer Jarriel, the Salsa Chick, brought me a jar of her homemade salsa. See, I’m from Texas, y’all, and you could say I’m pretty hot for salsa.
I wasn’t disappointed. In fact I am newly-obsessed. Her salsa is flavorful and tasty, with a kick. Not a burning-your-lips-off and cough spastically kind-of-kick, but it’s not for the spice adversed. And, if you haven’t guessed already, I am NOT spice adversed. (Besides, what’s the point of eating salsa without a little bit of spice?)
Jennifer’s salsa recipe is homegrown, in fact she gets her salsa-making inspo from her mom.
“My mom is an amazing cook,” says Jennifer. “She gave me the recipe for the salsa.”
Selling salsa is a relatively new endeavor for Jennifer; she started selling it in December of last year.
“At first, it got my mind off my husband’s deployment,” says Jennifer. “Once I started getting more and more positive feedback, I decided to sell it.”
A pint of the Salsa Chick Salsa is $8, but keep the jar, because a refill is only $5. (Local Danielle Kingston Fry designed that plucky and ever-so-instagramable label.)
“So far I’ve received incredible feedback,” says Jennifer. ”It’s almost overwhelming. I am so thankful people are liking it so much.”
Best part? A percentage of each sale goes to a non-profit.
”I take 15% of what I made off the top and donate it to a street ministry back home in Georgia,” says Jennifer. “I’ve known the lady that started it my whole life. She helps get homeless families off the street, helps find the parents jobs, clothes them, feeds them. She’s 100% privately funded so I figure if God’s blessing me by the salsa sales I will give back & hope to help and bless others.”
If that’s not awesome sauce, I don’t know what is. Follow the Salsa Chick on Facebook, and place and order by calling or texting at 770-633-7209. Jennifer accepts Venmo payments also.
When Jennifer’s not busy making salsa, she’s riding her bike, hanging out at the beach, or dining at Clayton’s, or simply enjoying the small-town charm of the island.
“I absolutely love the small town feel of Coronado,” says Jennifer. “I love the hometown businesses, and how the community rallies around the home crowd.”
Thanks for reading, and I hope you love the salsa as much as I do!