Life in Guatemala A to Z: Jalapenos

I've been a fan of jalapenos ever since I married my husband, a native of California. He introduced me to strange foods I'd never experienced before, like all kinds of spicy peppers, avocados, fresh pineapple, fresh garlic. Sure, these things can be found in supermarkets in the Midwest but they don't taste the same as fresh grown.

When we lived for a time in California, I started cooking a lot with jalapenos, tossing them in soup and beans, chopping to add to salads, making fresh salsa.

Now I'm in heaven, because not only are the jalapeno peppers widely available at the local market, but also fresh roma tomatoes. I just have to remember to treat the vegetables with a sanitary bath before chopping.

Fresh Salsa

Roma tomatoes, diced

Onion (white is best)

Cilantro to taste

Juice of 1 lime

2 or 3 jalapenos, chopped fine, seeds removed

1 -2 teaspoons salt

Cut up everything and add to a bowl. Blend well and refrigerate until time to serve. Use only 1 jalapeno if you want mild salsa. Serve with chips! (The ones I like are very thick, perfect for scooping up salsa and guacamole.)