Explore the history of salsa

FALLBROOK – The term "salsa" not only refers to a Latin style of dance, but it also doubles as the name of one of the world's most popular condiments. "Salsa" is the Spanish and Italian word for sauce, and the salsa that many people enjoy can be used as a sauce, topping, dip, or flavoring for many types of foods.

Although salsa has been America's favorite condiment since 2000, its popularity can be traced back thousands of years. The wild tomato, the main component of many salsas, is indigenous to South America. However, Central American nations were some of the first to domesticate the tomato and mix it with other ingredients to produce tasty salsa combinations.

It is believed that the salsa we know today originated with the Incan people. Incan lords are purported to have combined tomatoes with chili peppers and ground squash seeds and consumed their salsa primarily as a condiment served on turkey, venison, lobster and fish. Mayans and Aztecs likely had their interpretations of salsa as well.

Hot peppers were an important component of many salsas, and in the early 20th century, food manufacturers began offering hot sauces in the United States. Some were geared to and named for Louisiana and Creole regions, where spicy foods were the norm and enjoyed regularly.

Salsa sauces evolved and became more authentic interpretations of the earliest salsas produced in Central America. They were manufactured to meet the rising demand of Mexican cuisine in Texas and elsewhere in the world. Salsas became thicker and chunkier and more about fresh ingredients.

Today there are many different types of salsa, from salsa roja to salsa criolla (a sliced-onion version) to salsa verde. Many jarred, canned and bottled salsas and picante sauces sold in the United States in grocery stores are forms of salsa cruda or pico de gallo and typically have a semi-liquid texture.

Whether you're putting salsa atop tacos, using it to season eggs or dipping tortillas into its flavorful base, salsa has become one of the most popular foods across the globe.