Valentina Salsa Picante - Red Label
Disclaimer: There's nothing wrong with being ordinary.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "ordinary" as "lacking special distinction or affectation" and "characterized by simplicity: not complicated".
Valentina is an ordinary hot sauce. This is not a bad thing. It is just a thing. There is nothing wrong with being ordinary. It's just not particularly exceptional. Valentina is to Mexican hot sauce what Huy Fong's Sriracha is to Thai style hot sauce, or what Frank's Red Hot is to American style hot sauce. It is a basic, no frills, perfectly serviceable condiment that gets the job done and for very little cost. Valentina is the Ford Fiesta of Mexican hot sauce. It is ordinary, but like Sriracha or Frank's, it is extraordinarily popular because sometimes "ordinary" can be pretty darn good. Or at least good enough.
Valentina is produced by Salsa Tamazula in Guadalajara, Mexico. Honoring the ageless wisdom of "Don't fix what ain't broke" Salsa Tamazula brought together a simple list of ingredients to produce a low heat, low sodium, low risk, general purpose chile sauce product that has become one of the best selling Mexican hot sauces on the market, owing in part to a surprising versatility, wide availability, practical production ingenuity, sharp marketing savvy, and incomparable pricing.
As a mild sauce Valentina is very approachable, packing just enough heat to add a satisfying "zing" to just about any dish, but not so much as to scare off a hot sauce neophyte. It is a slow building, but mild lingering burn sensation that doesn't detract from the flavor elements of the sauce itself, or of the dish you're adding it to. Though it is Mexican hot sauce the flavor profile strays just slightly from traditional recipes enough to broaden its appeal to consumers accustomed to the more vinegar-laden American style sauces, but foregoes the commonly associated vinegar pungency in favor of a sweeter, almost citrusy zest, with the vinegar carefully balanced against ambiguously labeled "spices", bringing tones of black pepper, cinnamon, and dry mustard. The resulting flavor combination places Valentina on the major market hot sauce spectrum perhaps most closely to Taco Bell's Mild Border Sauce, except that Valentina is better in every way, first and foremost for actually being an authentic hot sauce. (Fear not. In balanced fairness Taco Bell's sauces will also be properly spotlighted on this blog in due course.)
Because of its mild heat and broad flavor characteristics Valentina is surprisingly versatile. Certainly it admirably accommodates being poured over traditional Mexican cuisine as well as eggs or breakfast potatoes in the manner of many hot sauces. But Valentina also works equally well to bring a "south of the border" flair as a pasta sauce additive, a sandwich spread, a chip dip, a spicy salad dressing, or even sprinkled over popcorn. Despite Valentina being a rather ordinary sauce, its capacity to elevate such a wide range of foods makes it an indispensable pantry staple for many hot sauce enthusiasts.
If there is one extraordinary selling point about Valentina, it would have to literally be its 'selling point'. Valentina is the most economically priced hot sauce I've ever found, typically priced in grocery stores at under $1 for a 12.5 ounce bottle, or under $2 for a much larger 34 ounce bottle. It is cheap. Very, very cheap. Valentina's incomparably low price makes it feasible for even the most frugal hot sauce consumer to liberally pour it to their heart's content. Salsa Tamazula accommodates them through a clever, distinctively designed flip-top easy-pour cap that seals tightly but pours quickly, because those who really love Valentina hot sauce often love a lot of Valentina hot sauce.
Personally, I don't love Valentina. It's a good sauce. Not a great one. As I said earlier, it's an ordinary hot sauce, and that's okay. I do love the price, though, and as far as hot sauce goes, Valentina gives the best bang for the buck - (perhaps a bit light on the bang, but long on the buck). For group gatherings or parties where spicy chip dip is in order, a family household where moderate hot sauce is a central staple condiment, those looking for a bit of spicy culinary enhancement on a dorm room budget, or even just anyone who's already a fan of Valentina and just can't get enough of it, a 1-liter bottle for under $2 makes it easy to keep a lot of hot sauce on hand. If Valentina is not readily available at a store nearby, you can find it online by clicking here, or via the Amazon Affiliate link below. Please note, I have found that some online vendors sell Valentina at a ridiculously overpriced 400% - 1300% markup, and that just seems impossible to justify. If you find yourself tempted to shop for a bottle of Valentina so significantly priced above retail, be aware that there are many well regarded, higher quality hot sauce options available to you at that price point.
Are you a fan of Valentina or any other economy priced hot sauce? Tell me your story in the comments below.
