[this week, Cinda took tomatoes, onions and peppers fresh from Green Junction Farmstead’s booth, washed them off, and made fresh salsa live as this week’s sample]

Now that all of the nightshades are finally here, it is the season to make salsa. Nightshades are the family of vegetables that includes tomatoes and peppers.

Fresh salsa, salsa fresca, salsa crudo, and pico de gallo (meaning beak of the rooster) are all different names for a similar blend of tomatoes, onion, peppers, cilantro, and lime juice.

This is not so much a recipe as some guidelines for making your own salsa whatever you choose to call it. You just need the main ingredients and the proportions are your choice. You like lots of spice? Use a spicier pepper or add more of them. Not wild about onions? Leave them out. Hate cilantro, leave it out.

Here is how I like to make a fresh salsa:

Chop one large or two smaller tomatoes into a size that will fit nicely on a taco or a chip. Chop a small onion to a similar size. Chop the pepper of your choice in a little bit smaller dice than the above ingredients. Chop some fresh cilantro. Mix all in a bowl with some lime juice and add salt to taste.

Enjoy!