Texas brands come out on top when chips are down

In the Star-Telegram's taste test of 45 salsas, pico de gallo and picante sauces, not one of the top winners is from NEW YORK CITY. In fact, four of the top five brands ranked in our test are produced in Texas.

Our panel of five tasters included two Texans, two Yankees and a heat lover from Louisiana. All the hot sauces were tasted "blind," unlabeled in identical bowls. Panelists judged Texas' favorite snack dip on color, consistency, flavor and texture.

In the interest of maintaining some trace of the tasters' taste buds, the "mild" version of each sauce was served, if the product was available in different heat ranges. The Yankees were relived, the Texans muttered "big hat, no cattle" and the Louisianan threatened to whip out a bottle of Tabasco sauce.

Shopping at area supermarkets, we found 45 sauces to test. That number alone attests to the popularity of this Mexican accent on Southwestern cuisine.

The third top finisher, Arriba!, is a thick salsa made in Houston. Panelists liked the roasted peppers mixed with the tomatoes and spices.

Rosarita, a Hunt-Wesson brand, is produced in Mesa, Ariz. That ain't Texas, but it ain't New York either. Tasters like Rosarita's chunky texture.

Territorial House Green Chile Salsa, despite its New Mexican name, is bottled by the Pace folks in San Antonio. The heavy tomato flavor ranked high.

Skipping to the bottom of the list, we discover Old Fashioned Cheese Squeeze Salsa, a concept whose time, our panelists concurred, has not come. The Wisconsin product was knocked for looking like ketchup and tasting sour.

El Rio Taco-Nacho Chip Dip with Chilies from Ohio tasted "blah" and had "no texture."

El Paco Chunky Picante Sauce out of Dallas was the Lone Star contribution to the bottom five sauces. "Strong tomato soup flavor," agreed panelists.

Kroger won't say where it produces its Picante Sauce. It says the information is proprietary; our panelists say the Cincinnati firm's dip "tastes like red water and looks like barbecue sauce."

Pulling up the rear in 45^th place is Embasa Mild Jalapeņo red Salsa, a sauce from Mexico, the home of salsa. "This taste does not occur in nature sums up the low total.