It’s a TVBETSY Interview- Holy Salsa!

This is seriously good stuff.

It is divine, heaven-sent, hence the “Holy” part.

Unpretentious, not fancy. Super mild. I nicknamed it “Gazpacho Salsa”– and you will drink the juice after.

Promise.

Tammy Johnson “Chopper” is the guilty party. She makes it at The Carpenter Farm Stand in Matunuk, RI.

She also loves Mickey Mouse, drives a school bus in the winter, and works at the Carpenter’s Farm Stand in the summer. Tammy’s an Old Swamp Yankee or “Bogger” and damn proud of it.  Which I find this utterly charming. Swamp Yankees are, by nature, ornery and cantankerous, loyal and give the shirt off their backs, but don’t cross them. Named for the Yankees that, during the Revolution, hid in the swamps from the British, using peet moss from the bogs to keep warm and cook food.

Tammy in her Mickey Apron- LOVE IT!

Tammy’s a character in the finest sense of the word. Oh, and she makes some damn fine salsa.

This is her first summer working for the stand’s owner and farmer, David Carpenter. She started working the register and helping harvest the corn and during the down time, she’d go through produce and take out bruised, unsaleable fruit and veggies. Being the beloved Swamp Yankee, she just couldn’t throw good produce away. Too beautiful, too fresh, and it was just bruised.  So she took the big basket of fresh tomatoes, corn, basil, cilantro, and created a Matunuk legend.

How good?  People take buy Tammy’s salsa and try to pass it off as their own at parties. Now to TheBetsy, that’s the highest accolade.

Tammy and her fabulous tattoos

Covered in tattoos, she jokes she’s the “tough, rough lady that makes salsa.”  Rough? The rose tattoos are a part of memorial garden honoring members of her family who died of cancer. A work in progress, every Sunday, she visits her son, a tatoo artist, he spends 3 hours adding to it. Her father’s ashes were used in one of them.

Seriously, how could you not love this lady?

The roses were inspired by her daughter’s art project and a picture drawn by one her high schoolers she buses. Again, she’s an old Yankee.

Her salsa secret? “Doesn’t have to been top of the line, just FRESH.”

Amen sister.

Her salsa is $12 per 2lb deli container. Pricey? You bet. When Tammy first started making her salsa,  the price was much lower, but “Value Pricing” took in effect, and with the salsa selling out, the boss (Farmer David Carpenter) raised the price,  people kept buying, and he raised it again, and it still sells out. I ate it all in one day- it was THAT good. Plus. I’ve scored you the recipe (see below)  so quit yer whining and enjoy.

When she first proposed the idea of turning the bruised veggies into salsa, David Carpenter asked if she knew how to make salsa. Not surprisingly, Tammy replied, “Nope, But I can learn.”

Her first batches started out doing it all in food processor. Too mushy,  the flavors too blended. Too much like Gazpacho. So she went chunky.

She looks for very ripe, very fresh tomatoes. Just cuts out bad spots. Use fresh corn and cheap cans of black beans. After several tries (and errors) Tammy ended up with this.

So check out a LiquidBetsy interview of Tammy Johnson and her amazing Carpenter Farm Stand Salsa (a.k.a. Ole’ Swamp Yankee Salsa or  Heavenly Gazpacho Salsa.)

Now I’ve made several test batches, post-interview. Both good and bad. Best were based on fresh. Fresh tomatoes, corn, basil,  all fresh, fresh fresh. Did I say fresh? But winter approaches so this isn’t happening. So when you try to make this,  keep that in mind. You do get pretty close with major market tomatoes, corn and salsa so it isn’t a total loss. Close enough, and  I’m happy with that. As a base, this salsa is fantastic. Add jalapeno for heat, or just puree the extra for Gazpach0. Great with fish, it is also amazing with eggs (hello healthy breakfast burrito!)

Know this before you start. Tammy:

• Never measures, whatever looks good. Because measurement here is iffy so use your best judgement, erring on less. You can always add more at the end.
• Tastes when done. Then she adjusts salt/pepper, veggies when done.
• Measures her “batch” by a salad or mixing bowl. That, and a 2 lb. deli container. See the accompanying pictures.

Carpenter Farm Stand Salsa, a.k.a. Ole’ Swamp Yankee Salsa or  Heavenly Gazpatcho Salsa

Layer the following in a standard size salad bowl:

• Tomatoes: Here is the real secret- the tomatoes must be almost gone. Even a few black spots. It is at the height of it’s tomatoey goodness. Cut out the black spots etc.
• Lime juice from 2-3 limes.
• Salt /Pepper
• 2 Ears Corn: Tammy cooks her fresh-off-the-farm corn for six mins in microwave, no cleaning necessary. Says it comes out clean, and when I tried it,  it does! Let it cool to at least warm.
• 1 Can of Black Beans. Don’t rinse beans throw the whole can juice and all. How freakin’ easy!

Dice the following finely in a chopper or food processor and add to mixture. Not pureed, but  finely chopped as it infuses the flavor and really makes strong flavors subtle. See the accompanying picture to get a sense of how much.

• 4 cloves of Garlic (put in food processor)
• 1/2 Onion
• Add to mixture

Next Chop in a Chopper/Food Processor (see the picture of the 2lb deli container to get an idea)

• Cilantro
• Basil  (I’d say this is THE secret ingredient, it really adds something special)

At the end it should basically look like this:

Again, you can customize this recipe by adding your own jalapeno pepper (Tammy recommends only one) or as I suggested a fire-roasted hot or bell pepper. Tammy even slips in some zucchini and no one is the wiser. a great idea for sneaky nutrition!

Easy to make, awesome to taste, great to share.

Please, please, please  share what YOU did with Tammy’s salsa- it’s easy, just comment on the blog.

2 Responses to “It’s a TVBETSY Interview- Holy Salsa!”

1. Ms. Tammy says:

   October 7, 2009 at 12:19 PM

   Nice job Betsy!! You made me look almost loveable, just kidding, whats not to love. Now that the weather is getting cooler, you should stop in on a weekend and try some of my stew, made with David’s own beef!! Your mouth will love you. Make sure you ask for Ms. Tammy’s Farm Stand Stew!! Everyone else, what are you waiting for?? The invitation has been sent.
2. Lynne Goding says:

   October 16, 2009 at 10:13 AM

   Thank You Ms. Tammy & Betsy! I can’t wait to make this at home!! The salsa Tammy made this summer was the best salsa I ever had! Thanks again- Happy winter!
   -Lynne