Salsa, to us, has always been more than a dip. It’s something you cook with, finish a dish with, and keep on the table at every meal.
Tienda Salsita was born to bring this way of eating salsa into everyday kitchens.
We believe salsa is more than a dip.
In kitchens across Mexico, salsa is a daily sauce. It Is spooned over eggs in the morning, drizzled on tacos at lunch, and served at the center of the table with every meal.
Salsa is not an afterthought.
Salsa is essential to every meal.
We created Tienda Salsita to bring that same tradition to American kitchens: vibrant, stone ground salsas made with real chiles, fresh produce and time honored techniques.
In 2017, our founder Kathleen, known to friends and family as Catalina, traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to deepen her Spanish and immerse herself in everyday life with family. While living with a close family friend, Tía Nella, she was introduced to the world of chiles.
Salsa in it’s truest form. Not blended. Not rushed. But slowly made by hand. Chiles toasted over a comal, ingredients layered and everything stone ground in a molcajete.
Salsa is not just a condiment. It is a ritual.
A craft. A reflection of the cook.
When Kathleen returned home to the U.S., she couldn’t find anything that tasted like what she experienced in Mexico. So she began making her own. First for friends, then for her local community.
In 2018, Tienda Salsita was born.
What started as jars made by hand in a molcajete has grown into a small but mighty business rooted in tradition, craft and connection between communities in California and Mexico.
We support and uplift our Latinx community — both in Northern California and Mexico — through sourcing, collaboration and storytelling.
While our founder is not Mexican, this brand was shaped by years of learning from and cooking with Mexican cooks, her latina family, and community in Mexico. We approach this work with respect, gratitude and a commitment to honoring the traditions behind salsa.
