(drumroll, please..........)This is IT!

Hello, Fans of the Fire!

As I mentioned in a previous post, this is the moment you've been waiting for... The big deal.... the big news..... wait for it.....

SavorySalsabyChris.blogspot.com, as you know it today, will be no more. This is the final post.


But, that is good news, because today we're launching our new site:

ChrisintheKitchen.com !!!!!

There's lots more detail over at the new site, but in a nutshell: we had such a bang-up success at the Kandy Kane Castle Boutique that we decided to go bigger and broader. I recruited some of the vendors of the most popular food items at the boutique, and now have our traditional products, plus more, available on line.

So... this is my last post as SalsaMaster Chris; in the future, you'll find me in the Kitchen.

So come on over to ChrisintheKitchen.com and check it out. We have some incredible foods and a great Holiday deal going on, so --- see you in the Kitchen!

Warmly yours,

Chris (in the Kitchen, of course...)

Big news coming!.....

Hey, Salsa Fans!

Well! There's THAT!

For those of you that stopped by - thanks! And for those of you that couldn't make it, well, let's just say that our little foray into the 20th Annual Kandy Kane Castle Boutique was a BIG success! We ran into lots of "friends of the Salsa", and sold out pretty quickly our entire first batch(es) of Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites.

(We were actually gently coerced into making a couple of batches special for out-of-town customers to take back to their home states back in the Midwest!)

Needless to say, we're BEAT - especially after hand-baking over 600 cinnamon rolls (our latest product) over the week run of the boutique. Remember "Time to make the donuts..." ?.... Well, I *lived* through "time to make the cinnamon rolls!"

Anyway -- long story short: we were thrilled to see all the friends and new customers, and have been motivated to make some changes... *good* changes, *big* changes, *fun* changes.

So... Stay Tuned! I'll be back pretty soon with the big announcement!

Warm Regards,

SalsaMaster Chris

Chocolate Chili Bites and Savory Salsa - Front and Center!

Hello, fellow lovers of the chili tingle!

Just wanted to let you know that a perfect time for on-demand, in-person acquisition of my Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites and my Savory Salsa is soon to be at hand.

I'm going to have both products featured at the Kandy Kane Castle holiday boutique this year!

Some of you no doubt already know about the Kandy Kane Castle, but for those of you that don't: our dear friends/neighbors (literally across the street from Salsa Central) stage an enormous holiday boutique two weekends in November each year. Actually, this year is their twentieth annual Kandy Kane Castle boutique.

This is a huge deal: their entire house and yard is converted for this event. Over fifty vendors of hand made crafts, novelties, jewelry and more, converge at the house, and over the two weekends literally thousands of people attend. We're talking tents and canopies filling the back yard, the house full of tables of hand-crafted items for sale, some years they've had kettle corn and a petting zoo.... think Country Fair coupled with Crafter's Market and you're on the right track.

And of course, my favorite: THE FOOD. The kitchen is filled with homemade goods like breads and cakes and jams and jellies and pickles and.... this year Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites and Savory Salsa!

It's truly an exciting and fun event, and a great opportunity to shop locally for food, gifts and items for yourself. Check out their website at KandyKaneCastle.com - you can follow the link to the information for this year's boutique, and also explore the KandyKaneCastle Year-Round, the online shopping version of the boutique.

We'll be there both weekends, (Thurs-Sat) 11/11-11/13 and 11/18-11/20 , from 10am - 5pm. Come on by, browse around, get some great crafts and take home some food!

Hope to see you there!

 

Ye-gads! I'm OLD!

Well! Been "away" for a bit, it seems... Last time I posted anything, I was looking forward to a little rejuvenation (hip resurfacing) and missing our world-traveling son as he headed off to China to sing and enjoy.

Fast-forward a bit: The hip resurfacing (not replacement - I basically got my right hip "relined") went fantastically (I feel like a new(er) man!) and Caden came/went to China without a hitch and with a wonderful pile of experiences.

Then, something outlandish happened. Seemingly inconceivable, but true: I turned (gulp!)... 50. As in years old. As in half a century. As in... I forgot, what was I blathering about?....

Anyway, we staged a rollicking 10th annual Mongolian BBQ birthday bash (we do a Mongolian BBQ for my birthday each year, but that's another story....) complete with live accordian music.

So... considering the specialness of it all, we thought it'd be apropos if I made my own birthday cake. Of course, since I specialize in baking really small things, but we had a LOT of people to serve, I made about ten dozen chocolate chili bites, and constructed my own cake:



And there you go - chocolate-chili-bite cake, and no cutting required. Served up the chili bites with a little ice cream and dark chocolate syrup.... MMMMM!

So, here we are. End of summer, all's well, and we're getting ready to get the wheels churning for the upcoming fall/holiday season.

Stay tuned for the latest/greatest, and I'll be back!

Salsamaster Chris

Summertime, and the livin' is....

...Easy? We've had a pretty busy spring and start-of-summer, and after our Easter and Mother's Day promotions, we did a little regrouping (and recuperating! Burnt my pinky on a Chili Bite tray - yeowch!)

Right now I don't have a specific summer plan in place, other than a little scheduled hip resurfacing (me, coming up!) and our son getting ready to head off to China (with the Phoenix Children's Chorus, singing in Beijing, Shanghai, and all over!)

So, formal chili-biting will be taking a little .... siesta. Of course, if you need something, feel free to call or email (I'll still be baking from time to time, and the salsa is always flowing) but for a while most of my attention will be elsewhere.

I'll be back soon, stay hot/cool!

Salsamaster Chris

Mama Mia!

We had such a favorable response to our decadent Chocolate Chili Bites specials on Valentine's Day and Easter, that we had planned on doing a Mother's Day special... and then - Mama Mia! - I realized that Mother's Day is right now! (Okay, not literally "right now" but this-Sunday-type-of "right now".) I've been just swamped with things and was simply asleep at the wheel...

Thanks to a couple of you loyal customers out there that finally took charge and emailed me saying "Hello?... Mother's Day?.... Chocolate Chili Bites?...." - I got it, I got it!

Anyway, I'm now doing multiple batches of our Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites for them - and I'll be thrilled to make some for you. Just click the order button below by the end of day on Thursday and they'll be ready for local pickup at Salsa Central on Saturday morning.

And, of course, our Savory Salsa is always available... I know, I know it's a bit late for Cinco de Mayo, (although if you order today I'll have a tub for you tomorrow!!!) .... but we can still help you make your Mother's Day memorable.

I will have to move fast on these, so get your order in today!

Chris's Chocolate Chili Bites are decadent homemade morsels of pure indulgence. These deliciously-moist brownie bites are made with rich dark chocolate and a sneaky hint of Ancho and Cayenne chili – just to spice things up a bit.



Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites - 1/2 dozen and 1 dozen
For starters, we're offering our Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites. Perfect as a standalone gift, or ideal to bring to dinner for dessert, these are available by the dozen or by the half-dozen.

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Order Now

Chocolate Chili Bites, 1/2 Dozen • $4.00

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Chocolate Chili Bites, 1 Dozen • $6.00

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Make your Cinco more Mayo, perk up your next party or add a little zing to an ordinary day with Chris's Savory Salsa.

PRICE: $6.00 for 1-pint tub

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• Orders must be placed by midnight on Thursday, May 6, 2010 and will be ready for pick-up at our place aka Chocolate Chili Central (Lindsay and McKellips in Mesa) on Saturday, May 8.
• Currently, all orders are pick-up only (unless we're headed your way, or someone we know or someone you know is headed your way or...) Please email us at SavorySalsaByChris@gmail.com or call Chris at (602) 492-1468 to coordinate a pick-up date and time.

Shipping Inquiries:

Finally, also in answer to numerous inquiries: our Bites are definitely shippable, and we'd be happy to ship your tidbits out to your friends and family that live afar. However, there are definitely some "sweet spots" in terms of quantities, types and destinations, and we can help you figure out what would work best for you; and due to my dereliction of duty, the odds of getting something to where you need by Mother's Day are slim...(As a general guideline, the minimum cost to ship something, regardless of destination, is around $5; shipping a couple dozen bites to Alaska would run about $10.50.) So, if you're interested in having some of our brownies shipped, drop us a quick email and we'll figure out a shipping cost for you and see if it makes sense. Send those inquiries to SavorySalsaByChris@gmail.com, and we'll get back to you quickly.

Quick! (Like a bunny!....)

While the deadline for Easter orders for Chocolate Chili Bites has technically passed, we've had quite a few orders in the last few days. I know, I know, time flies... but Easter is right around the corner!

So, in response to your requests and to try to allow everyone to get their chili chocolate fix ... we have extended the cutoff for Easter orders to midnight Friday (3/26). So, make like a rabbit and get your orders in - I need time to bake!

Back by Popular Demand, Just in Time for Easter!

We had such a favorable response to our decadent Chocolate Chili Bites that we offered for Valentine's Day, and were repeatedly asked "Can I get some of these for Easter?" Well...the answer to that question is now "Yes!"

Chris's Chocolate Chili Bites are decadent homemade morsels of pure indulgence. These deliciously-moist brownie bites are made with rich dark chocolate and a sneaky hint of Ancho and Cayenne chili – just to spice things up a bit.

And, just in time for Easter, we've put together several great little bundles of edible joy - perfect gifts for friends or family, great additions to your Easter baskets, or delightful desserts for Easter dinner.


Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites - 1/2 dozen and 1 dozen
For starters, we're offering our Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites. Perfect as a standalone gift, or ideal to bring to dinner for dessert, these are available by the dozen or by the half-dozen.





Chocolate Chili Bits Easter Pack
And then, we added our latest creation, nibble-sized Chocolate Chili BITS! These are wonderful little Chocolate Chili morsels, and we carefully pack twelve bits into a beautiful hand-decorated* container. They're a perfect addition to your Easter basket, charming on their own but small enough to fit inside a larger gift.



*Each Easter pack container is unique and individually decorated with a Springtime motif. Actual colors, designs and ribbons may vary.
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Order Now

Chocolate Chili Bites, 1/2 Dozen • $4.00

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Chocolate Chili Bites, 1 Dozen • $6.00

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Chocolate Chili Bits Easter Pack • $4.00

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• Orders must be placed by midnight on March 22, 2010 and will be ready for pick-up at our place aka Chocolate Chili Central (Lindsay and McKellips in Mesa) on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3.
• Currently, all orders are pick-up only (unless we're headed your way, or someone we know or someone you know is headed your way or...) Please email us at SavorySalsaByChris@gmail.com or call Chris at (602) 492-1468 to coordinate a pick-up date and time.

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Shipping Inquiries:

Finally, also in answer to numerous inquiries: our Bits and Bites are definitely shippable, and we'd be happy to help you get your Easter tidbits out to your friends and family that live afar. However, there are definitely some "sweet spots" in terms of quantities, types and destinations, and we can help you figure out what would work best for you. (As a general guideline, the minimum cost to ship something, regardless of destination, is around $5; shipping a couple dozen bites to Alaska would run about $10.50.) So, if you're interested in having some of our brownies shipped, drop us a quick email and we'll figure out a shipping cost for you and see if it makes sense. Send those inquiries to SavorySalsaByChris@gmail.com, and we'll get back to you quickly.

You People Say the Nicest Things!

This just in from Craig Olson, one of our Savory Salsa Valentine Package customers:

"I have to brag about Chris's Savory Salsa which is awesome! I took advantage of Chris's Valentine special, it was a big hit with Christina and I scored bigpoints! The personalized label was perfect and I have to mention those brownie ...bites, wow! Best $13 I have spent in a long, long time!"

Thanks for the kudos, Craig - and stay tuned for more Savory surprises!

Wow! That was GREAT!

But we are BEAT! We spent a wild few days cranking out chocolate chili bites and batches of salsa, and saw our Valentine's gift bags go out all over the Valley. Thanks so much to all of you and your referrals (we were Tweeted and re-Tweeted, Facebooked, emailed...) and we met a lot of new friends.

The surprise sleeper of the season was our decadent Chocolate Chili Bites. In response to special requests, we fulfilled many orders for just the Chocolate Chili Bites alone! We're thrilled with the interest and response, and I have a sneaky suspicion that we'll be back on occasion with Decadent Chocolate Chili Bites as a stand-alone product, along with our Savory Salsa.

Stay tuned!......

got valentine?

We've got some hot stuff for your hot stuff!

Add some spicy and sweet to your Valentine’s Day this year with a pint of Chris’s Savory Salsa CUSTOM LABELED for your favorite person, Valentine red tortilla chips and decadent Chocolate Chili Bites* wrapped up in a gift bag and ready to delight – all for only $12.95.

*Our Chocolate Chili Bites are homemade morsels of pure indulgence, made with rich dark chocolate and a sneaky hint of Ancho chili just to spice things up a bit.

Here's how to order 'em:

• We've created six cool labels for you to choose from:

• You pick the label that best suits your Valentine and give us your "to" and "from" (bottom line text) info for customization*. The image below (click to enlarge) illustrates the areas of customization:

• We package up the salsa, apply your custom label and bundle it up with a couple handfuls of Valentine red tortilla chips and five yummy Chocolate Chili Bites.
• Orders must be placed by midnight on February 7, 2010 and will be ready for pick-up at our place aka Salsa Central (Lindsay and McKellips in Mesa) on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13.
• Currently, all orders are pick-up only (unless we're headed your way, or someone we know or someone you know is headed your way or...) Please email us at hotstuff@cdmi-az or call Chris at (602) 492-1468 to coordinate a pick-up date and time.
  

*We obviously like to spice things up but we do reserve the right to refuse orders on customizations that get too hot!

Order now!

Option 1) "Hot Stuff" Salsa Package • $12.95

"TO:" name (10 char max)

Bottom line text (40 char max)

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Option 2) "Spicy-Lifey" Salsa Package • $12.95

"TO:" name (10 char max)

Bottom line text (40 char max)

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Option 3) "Warmest Wishes" Salsa Package • $12.95

"TO:" name (10 char max)

Bottom line text (40 char max)

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Option 4) "Jar O' Zip" Salsa Package • $12.95

"FOR" name (10 char max)

Bottom line text (40 char max)

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Option 5) "Zip, Zing" Salsa Package • $12.95

"HEY" name (10 char max)

Bottom line text (40 char max)

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Option 6) "Hot Shot" Salsa Package • $12.95

"HEY" name (10 char max)

Bottom line text (40 char max)

Chris's Top 10 Ways to Savor

10) Great in your guacamole
9) Excellent on your eggs
8) Blast your burros
7) Sauce up your steaks
6) Blitz your burger
5) Charge up your chili
4) Add pizazz to your pizza
3) Spice up your sour cream
2) Boost your Bloody Mary

And, the number one way: Straight up with your favorite tortilla chips!

Savory Salsa Straight Up

Spice up your Super Bowl soiree, perk up your next party or add a little zing to an ordinary day with Chris's Savory Salsa.

PRICE: $6.00 for 1-pint tub

Pick-up only (unless we're headed your way, or someone we know, or someone you know is headed your way, or...). Please email us at savorysalsabychris@gmail.com or call Chris at (602) 492-1468 to make arrangements.