The Perfect March Madness Salsa For Cooking and Snacks

It’s March Madness time, which means brackets are already falling apart and people across the Mohawk Valley are making that quick run to the store for chips, salsa and anything else they can throw on the table before the next game tips off.

Right in the middle of all that, a new local product is starting to show up on shelves.

New Hartford’s Becky Martyniuk has introduced Chica Celita’s Restaurant Style Salsa, a family recipe that traces back generations to Puebla, Mexico. The salsa is named after her grandmother, Celita, who Martyniuk says was known for bringing people together through food at family gatherings.

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Martyniuk, who works locally as a massage therapist, says the recipe was a staple at parties growing up and has been passed down over the years. Now, she’s bringing it to a wider audience here in Upstate New York.

“Celita believed that great food should be shared with friends and family,” Martyniuk said. “Growing up in Puebla, Mexico, this salsa recipe was front and center at the best parties for many generations. We are happy to share our family tradition with you. Open a jar and start your party.”

The salsa is currently available in mild, medium, hot and Verde varieties, along with a dry seasoning option. It’s made with a short list of ingredients that includes tomatoes, jalapeño, peppers, spices, garlic and salt, with no added sugar. The product is also all-natural and gluten-free.

Production is happening in Rochester at a New York State FDA-inspected food processing incubator, keeping the operation local while allowing for wider distribution.

You can now find Chica Celita’s at several Mohawk Valley locations including Chanatry’s, Cliff’s Local Markets, Holland Farms, Peter’s Cornucopia, North Star and Hapanowicz. It has also expanded into other parts of the state, including Syracuse, Rochester, the Finger Lakes, Albany and downstate. Online ordering is available through the company’s website and on Amazon.

With tournament games filling up the schedule over the next couple of weeks, it’s the kind of timing that works. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or just putting something out on the table during a close game, this is another local option now in the mix.

And if it’s anything like what was served at those family parties in Puebla, it should hold its own once the chips come out.