By day, Zee Barreros is a registered nurse, working as a surgery educator at Erlanger Medical Center. But by night - or any other off-time she may have - she turns up the heat, perfecting a salsa recipe handed down through her family for generations.
Since the tender age of seven, she's been making it, tweaking it through the years. Now it's a hit wherever she goes, including events held at her church and other social gatherings.
Anne Braly"And I always have some made at home for family and friends and sometimes give it as thank-you gifts, house-warming gifts and have been paid to make a jar for people who are having special events and want to serve salsa and chips," she says.
Work, though, is the most-popular of all places, she's discovered. Proof lies in the fact that her creation took first-place honors during a salsa contest at Erlanger. And, though people praise her salsa, she was, nonetheless, caught by surprise when told hers was best of the best among other employees' recipes.
"I love my salsa and think it is the best in the world, but I'm biased," she says. "I have been told all my life that I make the best salsa, and that I need to sell it. I always wondered if people were saying that just to be nice. When I entered, I thought it would be interesting to see how many people would like it if they didn't know me and have no reason to just be nice. And apparently it really is good, because I won."
The salsa contest has been an annual event for the last six years, says Elizabeth Appling, chief diversity officer for Erlanger.
"The Erlanger employees love this event and as we (the hospital) move forward, we will continue to embrace the power of diversity and provide our staff and community with an experience that includes opportunities and perspectives to learn from each other cultures," she says.
Salsa, with its roots in Mexico, is one such way.
Zee's recipe, perfect for Sunday's Super Bowl, is one that is very adaptable. "You can increase or decrease any of the ingredients for taste preferences," she says. "I serve it with chips, on tacos - just about everything."
The key to making good salsa, she adds, is using the freshest of ingredients, including spices. Use real cilantro, not dried flakes; minced garlic cloves instead of those found in a jar; fresh lemons, not bottled lemon juice; and fresh peppers, not canned.
Make the salsa at least an hour in advance of serving it. "That way, the flavors can mix and blend," she says.
Zee's Salsa
6-8 Roma tomatoes
1/2 of a Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 bunch of cilantro tops
2 garlic cloves
1 large jalapeno pepper*
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 packets of Sazon con Achote spice mix (sold at area Wal-mart or Mexican stores)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, use any kind and add to taste preference, such as green hot sauce by Tabasco for mild and the red Tabasco for more heat
In a food processor, chop tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic cloves and jalapeno pepper. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in lemon juice, spice mix and salt and pepper, to taste.
* Note: Seed the pepper if you want mild salsa; leave seeds in if you want it hot.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.