In Mexico, salsa is neither a dip nor an afterthought. It’s an integral part of eating. “The more you know about salsa,” Rick tells us, while snacking in a countryside restaurant near Guadalajara, “the better you’ll understand Mexican cooking.” And with that, he embarks on a journey into to the soul of salsa, packed with all kinds of helpful tips and techniques that prove a tasty point: salsas can really cook! He shows us how simple it is to make a classic raw-tomato Salsa Mexicana, and a roasted-tomato Molcajete Salsa, taking time out for a gardening lesson on “growing your own” salsa ingredients before turning the roasted salsa into an easy Mexican Red Rice. After a quick “Tomatillo 101” in a Mexican market stall he concocts a smoky Chipotle Tomatillo Salsa, which becomes the base for Shrimp Sautéed in Smoky Tomatillo Salsa. And finally, he shows us a versatile “avocado salsa,”—Guacamole Three Ways—that can go from simple to luxurious depending on the whim of the cook.