Inspired by Todd Simcox of WABI TV5, I decided to track down the best summer vibe salsa in Maine. I'm using cucumber because I believe tortilla chips can affect the flavor of any salsa. I'm going to test as many summer salsas as I can find in Maine grocery stores and find out which one is the best once and for all.

Wait a minute, what does Maine's best meteorologist have to do with salsa?

Oh, you didn't know that in addition to Todd Simcox's weather reports heard every morning on WABI and Q106.5 with David & Cindy, Mr. Simcox and his family also make Todd's Salsa, and it's damn tasty. But is it the best in Maine? Hence my research so we consumers can make sure we're enjoying the most flavorful salsa this summer.

Ok, how does a salsa in Maine get summery?

Fantastic question. In my non-professional opinion, without any qualifications, for a salsa to have a summery feel, tropical fruits must be included in the ingredients. According to the aforementioned Todd Simcox, it's going to be hot enough this summer. We need a salsa that we can enjoy on the boat, at the beach, at a backyard BBQ, etc. that is less spicy and refreshing.

Contestant 1: Garden Fresh Gourmet Mango Peach Salsa is available in Maine

Garden Fresh Gourmet Mango Peach Salsa started the competition off strong. Lots of flavor, you can really taste the mangos and peaches. It's very refreshing, but stays true to its mild rating, maybe too much so.

I would have liked a little more spice, but overall it was just delicious. I give Garden Fresh Gourmet 4 out of 5 peppers.

Candidate 2: Galaxie Salsa’s Peach “Sweet Ride” is made in Maine

I could eat Galaxie Salsa's Peach “Sweet Ride” with a spoon. In fact, I have. In addition to traditional salsa ingredients, this Maine-made salsa uses zucchini and peaches, and both give it a very unique, addictive flavor. 4.3 out of 5 peppers for Galaxie – yum!

Candidate 3: Kudos to Walmart for providing excellent salsa in Maine

Walmart? I love Walmart, but I'm still surprised at how fresh and flavorful this salsa is. Marketside Sweet Heat Mango Peach is available for only $3.98. I can clearly taste every ingredient in this salsa and I kept wanting more. Do I give this salsa the highest rating yet? Yes, I do. 4.5 out of 5 peppers. So good! How can it be so good?!

Candidate 4: Try a salsa from El Paso, Texas in Maine this summer

Admittedly, I knew I would love this salsa because I've had it several times before, but I'm certainly not going to give it the high rating I expected after tasting the other salsas.

Desert Pepper Trading Company's Peach Mango Salsa is full of flavor and has just the right amount of spice, but its consistency is much soupier than its competitors. It costs an affordable $4.79 at Hannaford, and I give it a rating of 3.9 out of 5 peppers.

Candidate 5: Newman's own mango salsa is available nationwide, including Maine

Newman's is a chain of condiments that include salsas, and their mango salsa is delicious. Newman's Own was founded by actor Paul Newman and has great products all around.

Their mango salsa is chunky, savory, and has a strong mango flavor. I especially like that 100% of the profits go to children. It actually has more carbs and sugar than any other salsa I've tried. Newman's mango salsa gets a 4 out of 5 from me for taste, charity, and being the cheapest at just $3.59 at Hannaford.

Candidate 6: Hannaford’s own-brand salsa in Maine is impressive

Taste of Inspirations is the generic food brand of the company that owns Hannaford. Their mango pineapple is good and has a lot of flavor, but I couldn't really taste the mango or pineapple. We're looking for a summer flavor, and this wasn't it. It also costs $5.59. While it's very tasty, I give this salsa 3.5 out of 5 peppers.

Contestant 7: Can Todd's Salsa from Bangor, Maine survive the competition?

I saved Todd's Salsa for last because Todd's Pineapple Salsa was already my favorite. I wanted to give the competition a fair chance and try to win over my taste buds. Maybe by the time I got to Todd's Salsa I would be so jaded that I would hate tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.

I've eaten my fair share of salsa and I'm pretty full, but Todd's salsa is far better. Is the secret that TV5 meteorologist Todd Simcox knows the weather patterns and when to harvest the ripest, most delicious fruits and vegetables? I don't know, but what I do know is that while it's one of the more expensive salsas at Hannaford and Tiller & Rye, it's far better, with a 4.9 out of 5 pepper rating. There's a reason it sold out at Brewer's today.

These reviews are of course my opinion alone, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. I recommend you try all 7 of these salsas this summer, or just come by my place. I have quite a stock now. Did I miss a salsa you recommend? Email me: david.bugenske@townsquaremedia.com.