The etiquette of party snackery serving seems simple.

You've got to have something crunchy (a chip or a carrot stick). Then you must complement it with a contrasting texture. We bank on Team Salsa Lisa.

The locally made salsas started in the early 1990s, when Lisa Nicholson, then a law student at the U of M, found herself with an aggressive crop of tomatoes. She started making salsa and selling it at the Farmers' Market.

The company is has gone national (after selling a majority stake) and there's a variety for every palette: mild, hot and very hot of the original plus roasted chipotle, tomatillo and green chile (a new favorite of ours) and pineapple ginger.

And, really, a party/crunchy vehicle isn't even necessary if you're looking for an excuse to partake. Slather it on just about anything. But absolutely no double-dipping.

Unless you're alone in the room.

Salsa Lisa, about $4 per jar, available at Cub Foods, Kowalski's and Target.