Re: [CH] consumer opinion

Bill Oakes (bill_oakes@ibm.net)
Fri, 15 May 1998 14:19:36 -0700 

Judith,
As my tastes have become more "pure" (or my buds get burnt to a
crisp...whatever), I've found that the # of sauces I'll actually buy has
dropped like a rock.  These days, I look for the following:
 - how rich (I can always add heat)
 - how hot (but it's nice to have it to start with)
 - how tart.  I'm SOOOO sick of vinegar as the #1 ingredient!
 - finally, what'll it work with?  I tend to stick with tuna, crab, chicken.
Will it work with those?  If not, I'll probably skip it.
 - how exotic.  If it fails all the other tests, but it's in a REALLY cool
bottle, I'll still get one (let's face it...a bottle with a Harley on it
isn't going to be a unique sauce, but it's a COOL bottle)
 - last, how much?  This one gets me sometimes....I see bottles of Xxx brand
for $5.95, then walk down two shops and see it for $2.50.  (of course,
usually RIGHT after I bought it at the first shop..but let's not go there).

Realistically, though, the other reason my sauce purchases have dropped is
that I've found that drying and grinding my own peppers gives me MUCH more
control over flavoring, without the vinegar.

Hope that helps,


Bill Oakes
San Jose, USA
bill_oakes@ibm.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Judith Stone <madpepco@gte.net>
To: chile-heads-digest@globalgarden.com
<chile-heads-digest@globalgarden.com>
Date: Friday, May 15, 1998 1:09 PM
Subject: [CH] consumer opinion


>I've been asked by a well-known national trade publication to do an
>article on consumer opinions about hot sauces.  I know all of you are
>experts in the field and would love to include your opinions in my
>article.  After all, you are the "top of the food chain" in the hot
>sauce business" as the editor put it and I know will make a great source
>for me.
>
>I would like to know what prompts you to buy one hot sauce over
>another.  What rings your chime,  so to speak.  It is taste, heat
>levels, color, labels, price, advertising, word-of-mouth, salesmen's
>advice or anything else that causes you to reach for that "special"
>bottle.  Also, if you don't mind, I'd also like to quote some of you in
>the article because I feel there is a great cross-section of people on
>the list.
>
>If you feel that this is too commercial for a discussion on the list,
>please feel free to e-mail me privately.  I hope that this isn't the
>case, however, because I think (in my own mind, of course) that this
>would be an interesting topic.
>
>Looking forward to hearing from you.  Judith
>
>