Re: [CH] consumer comment
Griffin (grif@ionet.net)
Tue, 19 May 1998 21:37:55 -0500 (CDT)
t 06:11 AM 5/19/98 -0400, you wrote:
>About sauce preferences -
>
>Many people new to the chile-head scene, or largely ignorant of it, tend to
>think of sauce quality only as a matter of heat intensity.
(clipped)
Alex,
I enjoyed your comments and agree wholeheartedly.
The proliferation of what amounts to private brand labels, is a product of
marketing. Most speciality shops are what I call "Label Stores." An
explosion of hyperbole; almost a war of the superlatives is the norm. If you
have been reading this list for a few days, you probably noticed that a
recent thread covered the concept of shapes and music as the dominate
"languange" of the search for the ideal.
I would submit, shopping for the perfect bottle of hot sauce would best be
conducted in a visual sense. "Perfect bottle" would be the grail where all
the sauces have a sameness mandated by the high end of the spectrum. When
you are talking 99% pure habanero puree, there is more flavor variation from
bottle to bottle caused by the factors of soil and climate on the crop than
there are based upon special or secret receipes and ingredients.
In fact, the variation in flavors based upon soil and climate are most
delightful and desirable. Thus, to a large extent, the search for "best" is
a moot point; the search for "differences" takes over and drives the
seclection. In short, I take a visual approach and then enjoy the results on
my tounge. I rarely buy the same bottle twice.
And do I like some better than others? Yes! But, as the comiedian, Brother
Dave Gardner, said about sex -- "The worst I ever had was simply wonderful!"
Whereas, some of the best were heavily influenced by Scotch Bonnets and Limes.
As for "Gateway drugs" I have a friend who tells everyone that I am reaching
the point of needing "DRAINO" to feel the rush. This friend is not a CH but
got a good bite of hab in one of my dishes.
Al Griffin