Probably trying to please the palates of people in the bland North.

Hey! but what about me? I don't do bland :)

I think that President's Choice salsa of SA that I bought must be from this Pace company. I too gave it a so so rating.

Steff- This Mexico thing is really big. Yesterday I just got word from my friend near Cancun that someone was kidnapped inside a shopping Mall! Another was"just" killed.

As he said, Thailand's bloodshed is peanuts compared to Mexico.

When will it end :(

Poor Mexicans.

Huh? Salsa casera is homemade. Unless they're bottling for the masses I'd guess that the house salsa in the restaurants is fresh. Possibly pickled (i.e., in acid (vinegar) or brine) and/or cooked, rather than chopped raw like a salsa fresca, but it's probably still fresh, as in just made, rather than canned, as in packed with a vacuum seal for storage.

Not stock photos. Catalog. Online. Just find your image and post, just like the faucets or anything else. No biggie. Now think...look at the shadows. You don't think those look professionally lit? Does it look like my kitchen? Did you notice I already told you my pots are red and orange? SOLLY!!! WAKE UP!!!! You're working too hard!

YUM!! ¡Molé! Well, I've never had the jar kind, but there's a moderate (i.e., better than family but not fine dining) place in L.A. that has these amazing blue corn tamales in molé that are absolutely amazing. 'Course, like "salsa", "molé" just means sauce. Though just as most of us who say "salsa" mean salsa picante or salsa fresca, most who just say "molé" mean fruit sauce with peppers and chocolate.

Sorry. I'm having an ADD da...look! a squirrel!!! Brain is running too fast and I can't seem to slow down enough to focus on anything.

Salsa Piquante

8 serrano chiles
6 large tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Roast chiles and tomatoes over flames or under broiler until skins are charred. Peel. Remove seeds from chilies. Put chilies and tomatoes with seasoning in food processor, blender, food mill, chopper, or whatever and puree.

To make "waterier" add vinegar. To make lumpy, add chopped tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. And whatever else you like.

Sol, It's my turn to cross post with you. And just for you I went and measured. The smaller skillet lid is about 5.25" across the bottom, and 8" across the top. The larger one is about 6.5" across the bottom and 9.5" across the top. The bottom measurements were taken on the underside from ridge to ridge of the part that's in contact with the cooktop. The top measurement is the outside measure of the top edge.

I didn't mean you about the North. I mean Americans who live in the bland food belt. You Canadians love vacationing in poor beleaguered Mexico, and presumably don't consider mayonnaise a spicy condiment.

Steff-that's interesting about the new Salsa company buying it and change of product.
Something I'm struggling with personally. When a product is so far above and beyond it's competition, that company , or it's eventual buyer, must make a decision on how to become more profitable not just outright better.

Case in point. Toyota/Mitsubushi (from experience) made bulletproof cars that were ridiculously cheaper and infinitely better quality. I assume they then made a decision, within the last 5-10 years, that since they were say 5 times better quality than any other car company, it was just too good. Bad for their sales of new cars, bad for parts sales etc. Now with the decision to build cheaper quality cars, instead of being 5 times better, they are now say 2 times better (which is realistic according to J. D. Power latest quality survey, even despite all the Toyota woes) this makes good business sense.

Business can't be all to the benefit of the consumer otherwise you have no economy. I am suffering the same demise as Toyota. Our product is so much better and so underpriced than any other product in the category that my company suffers from very long repeat sales times.

It's not necessary, and VERY BAD for business, to be so superior in your industry.

Maybe that's what the S.A . new Salsa company has done, although their's is not about durability. To just be better is good enough. And sounds exactly like your sentiment Plllog. It was much better but now it's "just" better than the competition. In the meantime, the manufacturer was able to reduce some ingredient/ procedure to cut costs and increase profits.

You still get a better Salsa than x-y Brand and they are finally making a better profit in S.A.

And just for you I went and measured.

BLUSH::: So sweet. Thanks! OK now I'll do the dishes. Promise.

For some reason I thought you had different colors. But I guess that was the idea for me only.

I'm working too hard! You mean I need a vacation next week!

Asia! Please. Pretty please!

I just got the monthly credit card bill Plllog.

That resort I booked you into in Thailand was $1,265.00 per night!!!

Sheeze;;; We could've furnished Steff's room at the Chateau for that price. Or put on a new buckskin saddle on Missy's Suzi.

Seriously, I went to their website all psyched up and then fell onto my keyboard in shock.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hope You Enjoyed It

I do have different colors all in all. Those pots are red and orange, the two in ones, as are most of mine. My apple shaped tatin is apple green. My non-Le Creuset big grill is golden yellow, and I could use a dijon but they didn't have one in the size pots I wanted. My wok is cobalt. The rest are cerise or flamme. But I also got stoneware: dijon and dune small rectangular bakers, and cobalt, kiwi and white mini pie plates. The newer colors (kiwi, citron, dune, Caribbean, casis, white, black) aren't rich enough for me. Though if I'd done the turquoise and white kitchen I'd originally planned perhaps the Caribbean would have gone. But I also like warm colors for cooking. The cobalt and dark green pots are pretty rich and warm for technically cool colors. There was a dark green bean pot (13 qt. round dutch oven) at the outlet, but while it was tempting, I really don't need it, didn't want to store it, and was trying not to add to my already extreme shopping trip.

Asia? Japan, okay. Singapore, fine. No going to Thailand to be a hero.

OK got the color thing. Yes you do qualify for The Colorful Mexican Pots Club.

But Plllog, my Buddy said the curfew is off starting Friday night and all the rukkus was only Bangkok. I'm thinking Ko Samui. Your Koh Kood was just way to Conde Naste for me. I'm a rough and tough Backpacker. (I really hope my friend Jean Claude is NOT reading this) As he said the last time I was in Mexico, "I think you are actually getting worse at packing as you age" Other words for- looking like an over bloated Mexican Burro.

Please!

Here is a link that might be useful:

To go with your milk and cookies.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bedtime Treat

P.S Next time I read anything featured in the NY Times Travel section, I will take it with a grain of salt as in where NOT to go. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of money people in the world have to burn, foolishly.

That one night in the Koh Kood Bungalow is a Thai persons annual salary!

I guess that's why the G12 Summits (in Ontario next week) are always so volatile. The inequality and gap amongst classes is so big and eventually leads to a boiling point. aka Revolution.

BTW As a Canadian, I'm disgusted by the record Security expense that this summit is costing us, approx 1 Billion dollars!!! More than the Olympic Games. SHEEZE.

Pretty beach, Solly, but it's a perfect time of year to do the High Sierra Loop. And stay in permanent campsites along the way so you can have your resort too. And not even have to leave the continent. Rough and tough indeed!

Um... Well, yeah, on the security. If you or your Thai friend get blown up it's a tragedy for your loved ones and friends. It's a sadness for the rest of us. And the world turns on. There's no getting through life without dying, religious refutations nonetheless. If the G12 leaders get blown to bits the world falls apart in the short run. And you've seen on a small scale the kind of havoc that kind of falling apart can cause. Presumably, being able to meet face to face and whisper into each others' ears, is a truly useful enterprise for the leaders, and worth the risk. If you've ever done a conference call you'll know that it's about as satisfying as looking at a picture of a nice dinner. All of the salivating, none of the satiation. Unfortunately, there are people in the world who think that the best way to solve a problem is to smash something and leave the shards for other people to step on.

Plllog thanks for such nice words. Really. I guess we couldn't all play anymore If I got blown up, could we?

I'll check it more closely to see if it is outside Bangkok. Must be posts online if I Google.

What do you and Steff think of my Biz analysis regarding product quality.

Remember 2 months ago, when I got the big supply contract, I panicked at not having enough stock? Well it's now June and just got a minute order, relative to their past orders of the inferior product. Based on my current estimates, we are at least 5 times longer lasting, at the same price!
So only the Customer is winning this game.

So, few weeks back I contacted our Factory asking for a cheaper quality for less money. This quality will still be say 100% better than our customer's previous supplier but not 800% like our present product. The customer still wins and now we at least get re-orders which means you actually have a real business!

I wish this lesson had been learned 10 years ago instead of today in 2010. That's why the Biz has 100% Loyalty rate, unheard of in today's Business. Every Customer we had 10 years ago is still a customer today. None lost out of hundreds, unless they closed or went under. That is a good indicator of being underpriced.

Every business in the world segments. BMW gives you the 7,5,3 or 1 Series all depending on how much you spend. We foolishly gave the market the Porsche 911 for a Chevy price and quality when we should have made a better than Chevy product and sold at Chevy price.

Oh well. Live and let learn I guess.

As a Biz student, looks like I missed the class on Planned Obsolescence.

But the SA Salsa talk really struck a chord. One that I seemed to relate to.

How about Palawan?

Here is a link that might be useful:

Oh, I'm sorry. I got involved with answering. Your analysis looks pretty sound to me. I'm not sure if it was that or flat out greed that got Toyota. That's more the whole thing about only being able to get black interiors on most cars. Saves the bottom line a la Henry Ford--any color you want so long as it's black. Messing with the brake system quality is bad news. But sure, regarding the less best salsa, increasing the marginal profit by decreasing the marginal cost is a tried and true formula for getting rich.

Hm... not so sure about Palawan. Lovely place, but must we have sand in our dinners?

Lovely place, but must we have sand in our dinners?

ROTL;;;; and straight into your Folder of doozies. Answer to follow. Promise.

Planned obsolescence is definitely important in a marketing plan. Would the customers notice if the quality goes down on the repeat orders? The risk is they would start checking out competing products.

Another way to increase sales is to add new products to the mix. Now that Pace is owned by the Campbell Soup Company they have a lot of different products that David Pace never envisioned.

The Pace plant has been moved to Paris (Texas). Pace does taste sweeter and more like tomato sauce now. I can't remember if I've tasted the hotter version lately or whether that would make a difference. I've been picking up different brands to try, but haven't found one that stands out.

The recipe is simple:

1 Large handful of Cilantro leaves (some stems okay)
1/4 Onion (Red or Yellow)
1/2 Large Jalapeno, seeds and vein removed
Dash salt (I use Kosher)

Chop in the food processor for a few seconds.

Add one large can Petite Diced Tomatoes and process on mix a few seconds.

If ripe tomatoes are available, I peel and chop them by hand and then mix. That's usually for special occasions.

I couldn't find the feature in the Toronto Star you referenced, but can pretty much guess what it said. Mexican businesses are buying homes in San Antonio for the families of their executives to live full. The drug cartels are doing the same apparently. The news this week is that they have teamed up with the Somalis.

Steff- thanks! Yes I see how simple it is. BTW, after Plllog's summary of the taste, I tried mine again last night and yes it's Pace. Tastes mild and tomato like.

Also, putting 2 and 2 together it makes sense that it's Pace making the President's Choice Salsa since whoever is supplying PC would have to be pretty big as in production capacity and be able to handle a national distribution contract for all Canada.

It also does not taste anything like the stuff on the tables of Mexican restaurants. Quite frankly, I think most Mexican restaurants may just go to Walmart and buy cans of HERDEZ and serve on the table. HERDEZ is like the Campbell's of Mexico.

Hi Steff,

In our main line, we made the change last year to reduce the thickness slightly.

One year later not a single customer has questioned. So, no it is unnoticed. Even I can barely tell.

Also, this year for the main line, this time we will reduce the size by say 2 cm. Again, very minute. As far as customers going to an alternative. There isn't one anywhere near this quality/price.

Last week one my customers actually told me to my face that the Limited Production "Dark Blues" that we made and sold 7 years ago were absolutely indestructible and the best he has ever used or seen in his career. I purposely have withheld selling the few cases we still have in inventory, again, because it's bad for business. So last week, I conceded and will sell the cases at 2 and a half times our normal price product. It's still a bargain for him since that special product lasts at least 4 times longer than our main line. And there was no resistance from him whatsoever.

A better story. In about 2001 I was in Germany on business and the taxi drivers were up in arms about the new 190 series Mercedes. That car was the beginning of a nightmare of quality issues for Daimler. All taxis in Germany are Mercedes; have always been and will always be. Why? They are built like tanks-great diesel engines. Correction "were" built like tanks. Even here in Canada I see 20 year old Benz's on the road. So Mercedes also decided they were in the Car selling business but the shock was just too great in their 190's. To be fair, those were also their cheapest models. Just that prior to that, Daimler only made the big honkin Benz's. One thing I will say is that sitting in a Benz is like being in your favorite slippers. They know comfort.

Of course cheapening an automobile or tech device is a huge gamble since it involves literally 5,000 different components.

Mine is simple. You can only vary fibre content, dimensions and thickness.

Re pricing, it's where magic comes in. Back in the early '90's I think it was, this guy designed custom fit sneakers with a bunch of adjustment areas. He added a reasonable profit to his minimal costs to bring the retail price to affordable. Couldn't sell the things. They got lost in the noise of all the sneakers on the market and they were seen as just a gimmick. So he withdrew them from the market. After a short time and some proper market analysis, he brought them back. At triple the price. Basically, working moms don't care about custom fit for the teens who outgrow their shoes as soon as they're bought. It's people who have enough money to be used to having things the way they want them who want custom fit shoes. People who don't even look at shoes that cost less than $100. So the volume of sales went way up even as the price was set so much higher because he was reaching the right market.

Maybe you should do a limited run of dark blues like once a decade and sell them for a very very high price.

Yeah, okay, I get what you mean about the Benz, but just try to get out of the back seat of an S class wearing a skirt and heels. I'll give up a little of the barcalounger feel for the ability to exit like a lady!

LOL!!! Plllog.

Well said, mind you I've looked at it from the lady exit point of view to be honest but could be amusing indeed.

Personally I have no fondness for any Benz. Never did. Never will. I'll take handling over cush any day. Hence the White Boxster on our Chateau driveway!
You know, your groceries car.

Boxter? What Boxter? Ain't no stinkin' Boxter coming to our little castle. You were going to have an Astin Martin. It's a toy but it's appropriate to the setting. With a Range Rover or something for the groceries. If you'd rather have a Porsche for the handling, then for goodness's sake, get a real Porsche, not a heavy tushed faux job meant for real estate agents and wannabes.

Oh! my Riviera Baby.

See we just toss the groceries in the back seat.

Thank god for "the Blues" that made this possible!

Here is a link that might be useful:

You were going to have an Astin Martin.

Agreed. Much better idea. The Neighbours will laugh in scorn at "those new American peasants next door"

LOL about exiting like a lady, a pickup truck is almost as bad. The quality issue is a real problem for Mercedes now. Apparently they have improved, but have a long way to go to win back lost customers.

As long as the changes aren't a problem for the customers, you should be fine. The HP ink cartridge expiration date issue is a good example of how to alienate customers with planned obsolescence.

Grief - I'm too far behind to catch up. I guess I'll just say 'hey'. :o)

Steff, I popped off an email earlier through GW to say thanks for the link to the garden site. :o) I don't know how often you check that email, so thought I'd post, too.

Hope everyone is having a good spring and not working too hard.

Solman, the 911 is fine. Though the new Boxters aren't as ridiculous as the old ones. A Porsche should be a sports car, though, not a touring or a cabriolet. Roof, please! There is no way to make a convertible that handles well because of the shearing force (I think that's the one I mean--the thing that twists without the stability of a full frame). If you really must expose yourself you can have a targa carrera.

Steff, I hate to be contrary (I usually save that for teasing Solman), but a pickup is easier to get out of gracefully than that danged S class!! In a truck you can swing your legs around to the door opening, put the hinge side foot on the floor a little, push off enough that the skirt doesn't stick to the seat, and kind of slide down. No crawling or Brittany moments. Though I'm glad I won't be riding out to a formal occasion I have this weekend in my gown--we'll have a place to change when we get there--since I'm going in truck, because I will admit that floor length and pickups are a little awkward. :) Still better than the back of that danged Mercedes, though.

HI MISSY!!!

Hi Plllog :o)

Try getting gracefully off a bike in a dress lol I used to that in a past life (pre-marriage). It's even trickier in a mini wearing 5" spikes.

I'm with you - the truck is much easier, especially if you've got some decent running boards.

[hanging head]I'm too much of a wimp. Just imagining road rash was enough to keep me off of motorcycles. I wiped out big time on my bicycle when I was twelve. I was going downhill and the nut came off the brakes. I suppose I was "lucky" that there were cockleburrs over the short block wall I landed in. I'll let you imagine how I felt about the hydrogen peroxide in the knees and elbows. Those had the deepest of it. But it was a lot worse than the broken arm. Yeah. Wimp. Scared of scabs. I can just see you in the dress and spikes on your cowgirl machine. ;) I do remember when looking good doing it was a consideration...

Oh, silly - don't hang your head!! We are all shaped by our experiences. You chose a different path and that's just fine. If we were all the same it would be a very boring world.

I wiped out pretty badly the first time I drove a bike - I think that's why I took so long to try again. I was about 15 or so, and ended up with a palm sized burn on my palm when I hit the exhaust with my hand when I fell (gravel is evil!!). I am thinking that if I hurt myself again it will likely be the end of my biking. Hopefully we live and learn eh?

As far as looking good mattering in those instances - lol - I'm lucky to get all my parts there intact. No more spikes and minis for me. At least my full-face helmet keeps the bugs out of my teeth.

ROTFLOL!!! Missy, if only certain potentially interesting young men who eschewed four wheels and a roof had thought the way you do. At the time, all I was thinking was that my mother told me never to get on a motorcycle without helmet, boots and leathers and I didn't even realize at the time that the reason I clung to that rule was my betimes acquaintance with road rash.

Agreed on the gravel! Even under horseshoes it's evil!

I only wear minis around the house, but I still have my spikes. Don't wear 'em, but I have 'em. :)

O M G ! Missy!!! You poor thing.

SNOW in Calgary? I just saw the 10:00 National.

It's 32C in TO; with girls flaunting painted toes in flip-flops.

What's all this talk about spikes? Spike Lee from LA?

Can we get some examples up? I need a reference point-pardon the pun [[Hee]]

What's all this talk about spikes? Spike Lee from LA?

Can we get some examples up? I need a reference point-pardon the pun [[Hee]]

Ah, the memories! I wore spike heels to a wedding once and nearly broke my ankle. Had to sit out the rest of the evening watching everyone else dance to the live band.

Bugs in the teeth, very cute. Reminds me of Flo, the Progressive Insurance girl. I've attached a link to the first one. There's a sequel where they go riding, but couldn't find it on the list. We had a motorcycle for a while years ago and I did ride on the back some. But I've always been a wimp about them too.

Sorry I missed that email Missy, I need to change my GW profile. When I signed up I put in an email that I don't use much to avoid spam or worse.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flo and the bike dude

Here's the sequel, I found it on the Progressive insurance site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Riding....

Spike Lee is from New York. Spike heels are from Jimmy Choo. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

One of my most comfortable pairs of shoes was a pair of 4.5" spikes, bronze babydolls, that went perfectly with my outfit for a wedding a couple decades ago, and were obtained from my best friend's closet, whither she'd gotten them from another friend, who bought them at a thrift shop. I don't usually go for used shoes. Pretty high on the eeewwww factor. But they were so comfy! I could really dance in those! Usually 3" was my limit for dancing, and that's tap shoes which have heels one can rest on. And Suzy Q. And Ball the Jack.

Poor Steff! To have shoes betray you like that!

Oooh! Steff, thanks for finding that! I'd never seen that one! Funny!

BTW, falling off a horse doesn't hurt as much, and I never got bugs in my teeth galloping... Maybe we need stables at the chateau? But I revile posting, so maybe Solman won't like that as my Western self will ring down derision on our ménage.

Did I hear correctly?

You want me to have a stable at the Chateau!

Well, there must already be a stable there. I just want you to fill it with horses. You did offer me a coach and four. Surely a couple of hacks would be less trouble than a matched team!

Plllog-no more fussing with the hair please. We're gonna be late for the reception! Just remember I've got my film cocked and can't afford to miss the Fuji moment.

LOL! The reception isn't until tomorrow. You'd better release your shutter before then! You don't want the sprint to go all wonky...

Typo. That's "spring".

ROTL!!! Oh in that case, I've got lots of time to polish my lens... and hose down your Jeep. I'm not going to Williams and Sonoma this afternoon looking like that!

Plllog-I just noticed that W&Sonoma has a different Le. C Blue known as "Azure" which differs from Cobalt. Which one's better? Is your's Cobalt?

Steff-Which do you like?

Also, should I be doing Orange and Red or just Red? I would think that the Red is cien por ciento Mexicano. La Verdad?

As man ponders drive to Grove City Pennsylvania.

Plllog your larger skillet that you measured is exactly my go to size. I just pulled it out and measured.

Problem: I don't see the nice skillets like you have and that above blue photo one with the nice smooth white interior. The ones on the Le. C site are Black and with those notches on the sides that bother me.

Now what :(

Oh Oh!

And I quote "Sonoma Green No Longer Available"

C'mon Outlet Store!

Cobalt is darker. My wok is cobalt.

Uh oh!! You might have to go to the store in France!!

LOL @ the progressive ads, Steff! Thanks for sharing. I had a good chuckle. Too funny that she even mentioned the bugs in her teeth.

Plllog, the leathers are very good for protection etc. So far I haven't had trouble wearing them as the weather hasn't been great (Yes, Solly, it's snowing here as we speak). I'm pretty sure it will be harder to wear heavy leather when it's 30 degrees out there.

I LOVE LOVE my MC boots. They are soooooo cute and I feel very sexy when I wear em. :o) Much better than spikes I think.

I didn't know you rode horses, Plllog - you and I are more alike than I realized.

I'm glad I mentioned the email, Steff - I really did want to thank you - that site looks great. :o)

Sorry Solly no advice on the cookware - I'll leave that up to the experts.

What! you want to go to Roland Garros?

I meant the Le. C shop.

Yeah, I see now that the 2 in1 is no longer available.

Seriously a French skillet must be rounded and white inside. Why do these guys have to make it so complicated? That Green photo above of your most used 2 pots is exactly what I need.

I know. Plllog- close your eyes, turn around, and count to 105 OK. :-)

Hi I am looking for a Silit Passion Colours. How do I starcooks24.de seen at the company in Germany had, they are there much Cheaper than here.

Worth of transportation anyway?

With best regards,

Ronny

Here is a link that might be useful: Silit Passion Colours