Thank you.

I just wanted to thank you for your overwhelming response to the announcement yesterday. I was really touched. I appreciate each and every one of your emails and words of support.

I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to many different countries over the years with The Land of Nod. But the most amazing by far, was India. I have been there four times, though never down south to Kerala, a beautiful, tropical state.

Few Americans ever get the chance or have the desire to go to India. So I will be bringing you with in my virtual suitcase. Reluctant Pepper will be part travelogue, part extraordinary products, part oddball fun. It will be business as unusual.

I am not an expert on peppercorns or spices. But it doesn't take a genius to realize that Divakar's organic peppercorns are something special.

In order to be sure that additional spices are up to the same extraordinary level, I'm working with a top chef in Chicago to help maintain standards. I will not grow the product assortment just to grow it. I will only add spices if they are extraordinary. I don't care how long it takes.

I plan on sharing my learning experiences, photos, stories and observations with you as I visit the peppercorn plantations and spice markets of Kerala. We will all learn together.

I will be spending a lot of time with my good friend Divakar and his family. So I will also be fortunate enough to share some of those special experiences as well.

I leave tomorrow night at 10 pm. Since you'll be in my virtual suitcase, I'll be letting you know the itinerary soon. But this post is too long already, so it will have to wait until tomorrow. Thanks again and stay tuned.