Tabasco Sauce

Tabasco sauce is a table condiment made from red peppers, vinegar, water, and salt, and aged in white oak barrels. It is named after the Tabasco river and Tabasco State of Mexico but not the Tabasco pepper, which it does not contain. The original variety measures 2,500 to 5,000 su on the Scoville scale. There are now five popular varieties.

It has a hot, spicy flavour, not to everyone's taste, but is popular in many parts of the world: it is sold in more than 110 countries and packaged in 19 different languages. More than 150 million bottles are sold each year, half of those in the USA.

It is made by the McIllhenny Co. of Avery Island, Louisiana. The Tabasco sauce has been produced since 1868, and there are currently a wide array of new types of sauces produced with the name of Tabasco Sauce, including green sauce, and other flavors. In addition, the company has cashed in their brand name by licensing for the production of such promotional items as towels, paintings, posters and others. McIllhenny Co. also publishes a yearly catalog with Tabasco Sauce promotional items for sale.

The peppers used are a spicy cultivar of Capsicum frutescens and are grown on Avery Island. Another cultivar commonly called the "Tabasco pepper" is grown there as well, but not used in the production of the sauce.

External Links:

• Official Web Site: http://www.tabasco.com/