The Origin of Tabasco Sauce Is Not in Mexico! The Condiment, Which Is Essential in a Bloody Mary, Was Invented by an Irish-American Banker
A bloody mary would not be the same without the spicy and hot touch provided by drops of Tabasco sauce, a condiment used to enhance the flavors of cocktails, pizzas, and even seafood.
Because of its name, its spicy flavor, and the fact that it is made with a chili pepper native to Mexico, many people think it is a creation as Mexican as Valentina sauce. This is a mistake.
To the surprise of many, the origin of Tabasco sauce is in the United States, specifically in Louisiana, where a visionary banker developed the recipe using only three ingredients.
What Is the Origin of Tabasco Sauce?
Edmund McIlhenny, an Irish-American banker, lived in New Orleans, enjoying boats, horses, and spicy food when his life took a turn with the arrival of the Civil War.
The armed conflict not only left him without a job, but also without opportunities to find one. For this reason, he chose to work on his wife’s family’s sugar plantation, according to an article by The New York Times.
There are different versions of how the tabasco peppers came to Edmund; however, the Irish Emigration Museum states that a soldier gave them to McIlhenny.
“The story goes that a passing Confederate soldier gave McIlhenny some seeds from a Mexican tabasco pepper,” it explains. The New York Times article adds that he planted the seeds on his wife’s family’s land.
As the peppers proliferated, the idea of making a hot sauce was almost automatic, especially because during Reconstruction, the period following the Civil War, the diet in New Orleans was “bland and monotonous,” according to the Tabasco sauce website.
How Is Tabasco Sauce Made?
The original recipe was extremely simple, as it contained only three basic ingredients: distilled vinegar, red tabasco peppers, and salt, according to the Irish Emigration Museum.
Although not much was needed to make the condiment, the preparation method involved several steps: first, he crushed the peppers with a masher, then added salt and allowed the mixture to marinate with vinegar, according to The New York Times.
The article adds that the first sample was sent to a family friend in New York in 1868. The reactions to the condiment were so positive that Edmund decided to market it.
Today, the original Tabasco sauce continues to be made with the same ingredients; however, its website explains that the aging process has undergone some modifications.
This is because the mixture of peppers and salt is left to marinate longer with the vinegar, which is high-quality distilled vinegar. For aging, white oak barrels are used, and the sauce can be left to age for up to 3 years.
Tabasco Sauce Even Made It to NASA: How Did the Condiment Expand?
After sending the sauce to his friend, in 1869 Edmund began producing it on a larger scale: he bottled 658 units, which he placed in very particular containers.
These were made of glass and had a shape similar to that of a cologne bottle. At the mouth, they had a dispensing stopper sealed with a cork to prevent the contents from spilling. The bottles were sealed with green wax.
Although this element is no longer used on the containers, the color green remains present on Tabasco sauce bottles. The New York Times states that the first batch of this condiment was sold for one dollar.
Success was immediate, and sales increased year after year. Despite this, it was not until 1946 that a newspaper mentioned the use of Tabasco sauce in the popular bloody mary cocktail.
In 1949, Walter Stauffer McIlhenny was appointed president of McIlhenny Company. During his tenure, he oversaw the brand’s international expansion, with sales in 100 different countries.
Then, in 1970, Tabasco sauce reached space, as astronauts on the NASA Space Station used it to add flavor to their food, according to the brand’s website.
Since 1994, the brand has continued to grow and incorporate new flavors in subsequent years, including habanero, garlic, chipotle, sweet and spicy, and wings. In addition, in 2015, they welcomed their restaurant located on Avery Island.
Currently, Tabasco sauce has 158 years of history and a catalog of eleven different varieties, as well as a museum on Avery Island where the history of this product is preserved.
Source: elfinanciero
