I have acquired a taste for hot peppers. We have four hot chili peppers growing in our garden in anticipation of a fall harvest. These will be dried and saved for spaghetti and chili sauces.By accident I bought some Heinz ketchup last week and discovered that it's HOT, hot as in Tabasco sauce hot. The famous sauce has been added as a variation to Heinz' famous recipe. I love it; it's ketchup with BAMM and pizazz.
E.A. McIlhenny invented the blend of peppers, salt and vinegar after the Civil War, and everything on 2,200-acre Avery Island, Louisiana from the bayou bridge on, belongs to his descendants. Visitors can tour the Tabasco factory where the family still produces the famous condiment, which now generates $250 million in annual revenue.
Peppers are ground into "mash" the same day they are harvested and placed in white oak barrels for a three year aging process. Until recently all the peppers were grown on Avery Island but now the bulk of the peppers are grown in Central and South America. They are handpicked at just the right ripeness.
It's amazing that this centuries old product is still in private hands. The family has nurtured and preserved the integrity of the brand well. Do you enjoy hot pepper sauces and sprinkle them on your food whenever you have the chance?
Image: Hot peppers on Avery Island
