Tabasco – Mais, das hot Cher!
Jan 25th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Destinations
Tabasco pepper sauce has been a standard in cajun households since it’s creation in the 1860’s. Unlike many products that evolve to become “better”, “improved”, or otherwise, the McIhenny family has kept Tabasco sauce the same for over 140 years. It’s still made in the same location, too – a natural, beautiful ecosystem made of salt.
Avery Island
Avery Island, one of the five salt dome islands in Louisiana is a perfect location for the McIlhenny family to produce the Tabasco Sauce product. While Avery Island Salt is one of the ingredients of the sauce, it is also used in the process as a barrel sealant, to protect the sauce in the three year aging process from impurities. Watch this video to see how Tabasco Sauce is made.
Environmentally Aware and Active
Outside of being excellent makers of pepper sauce, the McIlhenny’s are conservationists, maintaining the ecosystem that surrounds them. From the development of a bird sanctuary in 1895 (to save the white egrets from plume hunters), to the conservation of local botanical treasures (protecting the plants after oil was discovered on the island in 1942) the McIlhenny’s are doing their part to preserve the natural habitat. So, the next time you shake a few drops of tabasco in your gumbo you can feel good about contributing to the preservation of this wonderful region.
Production
Tabasco is now produced in mass quantity, yet the quality of the product is well maintained. The company produces 720,000 bottles every single day and they are shipped to over 160 countries and territories and packaged in 22 different languages. If you’re one of the unfortunates who can’t find Tabasco sauce in your local grocery store, then visit the online Tabasco Country store.
TABASCO® Pepper Sauce Factory Tour Information
Hours: Monday–Sunday, 9am–4pm
Jungle Gardens and Bird City Information
Hours: Monday–Sunday, 9am–5pm
Open every day of the year, including holidays
For more information, call 1-337-365-8173
Thank you for your images
fischerhuder – for the Tabasco Sauce Image
mboxman – for the Azalea image
some rights reserved
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Thought I would share a Cajun wedding tradition that few Cajuns know about. My family was surprised to find out about this in August 2008 when our second son got married. “Cajuns know how to have fun with each other. It is a custom that if a younger brother or sister marries before the older one, then the older one must dance with a mop or broom while everyone watches.” Check out this website:
http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/cajun_wed.html
Our oldest son was not happy about dancing with the mop, although we didn’t use a mop, we used a broom. All it took was a few alcoholic drinks, and he was dancing with the broom, as well as his uncles!
Hey Cindy,
That’s new to me, too. Very cool. I like the money dance, too… Another great tradition. I think Sally and I will get married again so we can do this.
[...] Tabasco, if desired [...]