Queen Elizabeth II of England loved Tabasco sauce so much —especially with lobster cocktail, one of her favorite dishes— that the brand is part of the official suppliers to the British Royal Family. Singers Beyoncé and Karol G always carry a bottle in their purse and generously sprinkle it on everything, especially on Beyoncé's noodle soup and Karol G's arepas. On the other hand, Selena Gomez enjoys soaking her popcorn with it, and even Brad Pitt made sure his bloody mary was well-seasoned in Once upon a time.
This condiment has always been associated with celebrities and the movies. Its first appearance in a film was in a silent movie from 1900, Experience with Aunt Jane, where it was a protagonist. Charlie Chaplin showcased it in The Immigrant and James Bond in The Man with the Golden Gun and The Spy Who Loved Me, while it has also made appearances in Apocalypse Now and Shrek, and in TV series like The Simpsons and ER.
A testament to the popularity of this spicy seasoning born in 1868 on Avery Island, a wild enclave amidst swamps and marshes in the southern state of Louisiana (USA) and not in the Mexican city of the same name, as many believe, despite the origin site's name being printed on the label of the 700,000 bottles produced daily and distributed in 190 out of the world's 194 official countries.
In that island that is not actually an island (not entirely surrounded by sea, but rather a salt mass formed by evaporation), the sauce was born thanks to banker Edmund McIlhenny, who married Mary Eliza, daughter of Edward Avery, one of the founders of the place in the early 19th century. The couple lived in New Orleans, 220 kilometers away, but spent time on the island. In the birthplace of jazz, a young man gifted him with some red chili seeds from Mexico that he cultivated on the family's fertile and subtropical island estates.
He didn't think about them again until, after the American Civil War (1861-1865), where Avery Island was used as a salt supply, he returned to find everything destroyed except for his fields, vibrant with red. There wasn't much to eat in those hard times, so he himself concocted a mixture with the chilies, adding local vinegar and salt in his basement.
The post-war food was so bland that, despite having no commercial intentions, his invention became a hit among his acquaintances and later in New Orleans. To the point that in 1869, he used cologne bottles with a dispenser to create the first bottle with his own label and sold 658 at once. From there to Europe, to the movies, to half the world... Even to Space, as in 1970, the astronauts on the American Skylab station seasoned their food with Tabasco, repeating the operation on subsequent NASA missions.
All of this is recounted in the museum built at the island factory, where the dressing is still produced with the only three original ingredients from McIlhenny's recipe. Visitors can also tour the room of white oak barrels that once stored whiskey, where the mixture ages for three years to develop an intense texture and flavor.
"We still use the same artisanal technique of my great-great-grandfather for this product that pairs well with any food in the world. In fact, Japan is the second-largest consumer after the USA," Harold Osborn, CEO of the company and a fifth-generation member, always emphasizes.
Airboat ride through the wetlands.
The journey continues at the store, where among a myriad of customized souvenirs, visitors can taste the different existing varieties from mild to hot. It's also worth visiting the 1868 restaurant, which pays homage to the year of the company's founding with dishes from the typical Cajun cuisine of Louisiana.
A visit to the island is incomplete without exploring the Jungle Gardens, a true natural paradise spanning 170 hectares conceived by explorer Edward Avery McIlhenny, son of the sauce's creator, to preserve endangered species populated by white cranes, herons, kingfishers, ibises, camellias, azaleas, raccoons, alligators, and even a 900-year-old Buddha statue.
And of course, a must-do is taking an airboat ride through the wetlands. And discovering the story of the curious time capsule that the island residents buried in 1900 with old photos of the plantations, seeds, and Tabasco bottles, among other everyday objects. It will be opened in the year 2100.
PRACTICAL GUIDE
HOW TO GET THERE
American Airlines flies to New Orleans from Spain with a layover in another U.S. city. Avery Island is 220 kilometers from the city (about a 2.5-hour drive) and 48 kilometers from Lafayette.
WHERE TO STAY
Most visitors to Avery Island include the island in their Louisiana itinerary, staying in New Orleans or Lafayette. In New Orleans, a recommended hotel is the Cambria New Orleans, a cozy, modern-style hotel very well located in the Warehouse District, right in the heart of downtown. In Lafayette, a good option is the SpringHill Suites by Marriott South at River Ranch.
MORE INFORMATION
On the tourism websites of Explore Louisiana (explorelouisiana.com) and Tabasco (tabasco.com)