The Civil War Made Tabasco Sauce, And Reconstruction Made It Popular
Photo credit: spicysouthernkitchen.com
In the 1850s, Edmund McIlhenny was a successful banker. In the 1860s, he was bankrupt. The Civil War had ruined his business. With no more money, he moved back into the home of his parents-in-law on Avery Island, Louisiana.
But his luck was about to turn around. Little did he know, the family’s estate was built on a giant salt rock. He mined the salt and made a fortune selling it to the Confederacy. When the Union found out about this strategic reserve of salt, they attacked his salt mine and burned down his farm twice.
Afraid for their lives, the family was forced to flee to Texas. When McIlhenny returned to Louisiana after the war, he planted a vegetable garden. To pile on the bad news, everything he planted died in the salty, burned ground.
In New Orleans, he met a war veteran who told him about some pepper seeds he had from Mexico. McIlhenny made the first bottle of Tabasco sauce from these seeds.
Later, his sons would mass-produce the sauce. It became a hit because it added some necessary flavor to the bland food available during the Reconstruction. It is the same spice that we put on our bland food today.
I'll be the first to agree that Tabasco certainly has a flavor all it's own, although it is a tad spicy. I love the stuff!
Coffee out on the patio this morning. It's cool, but the sun is shining for a change!
13 comments:
Interesting to learn the history of Tabasco, e en tho my stomach can't handle it these day...I would love your sunny patio...its racing here....again:((
Forgive the typos...never have picked up the habit of proof reading:))
I prefer Louisiana Hot Sauce....but my tummy can't handle either one.
Interesting story.
Like the others my tummy can't handle it. I can understand why it was so popular back then, though.
The Tabasco facility was a great tour 40 years ago. I have not been back to see the updated version but have been told it is still interesting.
I really like the flavor of Tabasco sauce... Avery Island & the Tabasco factory tour are on my list! I think factory tours are neat things!
I'm having a little trouble with the "bland food available during reconstruction" remark. Why would food be bland then?
Hey Mamahen...
Don't worry about the typos. I just read what you mean and not how you say it.
Thanks for stopping by this morning!
Hey Bigfoot...
The Louisiana Hot Sauce isn't bad, but I'm partial to Tabasco just the same. I'm glad that I can still eat it.
Thanks for coming over today!
Hey Momlady...
Sorry that you can't enjoy Tabasco, but I can understand that it's not for everyone.
Thanks for the visit this morning!
Hey Barney...
Good to see ya, my friend! I heard the tour was very interesting, but I've never been.
Thanks for stopping by today!
Hey Rob...
You can certainly get a lot of history by going on a factory tour, I would imagine. As far as the food...I don't know what bland food they meant.
Glad that they came up with the sauce, though.
Thanks for the visit this morning!
I can't even get it past my mouth hot stuff just doen't do it for me guess I'm just not tough enough.
They said it would be cloudy with sunshine today all I have seen are clouds and chilly see you on the patio
Hey Jo...
I reckon it's all in what you are used to. I grew up with spicy foods, so there ya go.
Thanks, dear, for dropping by today!
I have a buddy who grew habanero peppers and made sauce out of them. Wow!!! You had to be careful with that exploding hot stuff. . .
Love Tabasco, Bubba, and our kitchen is never without it. But then, we're both Native Texans. Even if the stuff is made in Louisiana, we still love it. Did the tour too, years ago. Could smell that stuff as soon as you hit the island.
Big hugs ~
Interesting history. I keep a bottle of it around myself. However, I must admit to using a lot more Franks, as it's a bit milder. What do you expect from a New Englander anyway?
Perhaps the most important feature of Tabasco is its iconic bottle shape. There were no bottles available after the War so the family dug into their trash pile and reused old cologne bottles.
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