February 11, 2020 - Tasty Tuesday - Tabasco, My Favorite Condiment

We all have that one condiment that we just can not live without. Some of us need extra salt, or extra pepper. Perhaps you love your mustard, mayo or ketchup? Maybe you hopped on that bandwagon for that stuff they call Sriracha. eck, maybe you prefer to live your life condiment free. That would just be downright boring.

Let me tell you about something that has been a staple for most of my life. These days I can't seem to help myself with this issue. Okay, so I have had moments in my life where I went long periods of not using it, but it has been there quite a bit since my return from Korea. Twice I have even made the pilgrimage where this stuff was made in Avery Island, Louisiana. Truthfully speaking, my good friend Jeff lives down in Lafayette, which is not too far away from Avery Island. It just makes it even more enticing though.

Look at all of those barrels of. . . Peppers!

I am very, very fond of Tabasco Hot Sauce. I will throw it in as an ingredient in my chili. Or, I douse my chili with it after the Crock Pot has finished doing its thing. I love me some Tabasco sauce on eggs, omelettes, and even on hard boiled eggs. Back when I was a gym rat in Korea I used to eat lots and lots of eggs before work in the mornings. Often they were topped off with Tabasco. Heckfire, I even put it on sausage (plant-based or real sausage). 

Tabasco does come in many different flavors. Grocery stores may not always carry those flavors, but they are pretty fun to have around the house. My personal favorite is the chipotle flavor. It has that amazing smokey taste to it, and I am always determined to find a new use for it. Lately, if I buy a quinoa salad at Costco I will flavor it up with some chipotle style Tabasco. It is pretty darn awesome. Then again quinoa salads are bland a little bland anyway. I do love throwing that stuff on some pizza as well. Then again I would probably try out every Tabasco flavor that exists on some pizza crusts. 

One of my happiest moments in the last year or so of my Korean adventure was on one of my first Costco trips. First off, Costco is build on different levels there, so when you check out you can go check out the food court on the bottom floor. Little did I know that I would be able to enjoy my chicken bake while sitting at a table with a bottle of Tabasco sauce. I was determined to light up the chicken bake with a little spice after that. 

You might not realize it but Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauces are sold in over 180 countries. That is one heck of a global reach from a little island in Louisiana. Most of the peppers grown these days are in Central and South America. Avery Island still produces quite a few as well, but sends their seed stock to areas down south with friendlier year round climates. 

Some flavors you may not be familiar with

These days there are twelve different flavors of Tabasco Pepper Sauces ranging from Raspberry Chipotle to Scorpion (do not try), Garlic Pepper, Original and others to name a few. You can even get yourself some Tabasco flavored pickles, spicy okra, spicy stuffed olives, and we must not forget the Tabasco spiced green beans as well. 

Yeah, I would not suggest you make this at home

If you really want a treat and find yourself down near Avery Island, Louisiana, then head on over and take a Tabasco factory tour. There you will learn how this awesome condiment is made. You will also get to see how it has been marketed throughout the years in music, TV, and film. There is a map that shows you all of the countries that stock it on their shelves, and so much more to learn about this cool company. When you get to the Tabasco Country Store, take a darn good look around at everything. Try as much as your taste buds will allow you to try and if you can force yourself to do so, try the ice cream or coke. Only if you can force yourself to do it.