Chile peppers have been tingling man’s taste buds for centuries, if not millennia. First thought to have been eaten by pre-Columbian Central and South Americans, and then spread across the world; Columbus carried the seeds back to Europe starting their globalization.

Thomas Jefferson grew chiles from the seeds he had imported from Mexico, George Washington grew "bird peppers" at Mount Vernon; yet they never became popular on the East Coast. They were however adopted with great fervor in Louisiana, where the McIlhenny family created Tabasco. While the south western U.S. were sticking with New Mexican-style green chiles, the Mexicans were breeding all sorts of Capsicums. Capsicum fructescens were known as a pepper that kept you healthy, so they were first introduced to America by Mr. McIlhenny in 1870 when he obtained a patent on his recipe. After competitors , named B.F Trappey produced another sauce they too called Tabasco, the McIlhenny family applied for and received a patent; settling that annoyance.

The rise of Louisiana hot sauces greatly influenced the cuisines of the region; Creole and Cajun. Cajuns are the decedents of the original French settlers from Nova Scotia. Creoles were mainly city folk who cooked mainly French-style foods, Cajuns cooked a countrified mélange of French, Indian and African foods. Even though the ingredients are quite similar, Cajun foods were often spiced up by the Cayenne peppers brought to America by the slaves.

Although Cayenne and Tabasco are both used in their recipes, they are also the principal condiments of the region. In virtually every kitchen or dining room you can find a variety of hot sauces to add even more heat to their already fiery cuisine. With a little imagination and such a vast array of peppers, you can add just the right amount of heat to anything you cook or eat!

HISTORY OF PEPPERS