The History of Hot Sauce

Hot sauce, also known as chili sauce or pepper sauce, is a condiment made from chili peppers and other ingredients such as vinegar, salt, and spices. The history of hot sauce can be traced back to ancient civilizations in Central and South America, where chili peppers were used as a seasoning and a medicinal herb.

The ancient Mayans and Aztecs used chili peppers in their cooking and also believed that they had medicinal properties. They would grind chili peppers together with other ingredients to make a paste, which was then used as a seasoning for meats and vegetables.

Chillies in the New World

When the Spanish and Portuguese explorers arrived in the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries, they brought chili peppers back to Europe with them. The peppers quickly spread throughout the continent and were eventually introduced to Africa and Asia.

In the 18th century, a man named Edmund McIlhenny began experimenting with growing chili peppers on his Avery Island, Louisiana, property. He eventually created a sauce made from a variety of peppers, including the tabasco pepper, and vinegar. This sauce, known as Tabasco sauce, was patented in 1869 and is still produced and sold today.

As hot sauce became more popular, various other companies and individuals began creating their own versions. In the early 20th century, Louisiana-style hot sauce, which is made from cayenne peppers and vinegar, became popular. In the 1960s, interest in hot sauce began to grow in other parts of the United States, and a variety of different hot sauce styles and flavors began to be produced.

Today, hot sauce is a popular condiment around the world and can be found in a wide range of cuisines and dishes. From the traditional Tabasco sauce to newer and bolder flavors like Ghost pepper and Trinidad Scorpion, hot sauce continues to evolve and be enjoyed by people from all over the world.