Tabasco Pepper

Photo: flickr user malias

About

A very hot, small red pepper originally from the Mexican state of Tabasco, the word itself means "damp earth", though these peppers are now grown in parts of Louisiana, they're not widely commercially available, instead, they're used specifically to make Tabasco Sauce, a trademarked name held by the McIlhenny family since the mid-1800s; produced since Civil War times, this fiery sauce is made from tabasco peppers, vinegar and salt; the peppers are fermented in barrels for 3 years before being processed into the sauce; Tabasco Sauce adds zest to numerous dishes as well as being integral to the famous BLOODY MARY cocktail.

Information

Other names: Chili Pepper

Translations: タバスコペッパー, Tabasco Pipirai, تاباسكو الفلفل, Tabasco korenie, Tabasco Poivre, Табаско бибер, 타바스코 페퍼, Tabasco pepř, טבסקו פלפל, Tabasco Peber, टबैस्को मिर्च, Tabasco Pimienta, Табаско Пеппер, 塔巴斯科辣椒, Табаско Пеппер, Tabasco Pebre, Табаско пипер

Physical Description

The Tabasco pepper is a small (4 cm),oblong pepper. It comes in a multitude of colors including red, orange yellow, white, and any variant intermittent color there of. Its outer skin has a wrinkled, waxy look. The inside of the Tabasco pepper has the common white spines and seed cluster that can be found in many pepper varieties.

Colors: dark red, burnt orange, bright orange, yellow orange, yellow, creme, white

Tasting Notes

Flavors: medium heat, spicy

Mouthfeel: Crunchy, Slightly leathery, Crisp

Food complements: Meat, Fish, Poultry, Chocolate, Tomatoes, Avocado, Eggs

Wine complements: Pinot gris, Sangiovese

Beverage complements: Light beer, Lemon aid, Tea

Substitutes: Cayenne pepper, Aji pepper

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Peak: april, may, june, july

Choosing: Look for tabasco chilies that are firm. The flesh should not be too soft; this may indicate over ripeness. Also look for chilies with uniform color, and ones that have little or no bruising or blemishes.

Buying: Tobasco chilies are available year round in most super markets. Also, look for these chilies in farmers markets in the American Southwest, and Mexico.

Procuring: Tabasco chilies grown in hot dry climates, and require a lot of sunshine. They also require good drainage.

Preparation and Use

Tabasco chilies can be used to spice up a variety of dishes including sauces, roasted vegetables, omelets, and meat fish, and poultry dishes.

Cleaning: Wash thoroughly, and gently. Remove stem, and cut to size. If you need to reduce the heat of the chili, remove part or all of the spine and seeds as need.

Conserving and Storing

Tabasco chilies can be stored fresh in a cool dry place, such as the refrigerator or root cellar. However, these chilies may also be dried, canned, or pickled for longer preservation.

Social/Political

The name tobasco is in reference to the Mexican State, Tobasco.

History: Tabasco chilies, for a long time, were grown on Avery Island, Louisiana. Today, the cultivation of the crop has moved mostly to South America and Central America, but is still grown in California, and Avery Island as well.