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January 27, 2005
Tabasco Peppers
Tabasco peppers are hot peppers.
Tabasco (Capsicum frutescens) is an ideal container plant. The word itself means "damp earth". These compact, bushy, highly productive plants measure one to four feet tall and bear about 100 upright-growing 1˝ inch fruits with a heat of 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. While the tabasco originated in the Mexican state of the same name, the plants are now grown in abundance on Avery Island, Louisiana, home of McIlhenney Co., the famous TABASCO® brand pepper sauce company. 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. However, tabasco peppers are not widely commercially available.
Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Peppers will store for approximately 1 week. Use immediately if any discoloration or softening occurs.
If you’re just swamped with peppers, you can clean them, cut them in half, remove the seeds and ribs, and freeze them for a year.
Preparation:
Wash well in cool water.
Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color
Suggested Uses for Tabasco Sauce:
Drinks (ex: Bloody Mary)
Cocktail Sauce
Eggs (my friends are sick puppies)
Posted by Kelli Little at January 27, 2005 04:14 PM