The chili pepper

The TABASCO hot sauce is another iconic product from the Lafayette region.

Produced on Avery Island for over a century from small red peppers originally from the Mexican province of Tabasco—hence its name—this sauce is now exported worldwide. The peppers are hand-harvested and transformed into a very spicy sauce that is aged in oak barrels.

Today, Tabasco has become part of the region’s culinary habits and is used as a seasoning in most Louisiana recipes. The Tabasco brand has become synonymous with spicy cuisine around the world. However, its unique production site remains Avery Island, about 40 km south of Lafayette.