Nov 28 – No trip to Louisiana can be considered complete without a visit to Avery Island, the ancestral home of the McIllhenny family, creators of Tabasco sauce.
Jim is holding the tiny Army Tabasco bottle that was provided in C rations in his Vietnam days. He said for some meals, it made all the difference!We walked through the greenhouses where the peppers are grown. Tabasco peppers face upward, toward the sun.The vats where the pepper mash is processedThe warehouse where the mash is aged for up to three years The gift shop featured many interesting Tabasco products There are 12 different Tabasco sauces offered, from mild to super hot. I particularly liked the garlic sauce.Jim, of course, tried the Scorpion Sauce, the hottest one. It immediately made his nose run, and he pronounced it mighty fine.Here’s a big alligator that menaced the McIllhenny family, back in the day. As the weather has turned chilly, I’m afraid it is the only gator we will see on this trip.We took the three mile walk around the island called the Jungle Gardens – the other tourists took their carsThe island is a sanctuary for the snowy egretSomething blooming in November!Also camellias in several colors At the top of a hill is a pagoda containing a Buddha that was gifted to the McIllhenny family in 1936. They are not sure how old it is or where it came from.A mystery to end a fine day!
Taking Our Time 