It was a hot and spicy morning…

 

This morning we visited the Tabasco pepper sauce factory on Avery Island, Louisiana. Tabasco brand sauce has been manufactured by the McIlhenny family since its invention by Edmund McIlhenny 1868.

To get on the island, one needs to pay a toll of $1.00.  This is collected by a gentleman in a small toll booth with a wooden stick which he uses to collect the $1.00 from your vehicle and then to hand you your receipt.

We paid our toll but couldn’t get the van over the speed bumps because we bottomed-out. We left the van by the toll-house and a friendly staff drove us the 1/4 mile to the factory.

The tour consists of free-samples, a video, a walk by the production lines and some displays with further information.

Following the tour, we visited the Country Store, sampled everything there was to sample, and bought several varieties of sauces, dips and jellies.

Just outside of the store there is a small food wagon where we bought some Tabasco inspired lunch.

Soon we were on our way, heading for Texas. We had our usual afternoon torrential rain which made it almost impossible to drive. The good news is it rapidly brings the temperature down from 37C to 27C. The bad news is that the temperature goes right back up as soon as you drive past the downpour area.

We stopped at the Texas Welcome Centre and received plenty of tips of what to see and eat while in Texas.  There is a BBQ route which we needs to be tested in detail. The other food that needs sampling is the Mexican variety and we started with that right away by visting Elena’s in Beaumont, Texas.

Martin, with his yellow shirt, fit right in with the decor.

Our home for the evening is the Palms RV Park in Houston which is near the Johnston Space Centre which we plan to visit tomorrow.