The History of Hot Sauce

This beloved condiment is a lot older than you might think! In fact, hot sauce goes back as far as Mayan times; these early hot sauces were likely just a simple mixture of water and peppers. Over time, people began to breed peppers for the most desirable flavors. But it was colonization led to hot sauce’s biggest evolution by introducing ingredients from different parts of the world, such as vinegar and spices. Different cultures developed their own versions of the condiment and hot sauce grew in popularity all over the world. In the 19^th century, Tabasco began bottling and selling hot sauce to restaurants and hotels. Today, there are many commercial hot sauces to choose from, each with its own unique flavor and level of spiciness.