I can’t stand the stuff. Don’t even like the smell of it. In fact, it makes my nose hairs curl up and I usually end up coughing a bit upon exposure. However, the driver of this here expedition is quite the fan so to Avery Island, Louisiana, we went. Before we started plotting our itinerary I’d never even heard of Avery Island but that’s where all Tabasco Sauce is processed and bottled and shipped out across the globe. We toured the plant and then explored the island itself because the gardens are quite impressive even in February. We agreed if we planned our trip for the first week of March, we would have been in for a glorious, blooming treat but we were just a bit early. Put on our walking shoes. Kept an eye out for alligators (we did not see any and despite all our trepidation and jumpiness, we were then disappointed because come on, seeing an alligator in the wild is something to write home about). Used our cartography skills. Worked up an appetite (devoured scrumptious vittles in a restaurant called 1868 which is the year Tabasco Sauce was invented). Drove away better educated in the ways of peppers, the assembly line and egrets (did I mention there’s a bird sanctuary on the island?). This place was a one-stop shop for the interesting and unexpected. The Mcllhenny family is made up of war heroes, authors, innovators and explorers. Plus they make spicy sauce and encourage the world to fight bland food with it. If you have the chance, spend at day at Avery Island.