Food - Drink
Worcestershire Sauce Was Born From A Funky Failure
By ALI FAGAN
Whether you know how to pronounce it or not, Worcestershire sauce has become a staple in countless households due to its strong umami flavor that adds a touch of something special to savory dishes. It's hard to imagine today, but this iconic sauce was considered a failure when it was first created in Worcester, England.
In 1873, John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins were asked to recreate a sauce that an English nobleman had tasted in India, but the final product was deemed inedible and left in a basement to be forgotten. Months later, Lea and Perrins rediscovered the sauce and found that it had transformed into something truly tasty.
The duo's original mixture of malt vinegar, spirit vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions, garlic, and spices turned into a fermented condiment that was unlike anything else on the market. Today, Lea & Perrins is still the most famous and popular brand of Worcestershire sauce in the world.